Minnetonka Community Ed

Unleash your inner hero in this creative STEAM adventure! In this camp, students will bring superheroes to life through storytelling, design, and beginner-friendly coding. Using Scratch, they will create simple interactive games where heroes move, jump, and overcome challenges, while learning foundational coding concepts. Students will also step into the world of digital media by producing their own superhero stop-motion short film, complete with props and sets they design themselves. This camp blends coding, art, and imagination. Students should have basic reading skills, be comfortable using a computer Bring a USB drive on the last day.

Get a great head start in learning how to code as well as learning computer science concepts using one of the fundamental programming languages of professional developers: Python. Its syntax allows programmers to express concepts in fewer lines of code than possible in languages such as C++ or Java, making it the perfect coding language for beginners. Python is a text-based language, so students should have good keyboarding and basic computer skills. Bring a USB drive to save your games on the last day.

Embark on the ultimate Minecraft adventure! In this camp, students will team up in our multiplayer survival world to explore, gather resources, and take on epic challenges. Each day, campers will use different survival skills, crafting tools, mining for materials, brewing potions, enchanting gear, and preparing for battle. Along the way, they’ll practice defeating mobs, complete quests, and discover the secrets of the Nether Then, jump into world-building with ready-made worlds and landscapes to set the stage. Add unique powers, creative challenges, cutscenes and epic boss encounters to craft a game full of excitement and imagination. We will be using the PC/Java edition of Minecraft. Bring a USB drive to save your games. Minecraft is a Mojang Studios trademark. This camp is not affiliated with them.

Start your engines and get ready to race! In this high-energy camp, students will use LEGO® Robotics to design, build, and program cars and dragsters powered by motors and sensors. Working in small teams, they’ll explore different car models, learn how programming brings machines to life, and tackle fun challenges along the way. On the final day, campers put their creations to the test in an epic racing tournament! Perfect for kids who love speed, teamwork, and hands-on building.

Step into the world of Pokémon with a week of exciting STEAM adventures! Students will design and build their own coding projects, from interactive games to creative animations, while also making Pokémon-themed stop-motion films. They’ll construct sets and props, tackle fun STEAM challenges, and bring their ideas to life through coding and creativity. Along the way, students strengthen problem-solving and teamwork skills. Basic reading skills recommended. Bring a USB drive on the last day. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo of America Inc. This camp is not affiliated with them.

Unleash your creativity as you work collaboratively! Create a world with others in multiple unique, themed escape room adventure maps. Our mission is to race through the end and escape the Ender Dragon. Students will get a copy of the world to continue at home. We will be using the PC/Java edition of Minecraft. Bring a USB drive to save your games. Minecraft is a Mojang Studios trademark. This camp is not affiliated with them.

Hack into the code of classic games! Students will learn Java coding skills while modifying games such as Asteroids, Tetris, Snake, and more! Coding beginners and more experienced students will love this class. This fun class is our staff and students' favorite codling class. Java is a text-based language, so students should have good keyboarding and basic computer skills. Bring a USB drive to save your games.

Join us as we explore, investigate, and solve problems through hands-on engineering. This engaging class combines LEGO® Education and LEGO® Technic™ materials to study design, technology, science, and mathematics. Students working in pairs will build learning models, then be challenged to customize and improve their projects using the principles they’ve discovered. Topics include design principles, mechanisms, pneumatics, pressure, prototyping, and energy. Possible builds include a scissor lift, stamping press, robotic arm, robotic hand, animatronic scarecrow, and even a dinosaur, blending creativity with engineering problem solving.

Unleash Your Ultimate Platform Fighter! Dive into the creation of a Super Smash Bros.-style game using Construct 3, a powerful and user-friendly game development platform. Students will learn how to design, develop, and implement various game mechanics, including character selection, combat systems, item integration, and stage design. Through hands-on projects and guided instruction, participants will learn game development principles and create a dynamic platform game. Bring a USB drive to save your games on the last day. Super Smash Bros. is a trademark of Nintendo of America Inc. This camp is not affiliated with them.

Build, Battle, and Conquer! Get ready for epic LEGO® model battles in our RC Battles camp! Design, build, and program your own remote-controlled LEGO® models to compete in thrilling challenges. Learn strategies to develop effective tactics for winning battles. Apply engineering principles to design and build models that are both powerful and durable. Students will be working in small teams of 2-3.

