Do you have a kid who loves playing video games, talks incessantly about Minecraft, or draws imaginative worlds in the margins of his or her homework? Don’t let them spend the summer alone, parked in front of their computer or gaming device. Get them out into a like-minded peer group, learning HOW TO CREATE games instead. Sign them up for some fun high-tech summer camps.

We checked into some local summer camp programs and found a few that are perfect for future developers or artists. Kids can hone their skills in courses like Game Design, Filmmaking and Special Effects, 3D Game Design with Minecraft, Robotics, Adventures in Programming, and more!

Take a look at these camps and click on the links to find out more:

Digital Media Academy

University of Washington

Camp Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

http://www.digitalmediaacademy.org/

DMA offers kid (8-12) one-week summer camps at its University of Washington location, and offers teen (12-17) one-week summer camps and two-week summer academies. Come for one week or combine weeks for a multi-week, project-based learning experience.

 

DigiPen

DigiPen Campus, Redmond, WA

Camp Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

https://projectfun.digipen.edu/summer-workshops/

Introducing students in elementary, middle, and high school to a variety of fun and engaging topics in video game programming, game design, fine arts and multimedia production, and engineering.

 

Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AiE)

AIE Seattle campus – Seattle Center Armory, 4th level

Camp Hours: Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

http://www.theaie.us/courses/Summer_Camps

Looking to get your feet wet in the world of animation and video games? Try the Academy of Interactive Entertainment’s Summer Camps! Camps are project-based, and you’ll get to learn about the software and basic techniques used in the industry. Each week-long camp concludes with a pizza party, and every student will receive a certificate of achievement and a copy of their project to take home.

 

BRICKS 4 KIDZ

Various locations throughout the Puget Sound

http://www.bricks4kidz.com/washington-seattle-proper/program-events/camps/

Camp Hours: Varies for different classes

Bricks 4 Kidz classes provide an extraordinary atmosphere for students to build unique B4K only creations, play games, and have loads of fun using LEGO® bricks.  The activities are designed to trigger pre-school, elementary, and middle school children’s lively imaginations and build their self-confidence.

From stop motion animation to art and robotics, we have a variety of experiences for all.

Clip from the Tacoma Bricks 4 Kidz:

 

GAMER iD Tech Camps University of Washington Computer Camps

Camp Hours: one- and two-week day and overnight, plus ultimate gaming weekend camps beginning June 20–August 13. Check their web site for more specifics.

U-DUB graduates are the founders and owners of iD Tech Camps at the University of Washington, These camps are perfect for aspiring tech nerds. Campers learn the technical aspects of video game making, web design and programming. Maybe an overactive video game player isn’t such a bad thing, after all? internaldrive.com/locations/wa-summer-camps-washington-computer-camps/university-of-washington-seattle-area/