Maker Camp is Now Open for Free Registration!
Projects designed to inspire curiosity and creativity from leading makers and educators
while remaining inviting and inclusive for all. Projects can create a stand-alone
Maker Camp or be woven into other camps or educational programs.
What exactly is a Maker Camp anyway?
Maker Camps are usually set up and run by teachers, librarians, parents and/or volunteers from their own local community as a way to engage kids over the summer with meaningful, creative, project-based learning activities. There are over 2,000 registered Maker Camps around the globe!
Why should I register my Maker Camp?
After you register your maker camp, you will be able to log into your personalized dashboard on our website where you can communicate with other members. You'll also get access to our project library with over 200 step-by-step projects, and be able to download free learning resources, and more!
How do Maker Camp project resources work?
Maker Camp projects can be completed to earn a badge by taking your own adventure in a series of subjects like coding and computers, electronics, fabrication, and STEAM, and/or you can browse the project library with over 200 individual step-by-step projects to fit the needs of your campers!
What other resources do you provide?
Once you are registered and logged into your account on makercamp.make.co you can access our resources page. There you will find worksheets, an activity book, coloring book, camper certificates and adventure badges, a safety packet, a playbook filled with tips and tricks, and more!
*Note: Annual registration is required for access to resources, even if you’ve registered before.
Search & Filter Our Project Library!
Registered Maker Camps have access to our library containing over 200 step-by-step projects for young makers!
Find just the project you need by searching all projects for a specific word, or use filters based on category, theme, age-group, amount of time and/or materials!
Find just the project you need by searching all projects for a specific word, or use filters based on category, theme, age-group, amount of time and/or materials!
Categories
Including Arts & Crafts, Chemistry, Electronics, Engineering, Fabrication, Fiber Arts, Food, Games, Magic, Microcontrollers, Music, Paper Crafts, Physics, Programming, Robotics, Science, STEM or STEAM, Sustainability, Wearables, and Woodworking!
Times
Plan ahead by finding projects that take the time you need. Our time filters for projects that take under 30 min, 30 min. to 1 hour, an hour or two, about 3 hours, and over 3 hours.
Materials
Including Crafting Materials like beads, cardboard, origami paper, paper, pipe cleaners, tape (duct, masking, etc.), textiles, yarn/string. Electronics materials like Arduino, breadboard, conductive tape, LEDs, Makey Makey, and Micro:bit. General Plastics (polystyrene & polypropylene like PVC pipe, stencils, upcycled/recycled materials, vinyl, and wood. Tools like a 3D printer, drill, general hand tools, laser cutter, and soldering iron, or other materials like acrylic!
Themes
Use our themed Makeyland interactive map to explore around the Art/Craft Studio, Carnival/Theme Park, Construction Site, Farm, Marina/Waterfront, The Canteen (Mess Hall and Recycling Station), The Depot (Airport/Space Station/Racetrack, and The Shop (Makerspace)!
Adventures
Choose to go on an adventure in order to earn a badge in Arts & Crafts, Back to Basics, Coding & Computers, Electronics, eTextiles & Wearables, Fabrication, and STEAM.
Ages
Find just what you need for any age-group ranging from under age 5, ages 5-7, ages 8-10, ages 11-13, and ages 14+.
Earn a badge by taking an adventure in...
Arts and Crafts
Get hands-on and channel creativity and innovation.
Back to Basics
A modern marriage of home economics and shop class.
Coding & Computers
Control computers and more with the power of code.
Electronics
Control computers and more with the power of code.
eTextiles & Wearables
Merge technology and fashion to make creations you can really wear.
Fabrication
Explore 3D printing, laser cutting and other creative high-tech projects.
STEAM
Science, technology, engineering, art, math, and or MAKING!
Testimonials
Bloomsburg Children's Museum - Bloomsburg, PA
In 2022, the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum entered its 8th year of running Maker Camps. The Camp started as a 5-day camp offered once a year. This camp became so popular that today we run multiple summer camps, an after-school Maker Camp during the school year, and a Mobile Maker Camp all year. Maker Camp is about inspiring every student and cultivating their interests. Too often, kids are trained as technology users with little emphasis on how that technology works.
By providing fun and engaging projects that involve critical thinking and problem-solving skills, kids naturally develop a Maker Mindset – the skills to become Makers instead of users. The Maker Camp community provides the backbone needed for a successful program. We get many of our project ideas from Maker Camp, other camps involved in the maker camp program, and the sponsors that donate materials each year. The community is a great resource for feedback and a place to showcase what your campers Make.
“I didn’t think I could make a flashlight," is a quote from one of our female Maker Camp students. Imagine the confidence and self-efficacy this student gained when they realized they could do this. This student is now armed with the question – What else can I do? Creating this mindset is what Maker Camp is about.
Kaleidoscope Enrichment Center - Blairstown, NJ
“This summer we worked with more kids in more places than ever before,” says Sandy Roberts of Kaleidoscope Enrichment in New Jersey. “Our makers explored density by making Duck Tape Duckies at the pool; used chemistry to toast marshmallows; lit up the farmers’ market with Snap Circuits, Makey Makeys, and Scratch programs; created some amazing superhero and steampunk cosplay at the library; blended and made their own paints like DaVinci; grew cucumbers with hydroponics; made spin art T-shirts; and even held epic lightsaber battles with swords they made themselves!”
“At every step," she says,“they were full of imagination and creativity while they developed their maker skills and self-confidence. For me, the best part was the laughter."
“The inherent sense of wonder and fun that Maker Camp creates is the best part of summer. As one student said, after making a light-up magic wand,‘I never thought I could make anything like this. Now I'm going to make it better!’ And that's what it's all about."
University of North Carolina's Learning Factory - Greensboro, NC
The University of North Carolina's Learning Factory held two Maker Camp sessions this summer where campers engaged in robotics, circuitry, engineering, digital storytelling, and computer science, reports UNCG's Evan Hill. The camp focused on building students' capacities to use creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. At the end of each session, they hosted their Maker Faire to celebrate what the campers had made and learned.
This summer turned out some very creative projects, and the energy was contagious! Combining history with technology, one group used WWII propaganda posters with littleBits circuit technology to bring the signs to life while they learned about the second World War. Another group used cardboard to create skull masks decorated with paint and collage. Then they built on their 3D cardboard prototyping skills to try doodling and printing in 3D.
77 Percent
Of registered campsites reach and teach girls how to code, how to use hand and power tools , and other high-tech equipment like 3D printers!
Over 2,000 Campsites
In the summer of 2022 Maker Camp had over 2000 registered campsites around the globe, that's an increase of 300% from summer 2021!
Campsites Served
On average around 29 campers per week, for a total average of 119 campers around the world throughout the summer of 2022!
Maker Camp Participants and Projects
A Little More About Us
Maker Camp registration on Make: Community is free. We provide you with resources (project ideas & step-by-step instructions, community connection) to summer camps and young Makers interested in DIY, making, creating, crafting, hacking, tinkering, and learning. Maker Camp connects Camp leaders from across the globe as they create, invent and build projects like stop-motion animation, junk automata, and rainbow spectroscopes.
Member sites and their campers spread across all 50 states and 6 continents. Sites include public libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs, makerspaces, 4-H Clubs, and community summer camps.
International sites include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, and South Africa.
*Note: Annual registration is required for access to resources, even if you’ve registered before.
