College of Education Maker Day Camps

Registration is currently Open for day camps and closes July 30th.

Sign up here!

The PSU College of Education is proud to present Maker Day Camps at the Krause Pedagogical Innovation Lab.

These single day maker camps are designed to have your child flex their creative muscles while learning new maker skills. We hope that through this experience students will walk away with an experience that encourages a creative mindset, learning new skills, and a desire to transform their ideas into reality!

Each day camp will be themed around a different maker project. The students will practice and create a project while learning new skills over the course of a day. At the end of the day, students should have a completed project that they can take home alongside all their new knowledge.

Basic Information:

• Camps are for students age 10-13
• Price: $40 per student per day, each day is a different session. If you sign up for all 4 days you will get a discounted total rate of $140 for 4 days.
• Dates: Tuesday August 5th to 8th
• Drop off: 8:30-9:00 AM
• Pick Up: 4:00-4:30 PM
• Camp Location: 202 Chambers. Back Up Location: TBD.
• Pick up and Drop off Chambers Atrium
• Recommended parking for pick up and drop off is the Nittany Parking Deck
• Lunch will not be provided, Students need to bring their own lunch.
• Allergy safe snacks and water will be provided!

Directions to camp from Nittany Parking Deck to Chambers Atrium:

• Exit out of the rear of the Nittany Parking deck near the Rackley building.
• Follow the sidewalk towards Chambers with Rackley to your Left.
• Chambers is a split building with second floor walkways connecting them and a courtyard in the middle. The small courtyard has a fountain.
• Proceed up the small set of stairs and before entering the courtyard turn right to enter Chambers. For reference, the side of Chambers you want to enter is closest to the library.
• The Atrium is right inside the door as you enter Chambers. 

What is a maker? and What is my child going to learn at a maker camp?

The definition of a maker is simply someone who creates. A simple definition until you get to the word “creates”. The act of creating can be one of the most difficult tasks a person can undertake. The process of taking a mental idea and transforming it into a physical or digital creation can be a complex process. It can take a lot of time, effort, and knowledge to recreate what you are envisioning in your mind. The skills involved in this process are not always intuitive for students, and the goal of these camps is to teach students skills that not only make them better makers but creators as well!

Skills such as:

• Design Thinking
• Troubleshooting
• Experimentation and Iteration
• Adaptability
• Problem Solving
• Persistence and Determination
• Independence and Self Reliance

Alongside these skills the teachers will present cultural perspectives on making and art. These perspectives will show the importance of art and making in culture and how their skills can be used to make an impact.

The camps will take place in Krause Pedagogical Innovation Lab (KPIL) located in the Chambers building on the PSU University Park Campus. The KPIL opened in Fall of 2024 as a makerspace for students, staff, and faculty in the College of Education. The makerspace features collaborative worktables, maker tools and equipment, and a small audio studio.

Parental/Guardian and Student Expectations:

Parents/Guardians should:

• Drop off and pick up their children during the associated time slots
• Make sure to pack a lunch for their child.
• Refrain from packing a lunch with major allergens such as peanuts.
• Expect your child to be bringing home a project that they worked on.
• Dress your child in clothes that can get dirty if signing up for the clay maker day. Aprons will be provided but accidents do happen!

Students should:

• Be excited to learn new skills and create a project of their own creation
• Be prepared to put their personal devices away and work with their hands
• Follow safety rules and guidelines set forth by the camp directors and counselors
• Be respectful of other students and camp staff members.
• Listen to and follow the direction of the camp directors and counselors.
• Talk with your fellow campers and get to know them.
• HAVE FUN!

Confidentiality:

For legal reasons, the University cannot release the names or phone numbers of other participants, not even to those who want to carpool.

Medical Information:

Staff members will refer medical emergencies and illnesses to University Health Services, or the Emergency/Outpatient Department of Mount Nittany Medical Center, or Penn State Health Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy. A parent or guardian must complete the health questions as part of the registration form to grant permission for any medical attention required during the program.

Health Notice:

Please help lessen the spread of any contagious diseases. The exclusion of ill persons from public, school, and group gatherings is key to lessening the spread of illness. If you are ill, please remain at home during your illness and recovery. If you have a fever (100˚ F or higher), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting contact with others until you have been without a fever for at least 24 hours.

Medical Fees and Insurance:

The University does not provide medical insurance for campers.

In the event of illness or injury requiring treatment, hospitalization, or surgery, family medical insurance must be used. Parents or guardians will be billed directly for any medical care given at University Health Services, Mount Nittany Medical Center, or Penn State Health Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy.

University Health Services does not have contracts with any health insurance companies and does not send bills to insurance companies. Patients will receive an itemized bill at the end of a visit and will receive a statement from the University Bursar as well.

The University urges that participants be covered by some form of personal medical insurance. Be sure to provide your insurance company’s information where indicated on the program registration form.

The parent(s) or guardian(s) of a participant requiring medical treatment at University Health Services, Penn State Health Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy, or Mount Nittany Medical Center will be notified of the treatment within 24 hours. We know how important timely notification is for insurance claims, so it is extremely important for you to list the following in the designated areas of the form: the numbers of your daytime phone, home phone, and cell phone, and your family physician’s

Refunds:

If your request to withdraw is received at least 15 business days prior to the first day of the program, we can issue a partial refund. Send your written request by email to [email protected] or by fax to 814-863-5190. A 25% administrative fee will be charged for each withdrawal.

Commitment to Youth Safety:

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to providing a safe environment for all youth participating in activities offered through the University. All Penn State youth programs have policies in place to ensure the safety of youth participating in our programs and to ensure safety is not compromised. All camp staff are trained in emergency protocols and all relevant internal, external, and parental requirements. 

Parents are encouraged to notify the College of Education Maker Day Camp Lead immediately at [email protected] or 814-865-2535 if they, or their child, are experiencing problems, difficulties, or concerns with the camp, other youth in the camp, and/or camp staff. 

You may also contact Sandy Weaver, youth programs compliance specialist, at [email protected] or 814-865-8785, or call the University’s Ethics Hotline at 1-800-560-1637.

Contact Information:

Any questions about the camp can be directed to Clayton Gardner, the Krause Pedagogical Innovation Lab Director.

He can be contacted by email at [email protected] or by calling 814-865-2535.