Mad Science Enrichment Camps

What is a Mad Science Camp?

Gallons of green glowing liquids; strange objects flying through the air; messages written in secret code; robots that play soccer; mystery substances that change from solid to liquid in seconds.  Is this a fictional account of a visit to another planet?  No . . . it's a Mad Science summer camp!  Our camps are truly unique experiences and encompass all of the fun and excitement that people have come to expect from Mad Science.   Our Camps offer a daily combination of in-class science discovery and exploration, outdoor games, and hands-on applications of scientific principles.  Campers can expect to create a variety of take-home projects, participate in snack-tivities (using food to reinforce science concepts), and explore how science affects the world around us.  

Our Objective:

Our primary objective is to boost children's science proficiency and cultivate a budding love for science.   Furthermore, we strive to take children on an adventure of discovery, introduce them to the exciting world of science, and above all, to help make learning fun. We aspire to produce an environment that is in every way safe, where encouragement, laughter and fun are the standard.  

Our Philosophy:

Mad Science is noted for its trademark 'edu-tainment' philosophy, which cultivates incredible enthusiasm and a sense of wonder in children.   At Mad Science, we believe that children are born scientists. Children are naturally curious about the world around them, and we believe that we must harness that curiosity in today's youth in order to help foster a lifelong love of science and learning,   Our camps are an example of how we are creating a context for children to touch, see, hear, smell and taste what science is all about.  

Our Programing:

We use an inquiry-based technique that allows even the youngest camper to enjoy learning.   Click here to read more about inquiry-based learning. In our summer camps, an emphasis is placed on trying new things, learning by doing, and enjoying the process of discovery.   We offer 5 different camp themes throughout the summer, Mad About Science, Junior Engineers, 3..2..1…Blast Off!, Robotics, and Spy Academy. All camp curriculums are developed by a professional team of educators and scientists.   Furthermore, all camp topics are updated annually to make sure we are giving children the most innovative tools necessary to embark upon scientific discovery in a camp setting. 

Let’s take a sneak glimpse into what a day of Mad Science Camp may look like! Through the implementation of interactive demonstrations, children will learn how a Mad Scientist can harness the power of a potato to create electricity. Through group work, children will experiment with a solar powered vehicle, make life saving inventions, and build a wind tunnel to test various flying devices.  Through hands on projects, children may explore technology that is used to design and build robots, purify water, and learn the science behind security devices.   All the while, Instructors are encouraged to seek out leadership opportunities for each individual camper, which will build confidence, foster responsibility and initiative.

Our Instructors and Staff:

Mad Science of Maine hires qualified individuals with experience working with children and who are skilled at getting kids excited about learning. Many of our instructors are educators, teachers from a variety of school districts in Maine, and college students concluding their degrees. Each camp has a Lead and an Assistant Instructor. Our most experienced educators assume the role of Lead Instructor. At Mad Science of Maine, we expect our instructors to not only be passionate about science and be able to share that passion with children, but also to be able to have effective classroom management skills. Every instructor employed my Mad Science receives a criminal background check. At Mad Science, ee believe that the personal development of campers is nurtured by dedicated Mad Scientist who seek opportunities to build self-confidence, self-reliance, and independence in individual campers by praising effort and positive attitude.

Click here to read more about Mad Science Enrichment Camps.