Get ready to take charge in this action-packed coding camp! Students will design and program their own Tower Defense–style game while learning the fundamentals of programming. Using Construct 3, a visual coding platform, they’ll explore how game frameworks work and practice coding concepts such as variables, events, conditions, and loops. Campers will create paths, position defensive towers, and program waves of enemies to challenge their defenses. Along the way, they will experiment with mechanics, adjust difficulty, and bring their games to life. Bring a USB on the last day to save your games.

Get ready for an exciting class filled with new builds and challenges! Students will take their engineering skills to the next level by constructing remote-controlled robots inspired by the popular Discovery Channel show BattleBots. Using LEGO® Robotics systems and specialized Technic™ engineering components, they’ll build extreme machines designed for competition. Working in small teams of two to three, students will test, re-engineer, and morph their robots to become better, stronger, and faster before entering them into a high-energy tournament on the final day.

Ready to take your coding skills to the next level? You'll dive deep into the world of programming, master the fundamentals of JavaScript, and build impressive projects that showcase your creativity and problem-solving abilities. JavaScript is a versatile and widely used programming language that plays a crucial role in making websites interactive and dynamic. JavaScript is a text-based language, so students should have good keyboarding skills. Bring a USB drive to save your projects.

Become a Pokémon master of 3D design by creating your very own Pokémon characters with TinkerCAD. Students will explore CAD modeling, experiment with shapes and features, and bring their digital creatures to life with 3D printers. Along the way, they will also experiment with SimLab and design Pokémon-themed video games, combining creativity with hands-on technology. The class introduces the basics of CAD modeling and design software while encouraging imagination and exploration. Each student will have two small printed designs sent home. Printing and material fees are included. Bring a USB drive on the last day. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo of America Inc. and not affiliated with this camp.

Students will begin by building robotic beasts and monster machines such as a Robo-Dog, Mega-Gorilla, Insectoid Bot, and the Scorpion Warrior. Once their robots are built, they’ll dive into programming to make them move, attack or even think on their own. This hands-on camp is both fun and educational, teaching the foundations of building, coding, and problem solving through robotics. Working in teams, students will then be challenged to modify and re-engineer their robots to become better, stronger, and faster. Every day brings new opportunities to create, experiment, and compete.

Work as a team to create a custom theme park in Minecraft. Use creativity and Redstone to create this world! Possible projects include roller coasters, water rides, a trampoline park, an obstacle course, a boat race, bumper boats, a dunk tank, and many more rides and attractions! Students will get a copy of the world map to take home and expand on. We will be using the PC/Java Edition of Minecraft. Bring a USB drive to save your games on the last day. Minecraft is a Mojang Studios trademark. This camp is not affiliated with them.

From a galaxy far, far away, your Star Wars adventure begins! In this camp, students will design using starships, droids and other star war characters to build intergalactic scenes, then bring them to life by creating their own stop-motion animated short film. Alongside moviemaking, they’ll dive into Star Wars–themed coding activities, learning how to create games and interactive projects inspired by the saga. With hands-on building, animation, and coding, this camp is perfect for fans who dream of becoming Jedi creators. Basic reading skills required; Bring a USB drive on the last day. Star Wars is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC. This camp is not affiliated with, authorized by, or sponsored by them

Let the battles begin! Designed by the experts at MIT, LEGO® WeDo Robotics' unique system teaches students about simple machines, engineering, programming, and so much more. Students may construct a catapult, ninja star, tank, battle axe, crossbow, and more in this camp! Students will be working in pairs.

Design, develop, and create 3D virtual reality environments and characters to build your own VR games. Students will start with smaller projects to learn the basics of coding, design, and interaction. In the final two days, they will construct a full labyrinth complete with challenges, characters, and immersive exploration. This camp is ideal for students passionate about technology and creativity. VR projects can be viewed on most mobile devices and VR systems such as Oculus. Bring a USB on the last day to save your games.

Create your own stop-motion animation using characters from the Harry Potter and Fantastical Beasts series. Students will build and design magical-themed scenes and props. Then, they will handle all the technical details of filming scenes, including stop-motion, digital editing, special effects, and transitions to the movie. Students will create digital animations and participate in our Harry Potter-themed STEAM activities. Students should have basic reading skills and be comfortable using a computer. Bring a USB drive on the last day. Harry Potter is a Warner Bros. trademark. This camp is not affiliated with them.