Is your summer camp lineup missing that spark of excitement? Enter Sphero’s STEM Summer Camp Guide—a carefully crafted resource designed to help educators, camp coordinators, and STEM enthusiasts create hands-on, engaging experiences that will ignite the curiosity of learners across all ages, experience levels, and interests.
Whether you’re introducing coding basics, exploring engineering design, or fostering creative problem solving, this guide is packed with everything you need to design a summer camp that your campers will never forget.
Why Are STEM Summer Camps So Important?
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) summer camps are more than just a program—they’re experiences that open doors to curiosity, creativity, and essential skill-building. Here’s why they matter and why they’re so popular:
1. Skill Building for the Future
The modern workforce demands skills like coding, problem-solving, and technical collaboration. STEM camps teach these critical abilities in a fun, low-pressure environment, preparing students for future success.
2. Hands-On Learning Sparks Curiosity
STEM isn’t just numbers and formulas—it’s building robots, solving puzzles, and inventing cool new gadgets. Combining practical tools with exploratory learning can make technical concepts exciting and tangible.
3. Encouraging Resilience
STEM fosters not only technical skills but also perseverance. When students tackle problems and fail, that’s good! Camps encourage learning from mistakes, trying again, and enjoying the process of discovery.
Whether campers are solving challenges with robots or mastering engineering design, STEM camps create a safe and inspiring space for students to thrive.
What Does Sphero’s Summer Camp Guide Offer?
Sphero’s STEM Summer Camp Guide provides all the tools you need to plan and execute your program seamlessly. Here’s what’s inside:
Comprehensive Camp Planning Resources
From setting up daily activities to understanding how Sphero robots and engineering kits work, this guide walks you through every step of creating impactful STEM experiences for students in grades PK–12.
Product Overviews and Lesson Plans
Coding robots like BOLT+ and RVR+, programmable screen-free tools like indi, and engineering building kits like littleBits and Blueprint are featured alongside detailed lesson plans.
Sample Agendas
Planning your camp just got easier, thanks to pre-designed, day-by-day schedules for multi-day STEM camps. Whether it’s a “BOLT+ Storytelling Camp” or a hands-on “Blueprint Simple Machines” focus, the agendas provide clear objectives and activities.
Tailored Activities by Grade Level
Camps are broken down so educators can focus on what works best for each age group, whether teaching kindergartners computational thinking or challenging teens to build robotic contraptions, like windmills or rubber-band cars.
Sphero Central Access
Gain access to Sphero Central—our teacher hub filled with free lessons, challenge cards, and how-to guides to customize your programs even further.
Spotlight on Sphero’s Products for Camp Success
Each Sphero product opens up unique learning opportunities that make learning fun and exciting for students. Here’s an inside look at what you can expect:
1. Sphero indi (PK–3)
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Key Features: Screen-free coding driven by color tiles.
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Learning Opportunities: Perfect for teaching computational thinking by solving puzzles and creating mazes, early math concepts, literacy, and critical thinking through interactive play.
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Sample Activities:
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Design paths using color tiles, exploring cause-and-effect relationships.
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Enhance language arts learning with the indi Literacy Code Mat.
2. Sphero BOLT+ (Grades 3–10)
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Key Features: A round, programmable robot that supports teaching programming with three ways to code: draw, drag-and-drop blocks, or JavaScript text canvases in the Sphero Edu app.
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Learning Opportunities:
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Tackle the foundations of programming and engineering challenges, or create coded art pieces.
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Collaborate on science projects, storytelling adventures, or even game design.
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Sample Activities:
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“BOLT+ Storytelling Camp” turns coding into a creative exercise as campers use robots to act out characters in their stories.
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Middle School Games pushes students towards designing original games using code.
3. Sphero littleBits (Grades 3–8)
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Key Features: Hands-on, snap-together electronic building blocks to inspire invention.
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Learning Opportunities:
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Build circuits, design prototypes, and create gadgets.
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Encourage problem-solving and collaboration while exploring electrical engineering basics.
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Sample Activities:
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Organize a “Hack Your Habits” challenge where students make inventions to track daily habits.
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Guide campers through building smart security devices to protect their “camp valuables.”
4. Sphero RVR+ (Grades 5–10)
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Key Features: Customizable robot for intermediate and advanced coding.
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Learning Opportunities:
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Introduce programming from beginner block coding to advanced JavaScript and Python.
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Design add-ons using Sphero Blueprint or littleBits and integrate them with tools like Raspberry Pi or micro:bit.
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Sample Activities:
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RVR+ Parade Float Challenge, where campers design a parade float attachment and program RVR+ to “parade” around a course.
5. Sphero Blueprint Engineering (Grades 6–10)
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Key Features: Combines structural engineering with mechanical components and electrical Bits for dynamic builds. Quick assembly and disassembly allow for rapid prototyping in a single session.
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Learning Opportunities:
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Explore robotics, simple machines, and applied physics concepts.
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Sample Activities:
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Build simple machines like cranes or pulleys and explore how they work in real-world systems.
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Use Blueprint in a “Machines in Our Food System” session to design mock farm equipment.
Elevating STEM Camps with a Sense of Community
What sets Sphero apart is its commitment to fostering a sense of belonging. STEM camps aren’t just a series of lessons for specific groups of students—they’re an opportunity for learners of all abilities to connect, collaborate, and celebrate their achievements. With Sphero, every camper feels valued and inspired to explore.
Make Every Moment of Summer Educational & Fun
With Sphero’s STEM Summer Camp Guide, you’ll have the tools you need to launch your most engaging, educational, and exciting summer camp yet. The guide is more than just a roadmap—it’s a foundation for building skills, inspiring creativity, and shaping the future for young minds.
Download the guide now and take the first step toward creating unforgettable STEM experiences. If you’re looking for a custom solution or have additional questions on how to get started, contact a Sphero Expert.
Don’t just run a summer camp—run a summer camp that makes learning fun. Because it should be!
