Summer Camp at Snapology

Summer is around the corner. Today the sun's rays are shining, and I am starting to feel that summer excitement. I do love the low-key nature of summer without the morning hustle. Yet, I sometimes need a break in the summer: enter summer camp.

We have a few camps lined up: the First Presbyterian VBS (Vacation Bible School), Camp McCullough, and finally, two Snapology camps. That's it. We need some time for Raising Tacoma activities, too. Wink wink.

So let's talk Snapology.

My boys, especially my oldest (currently seven years old), love to tinker. Any toy that involves building or putting things together can occupy their creative minds for a long time…I love it both for them and me. The top toys in our house are Magna Tiles (although we get Picasso tiles since they are a cheaper knock-off), these pipe-like toys, and Duplos/Legos. It's especially exciting for them if they can have what they build move or become something like a car or a sword.

Given this love for creating and building, I knew they would love Snapology. They went to their first camps, Jr Engineers and Kinderbot Robotics, last summer and had a blast. At the time, my oldest was wary of camps and hesitant to be left. He was very anti-camp. However, both boys absolutely loved the camp. They wanted to go back each day and were sad when camp ended. Now that summer is approaching, they want to do another Snapology camp!

Where is Snapology located?

Snapology is a franchise; the closest franchise is in Gig Harbor. However, that doesn't mean you have to drive across the bridge! There are a few different locations for various camps around our Sound Sound region. Our area serves over ten Snapology camps and classes locations, including Gig Harbor, Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, Ruston, Lakewood, Port Orchard, and surrounding areas. So far, we've attended camps at the Fircrest Community Center, which is perfect for us.

Why do we love Snapology?

I love it because my boys love it. I also love it because they are learning as they play. The program is STEM-focused (STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math). The projects engage the kids and teach problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Both teachers we had for the camps were patient and encouraging with the kids. I felt confident leaving them and knew they would be cared for and have fun at the same time. Also, the camp was small--just a handful of kids in each camp--so there was a good ratio of teacher to kid.

What did they do at Snapology camp?

My boys enjoyed taking toys they love, like Legos and DUPLOs, to the next level. At camp, they designed creations to move around and do things. They made spinning tops, robot scorpions, drills, and more by adding sensors and motors to their creations. Then they programmed the creation's movements on a tablet.

The Kinderbot Robotics camp used cubelets (basically robot blocks), which was perhaps the biggest hit. They built an obstacle course and had to program their cubelet robot to get through it and race the other kids' creations. My son was dying for me to buy some at the end of the camp.

When can you do a Snapology camp?

Snapology has programs year-round, and they even have birthday party packages. We did the Saturday series last year, but we'll do the week-long camps this summer. They have all sorts of camps this summer, and some look pretty cool. They also have themed camps like Pokemania (Pokemon) and Mining & Building (Minecraft).

What are your kids doing, Raising Tacoma?

We signed up already for the KinderBots Robotics 4-day camp (Wk04) and Mining & Building - Basic (Wk06). The kids are pumped!

How do I find out more?

I do not work for Snapology, so my knowledge is based on experience. You can find all the details on their website:

https://www.snapology.com/location/gigharbor

For full disclosure, I was discounted for the classes to help Snapology spread the word about their programs. However, my opinions and words above are my own and we would still participate even without the discount. :)