Expert teachers, small groups, hands-on, and in person! 
Keep learning and interacting with teachers and peers.

​We are offering full-day, 1-week summer camps. Each camp week consists of our award-winning STEM camps and is a different theme or focus. Each day consists of a fun, well-rounded day of activities including:

• ​Two hands-on science or engineering labs based on that week’s focus
• Daily outdoor time in the form of nature hikes or outdoor play
• Daily book and game club
• Lunch and a 30-min science or engineering film (e.g. TED talk, documentary)

Camp times (Monday - Friday)

• Regular camp day is from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm 
• Before Care available from 8 - 8:30 am for Morning Explorers ($40 per week)
• Aftercare available from 3:30 - 6:00 pm ($160 per week)​

Location: Ideaventions Academy, 12340 Pinecrest Road, #100, Reston, Virginia 20191
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Notes

• If a camp week is full, please email [email protected] with the name and grade of your child this fall to be added to the waiting list. 
• Individual pre-packaged lunches may be ordered through Schoolhouse Grill for individual days. We will provide the link for ordering with the welcome email the week before the start of each camp week. The cost for lunches is not included in the camp cost. Our school code to place the order is 12340.​​​​

Register

Best VA Camp & STEM Camp

Best VA Camp & STEM Camp

Best STEM Camp

Sample Schedule
​Each day consists of two science or engineering labs, a book club, a STEM or computing lab, and outdoor time. 

If your plans change and you need to register for extended care after the initial camp registration, please do so here:

Register for Extended Care

Descriptions

Dates	Name	Description	Cost	Registration
6/22 - 6/26	Naturalist & Engineering Survival Skills	​Learn about the natural world and what it takes to survive in the wilderness. Through outdoor hikes and labs, grow your naturalist skills such as identifying plants and tracking animals, as well as survival skills such as starting and building a fire, engineering a survival shelter, and discover new ways to use the resources around you to help you survive. We will travel by van to Lake Fairfax to practice our fire lighting skills.	$575	Register
6/29 - 7/2 (no camp on 7/3)	Genetics Makerspace: Gene Editing and CRISPR	​​Campers will start by learning about the central dogma, which underlies the connection between genes and traits. Next, we will harness modern biotechnology techniques to insert a small circle of DNA called a plasmid into bacteria. This will allow us to "hack" the bacteria so that they would start making a protein of our choosing (a dye). Finally, we will move on to more fine-tuned technique called CRISPR, which allows us to edit the bacteria's own DNA instead of needing to add something new.	$625	FULL Please email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.​
7/6 - 7/10	Battlebots: Combat Robotics	Your life won't be the same once you've built and battled robots! Learn how to build a combat robot from scratch, then battle it in our custom arena. In our workshop, you will build Ant Weight Class (1 lb) robots to battle. Come up with your strategy, design it, and then build it. Will you design a bot with a weapon, or will you choose to make a more defensive-minded "wedge" bot? ​ Note: Students may take home their bots (some may be quite damaged). A battery and controller will be provided for battles during camp. To use at home, students will need a rechargeable battery, charger, and TX/RX remote control combo.	$625	FULL Please email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.​
7/13 - 7/17	Rocket Cars	Rocket Cars (yes, you read that right!)- design your own rocket-powered model car as you explore concepts in design, aerodynamics, and chemical reactions. Build your skills with tools in our workshop as you move from your design to building, your dream car. End the week with a blast by putting on your safety goggles and testing your rocket car on our specially-designed outdoor test track.	$575	Register 2 spots left
7/20 - 7/24	Chemical Contraptions	Working in small teams, build a deviously and comically complex contraption - a Rube Goldberg machine - composed of a series of simple devices that are set up in a chain reaction with one device activating the next device in a sequence. The trick is that our devices will incorporate chemical reactions and physics phenomenon as part of their design. Examples of chemical components that may trigger chain reactions might include metal dissolving as part of a reduction reaction or a balloon expanding due to gas being produced in a chemical reaction. Alongside science, use your engineering skills to design and build the components of your Rube Goldberg machine.	$575	FULL Please email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.​
7/27 - 7/31	Engineering a Squirrel Obstacle Course	Experience hands-on building with tools as we construct a complex, obstacle course for one of nature's funniest creatures --- squirrels! Inspired by Mark Rober's squirrel obstacle course (do a quick Youtube search, if you haven't seen them), we will work as a team to design, build, and test an obstacle course that features mechanisms meant to confound our furry, bushy-tailed friends. Each unique element of the course will attempt to confound our nutty friends, as we work on skills such as imagination, woodworking, electronics, mechanics, and fabrication. Our creations will be chained together into a single course and cameras set up to monitor the course. As it comes together, we will set up and test our mechanisms, seeing if we can attract our local squirrels to take our obstacle course challenge.	$575	New section added! Register 5 spots left
8/3 - 8/7	Battlebots: Combat Robotics	Your life won't be the same once you've built and battled robots! Learn how to build a combat robot from scratch, then battle it in our custom arena. In our workshop, you will build Ant Weight Class (1 lb) robots to battle. Come up with your strategy, design it, and then build it. Will you design a bot with a weapon, or will you choose to make a more defensive-minded "wedge" bot? ​ Note: Students may take home their bots (some may be quite damaged). A battery and controller will be provided for battles during camp. To use at home, students will need a rechargeable battery, charger, and TX/RX remote control combo.	$625	FULL Please email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.​
8/10 - 8/14	Adventuring with Dungeons & Dragons	New for 2026, this camp features creative storytelling, problem solving, and a splash of art and science! Dungeons & Dragons or D&D is a timeless game that creates fantastic worlds requiring a party of individuals to work together to solve challenges with creativity and ingenuity. Over the course of a week, we'll complete a D&D campaign while we explore concepts such as character design and how to create a balanced party of characters for a particular campaign. In addition to learning more about the D&D creatures, each day we will explore a science experiment that links to the mythic realms we are exploring. This week is for beginner and intermediate players to learn the game, grow their skills, and enjoy epic adventures inside the D&D universe! ​	$575	Register 2 spots left

FAQs ​
​
What happens if my child needs to miss camp? Due to the very hands-on nature of the program, we won't be able to have a concurrent virtual access to camp. We will not be able to refund tuition for illness, vacation, or other events. Of course, if there is a serious family issue, please call and speak with Mr. Ryan (co-founder). 

Withdrawals and Refunds:
If you need to withdraw from a course or request a change of week (space permitting), please send an email to [email protected] requesting the change or withdrawal with the details. We will not process changes or withdrawals from voicemails or conversations. Refunds minus the $100 non-refundable fee can be processed prior to June 1. After June 1, refunds minus the $100 non-refundable fee can be processed if we are able to fill the spot in the course. We appreciate your understanding, as this is a small program, and we make commitments to our faculty for their summer. 

Confirmations:
We will email you the Wednesday before the first day of camp with details for the following week. We do not require a Virginia Medical form filled out by your doctor.

Invoicing: 
If you selected to pay the deposit, we will invoice you on April 1 via email.