Design & Build - DEAN Adventure Camps (Grades K-3)

Design & Build (Grades K-3)

  1 week sessions        9:00am–3:00pm       Price: $600-$695

For Summer 2025, dreams take shape in our Design & Build Studio, where young architects can choose from three camp programs: Design Your Own Amusement Park, Mario Kart Racetrack Design and Tiny Home Builders. Here they'll develop creativity transforming cardboard into extraordinary structures while building curiosity about engineering principles. As they construct their visions, builders strengthen resilience through the natural cycle of trial, error, and improvement that every architect faces.

Working with award-winning construction kits and hand tools, campers practice self-regulation focusing on precise building techniques and develop responsibility handling materials with care. Side-by-side with fellow designers, they build collaboration skills as they tackle engineering challenges and turn imagination into reality.

Grab your tools. Your next masterpiece awaits!

BUILDERS TAKE HOME:
• Hand-build projects
• New engineering skills

PROGRAM FEATURES:
• Quality construction materials
• Professional building kits
• Age-appropriate tools
• Low instructor-to-camper ratioImagine building a castle or designing the perfect racetrack where the thrills have no limits—that’s what you can do with our Design & Build Studio.

With the creativity of an artist and the mindset of an engineer and architect, campers will not only learn the physics behind how things work and the foundation to building; they’ll also bring their imaginations to life. Under the direction of experienced designers and crafters, campers will turn their ideas into high-quality projects using award-winning cardboard kits, hand tools, and imagination. 

Below are descriptions for Summer 2025 programs.

General Daily Schedule:

• Morning introduction

• Activity period—approximately 1 hour

• Snack and stretch break—approximately 15 minutes, outside weather permitting

• Activity period—approximately 1 hour

• Lunch and Recess break—approximately 1 hour, outside weather permitting

• Activity period—approximately 2 hours (included in this time can be a stretch break as needed)

• Clean up, pack up, dismissal 

Dates, Hours, and Fees

2025 Dates	Programs K-1 (Junior)	Programs 2-3 (Senior)
June 9 - 13		Tiny Home Builders
June 16 - 20 *4-day week	Design Your Own Amusement Park	Design Your Own Amusement Park
June 23 - 27	Mario Kart Racetrack Design	Mario Kart Racetrack Design
June 30 - July 3 *4-day week	Tiny Home Builders
July 7 - 11	Design Your Own Amusement Park	Design Your Own Amusement Park
July 14 - 18	Mario Kart Racetrack Design	Mario Kart Racetrack Design
July 21 - 25	Tiny Home Builders	Tiny Home Builders
July 28 - August 1	Design Your Own Amusement Park	Design Your Own Amusement Park
August 4 - 8	Mario Kart Racetrack Design	Mario Kart Racetrack Design
Hours
Full Day	9:00am – 3:00pm
Fees
Full Day	$695 5-day week / $600 4-day week

Themes + Weekly Overview

Design Your Own Amusement Park! (K-3)

Don't just go to an amusement park this summer; build your own! In this dynamic program, participants craft dazzling theme parks using 3D-construction and circuitry skills and tools to build giant Ferris wheels and more!

Campers won't just design; they'll engineer. From gravity-defying roller coasters to magical-themed zones, they'll harness the potential of the design process to bring their ideas to life.

By the program's close, each participant will proudly showcase their miniature amusement park, embodying creativity, engineering, and teamwork.

Ready to construct the unthinkable? Let the theme park building begin!

Mario Kart Racetrack Design (K-3)

Drop that controller and pick up your pencil! In Mario Kart Racetrack Design, we're bringing everyone's favorite racing game into thrilling reality! Young designers develop their curiosity by exploring how kooky themes like Rainbow Road and Bowser's Castle can inspire real-world tracks and build resilience through the natural cycle of trial, error, and improvement that every engineer faces.

As they craft their courses using 2D and 3D construction techniques, raceway architects deepen their ability to focus on detailed blueprint work and strengthen their collaborative skills while working side-by-side to test and improve their track designs with their newfound friends. Builders develop responsibility as they experiment with cause-and-effect in their creations. By the end of the week, campers will showcase racetracks that Mario (and, of course, Luigi) wishes he could drive!

Note: We do not play Mario Kart in this program or with electronics; campers draw from their past gaming experience to inspire their physical creations!

Tiny Home Builders (K-3)

Dream big, build tiny! In Tiny Home Builders, young architects develop their curiosity as they explore the art of miniature design! Working with specialized model-making kits, builders strengthen their creativity by bringing their dream spaces to life and building resilience through the natural cycle of trial, error, and improvement that every architect faces.

From crafting elegant living rooms to arranging tiny furniture, campers strengthen their focus while working on detailed construction and develop responsibility for handling delicate materials with care. Working side-by-side, our designers enhance their collaborative skills by sharing techniques and inspiration for their miniature masterpieces with newfound friends. Whether they're creating a cozy cottage or a Mojo Dojo Casa House, each tiny home will be as unique as the architect who designs it!

Small spaces, big dreams—let's start building!