Orange County offers a variety of summer camp options that explore science, tech, problem-solving and more.
Carolina Garcia’s 9-year-old daughter is coding and 3D printing at home for fun. The hobbies are the result of skills she picked up at STEAM summer camps at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Like many parents, Garcia wanted her daughter to do more than just relax and play during the summer, and since they both like science, she chose to enroll her in engineering and 3D printing with a pen at College for Kids. It’s one of the many opportunities for STEAM summer camps in Orange County.
“It has been amazing,” Garcia said. “She loved the curriculum. She was so happy. I would pick her up, and she would be running all excited with a project in her hand.”
Some parents are already looking at options to fill their kids’ time while they are off from school. If you want your little one to learn a thing or two along the way, STEAM camps might just be the answer.
“These programs offer benefits that extend far beyond keeping children engaged during summer break. They fundamentally shape how young people approach learning, problem-solving and the world around them,” said Sumukh “Sam” Ray, owner of Club SciKidz. “STEAM camps provide a unique environment where children can explore their natural curiosity without the pressure of grades or standardized testing.”
Here are just a few options for STEAM summer camps in Orange County:
Club SciKidz
Club SciKidz has been around since 1997 and operates in Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Torrance. It now offers more than 70 themed summer camps for children from pre-K through eighth grade (ages 4-15) led by certified teachers, college students and outstanding high school seniors. Topics cover anything from robotics and engineering, life sciences, Earth sciences to medical and veterinary science and more. There’s even K-Pop Demon Hunter STEAM. New this year will be AI, ChatBot programming, drone piloting and 3D printing. Registration is now open for summer 2026. oc-south-bay.clubscikidz.com
College for Kids
Established at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo in the 1980s, College for Kids has a variety of programs for children ages 5 to 17 — from cooking, sports and arts to a number of STEM options such as coding, rocketry, engineering, 3D printing and more. It’s one of the most successful summer programs for kids that allows children to experience college life and develop their own class schedules. saddleback.edu
Bionerds
Bionerds was founded in 2015 to nurture kids’ curiosity and give them opportunities to learn about biology at various locations throughout Orange County. According to the website, Bionerds is there “for the kids to do hands-on experiments that are fun, memorable and educational at the same time.” The programs are designed for children 5 to 11 years old. Topics cover the study of the human body, food science, gardening science, crawly critters, dinosaurs, forensics and more. bionerdsllc.com
Ocean Institute
Ocean Institute in Dana Point takes kids on summer adventures, and many of those include STEM activities. Children get a chance to learn about the ocean, its ecosystems, sea creatures and more. There are hands-on science labs, scientific investigation, dissections, tide pool explorations and animal interactions. oceaninstitute.org
Stemtree
Stemtree in Irvine stands out with its approach to summer camps as students receive one-on-one instruction. Children take an assessment at the beginning of the program to receive a customized learning plan. Kids have the option to participate in hands-on activities in science, robotics, coding, electricity and electronics. Some camps can also include math. This summer, there also will be a new 3D modeling program. stemtree.com
By Magda Hernandez
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