4-H Day Camps

For questions about camps, contact Amy Schmitt D’Amico, Linn County Youth Outreach Educator at 319-377-9838 or by email at amyschmi@iastate.edu. (COVID Safety rules are listed in box at right.)

If the camp you want to sign up for is closed, add your name to the waiting list, and we'll contact you if openings occur.

Registration Information 

**LOCATION DETAILS & ADDRESSES

Cedar Rapids day camps are held at Northwest Recreation Center, 1340 11th St NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405.

Center Point day camps are held at Wakema Lodge, 1008 Brook St, Center Point, IA 52213.

Marion - Lowe Park day camps are held at Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center, 4500 N 10th St, Marion, IA 52302.

Marion - Thomas Park day camps are held in the safe room, Parks Administrative and Operations building at Thomas Park,343 Marion Blvd, Marion, IA 52302.

Mount Vernon camps are held at Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center, 855 Palisades Rd SW, Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314.

Toddville day camps are held at Wickiup Hill Learning Center, 10260 Morris Hills Rd, Toddville, IA 52341.

Day Camp Descriptions

Robots at the Olympics (K-2nd)
Team up with robots to take on Olympic themed challenges! Participants will be introduced to basic coding concepts through games, various robots, and block-based coding programs. We will expand problem-solving, teamwork, and creativity skills while having a blast with ROBOTS! Throughout the day participants will get hands-on experience with the incredible robotic duo, Dash & Dot, as well as Legos, Hexbugs, and Cubelet robot blocks.

Fizz, Bubble, & Goo (K-2nd)
Come explore the wonders of science by creating amazing chemistry experiments with everyday materials to watch them fizz, bubble, and goo. Learn about matter and its three states, create super slime, and observe chemical and physical changes before your very eyes!

Dig In! (K-2nd)
Discover and explore the world around you. Learn about the amazing and diverse life on our planet…from plants to bugs to large animals like dinosaurs! Journey through time with us as we use paleontology and earth science techniques to explore fossils, rocks, and soils. Youth participants will also have a chance to explore wildlife, identify and cast their tracks, and get up-close with creatures like bugs. Can you dig it?

Art Attack (3-5th)
Explore the science of art through experiments that will make you see things in new ways! We’ll create prints using the power of the sun, try out sewing and felting techniques, experiment with color mixing, take on a photo scavenger hunt challenge, investigate 3-D printing, create eco-friendly art using old objects in new ways, and so much more. You’ll leave with a creative spark and some of your own unique works of art!

Blast Off! (3-5th)
Launch into an amazing day full of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) activities! NASA Astro Camp® explorations will inspire future astronauts and engineers to learn about space. Hands-on experiences include investigating life on the International Space Station, mission briefing, designing a crew mission patch, modeling our solar system, stomp rocket trials, space helmet prototype testing, space art, & more!

Invent STEM (4-6th)
Join us for hands-on challenges that spark creative problem solving! Jump-start your innovative thinking by learning about famous inventors and playing games to get the creative juices flowing. Throughout the fast-paced day, we’ll take on challenges including: improving pinwheel and wind turbine designs, analyzing solar lights, upcycling materials, creating a Rube Goldberg Machine, and more! You’ll have opportunities to engage in the innovation process as you sketch, design, and test your ideas. Explore real world problems, come up with innovative solutions to make the world better, and share your ideas!

Mindful Teen: From Surviving To Thriving in a Busy World (7-12th)
Join us for an engaging workshop all about being the best you! Everyone feels isolated, stressed, lonely, and anxious at times…you’re not alone! Learn with other teens how you can find simple ways to improve your wellbeing and share your experiences with each other (as you’re comfortable). We’ll discuss and practice practical strategies to manage stress, difficult emotions, and help improve overall well-being, relationships, and performance in school, sports, the arts, & other daily activities. Join us as we develop the positive sense of self and purpose needed to move from surviving to thriving! This fast-paced workshop includes activity supplies, a journal, and the book Mindful Teen by Dzung X. Vo.