During the summer, students might take a break from their school and their classrooms, but they don’t have to take a break from learning. Summertime allows the perfect opportunity to experiment with new and exciting educational opportunities that defy the dynamics of both traditional classrooms and traditional summer camp settings.

Denver Test Prep’s enrichment programs offer the perfect solution to parents looking for fun, engaging summer activities for curious young learners. Enrichment programs combine all the excitement of summer camp with the immersive educational experience of a hands-on science project.

Emily Prengaman, Denver Test Prep’s director of enrichment programs, has developed a series of labs that help students explore the worlds of biology, chemistry, and robotics. Through these captivating projects, kids learn to foster new perspectives and passions for science, technology, math, and engineering. Below, Emily shares a few of her favorite enrichment activities, the skills they cultivate, and the many ways students can implement those skills in their everyday lives.

1. Robotics and Circuitry

“This program teaches students the basics of circuitry, electricity, and programming,” Emily explains. Through an exploration of different robotics kits, students learn about how robots use programming to think, use circuits to transmit electricity, and use electricity to power their movements.

A primary goal of the robotics program is to inspire students to ask questions and seek out solutions to problems they want to solve. Once students begin to wonder what a robot is, what it should do and how it would operate, they’re motivated to take control of their own learning process.

The robotics program is ideal for students in grade levels 3 to 8, but younger students are also encouraged to join, with plenty of room in the program for adaptations to suit their interests and abilities. It’s never too soon to introduce a child to robotics given that even these early encounters can foster lifetime passions or even build the foundations for a career.

2. Chemistry

Denver Test Prep’s chemistry program introduces students in grade levels 3 to 8 to chemical reactions and changing forms of matter, allowing them to experiment with gases, liquids, and solids.

“Together, we’re making slime, creating lava lamps, playing with dry ice, and making bubbles you can hold in your hand,” Emily says.

While the chemistry program draws on classroom math and classroom science, its incorporation of active participation gives these subjects new life. Taking on the challenge of an investigation sparks curiosity and excitement that makes learning seem effortless.

3. Backyard Naturalist

“The backyard naturalist program gives kids the chance to explore the ecosystem of their neighborhood park or their own backyard,” Emily says. “They’re heading outside and seeing who and what lives there, exploring what’s underground and up in the sky, and having an outdoor educational experience in the safety and comfort of their own backyard.” Students in grade levels 1 to 6 become open-air adventurers in this fun, flexible summer camp program.

The backyard naturalist activities, like all of Denver Test Prep’s enrichment opportunities, provide a stark contrast to the typical academic setting, in which students read through a textbook to memorize facts for a test. It’s also fundamentally different from the typical summer camp setting, in which students are entertained rather than educated. With enrichment programs, you can spend your summer invigorating the learning process and inspiring a future scientist.