Smithsonian Summer Camp - Presented by Smithsonian Associates
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Online 101

Everything you need to know about online Smithsonian Summer Camps

    Online Summer Camp Dates and Times

    • Online Smithsonian Summer Camps will be offered between June 20 and July 28, 2023.
    • There is no online camp on July 4th and no Soldiers and Dioramas online camp during the week of July 3rd to July 7th.
    • Online camps are scheduled in Eastern Standard time (ET) and are presented in English only.
    • All participants must follow the Digital Decorum Code of Conduct. Parents, please review this code of conduct with your children.

    Online Camp Prices

    Grades 4 through 6

    Each week participants take a deep dive into the Smithsonian's collections through virtual visits to museums, hands-on projects, games, collaborative challenges, and conversations with experts during two hours of live online interaction with a team of experienced instructors.

    Dates & Times:

    June 20, 2023 - July 28, 2023*
    Monday - Friday, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

    *There is no camp on Tuesday, July 4, 2023.
    Cost:
    Members: $150 per week
    $132 for the week of July 3-7
    Non-members: $170 per week
    $136 for the week of July 3-7

    Soldiers & Dioramas - Grades 6 through 11

    Three-day sessions, each day including four hours of live online instruction: two focused on history, and two of facilitated diorama construction. A diorama kit is included in the cost of the program and will be mailed to participants. Other materials to be provided by participants are listed on each individual program page.

    To allow for the kits to arrive at your home in time, sales for online Soldiers & Dioramas camps will close two weeks before the start date of each camp.
    Dates & Times:

    June 20, 2023 - July 20, 2023*
    Tuesday - Thursday, 10:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
    with a one-hour lunch at noon.

    *There will be no S&D on the week of July 4, 2023.
    Cost:
    Members: $175 per week
    Non-members: $200 per week

    Registration Deadline

    Registration will close for each online camp two weeks prior to the start date.

    Get prepared for registration!

    Find out what you can do before the big day!

    How to register

    Digital Platform

    Live online sessions are hosted through Zoom with official Smithsonian accounts. These sessions are structured as “Meetings,” allowing for increased interaction among the participants and instructors and a more engaging adventure for all.

    Online Safety

    Online Safety

    In order for a minor to participate in online Smithsonian Summer Camp, a parent or legal guardian must complete and sign a waiver prior to the first day of the first session. If a parent or legal guardian is making the purchase, they will be able to sign this waiver at checkout. For those who purchase an online camp as a gift, instructions on how to complete the waiver will be sent to the parents or legal guardians of your gift recipient via email.
    Zoom's Privacy Policy is designed to reflect Zoom's compliance with the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy\ Protection Act (COPPA), the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other applicable laws.

    The Smithsonian has licensed the education version of Zoom which has had many default settings updated to make meetings more secure. Additionally, the Smithsonian's Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) has reviewed and updated additional default settings based on best practices developed by Zoom and others.

    For the online Smithsonian Summer Camp, and per best practices guidance from OCIO, unique meeting links and passwords will be generated for each week-long adventure. A waiting room will be enabled with every daily session. Names of those in the waiting room will be compared to a list of the names of children registered for the program, and only those who are on the roster will be admitted into the live session. Private chat activity will be disabled within the meeting and participant screen sharing, annotation, and recording will be disabled by default. If the “breakout room” function is used, each breakout room will have an adult in attendance.

    Each online camp's landing page through the Smithsonian Summer Camp Portal is self-contained, only accessible to registered participants behind your unique Smithsonian Associates login, and contains only pre-approved content.

    What to review before registering

    Camp Policies

    Camper Age Policy

    Online camps are designed for children who will be entering 4th grade through 6th grade in Fall 2023 and 6th grade through 11th grade for soldiers and dioramas. Children should be registered based on their grade level in the 2023-24 school year and can only participate in camps designated for that grade range.

    Inclusion Policy

    At Smithsonian Summer Camp we welcome children, families and staff of all cultures, religions, sexual orientation and gender identification, family constructs and abilities. We do not tolerate aggression, violence, or bullying against one another. We strive to create a fun and educational environment that is respectful, engaging, and safe for all of our children.

    Closed captioning can be provided upon request. If your child requires closed captioning to participate, please send us a request for closed captioning via email at least two weeks prior to the adventure.

    Need to discuss any information or concerns?

    Send us an email at summercamp@si.edu to discuss any information or concerns about your camper with the summer Camp Program Manager.

    Cancellation Policy

    Refunds will be given on a case-by-case basis, and only up until four weeks prior to the first date of the online camp. Once it has begun, there are no partial refunds for registrants who do not complete or partially participate in the session. Credits to your account may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

    If you are unable to use a registration purchased for an online Smithsonian Summer Camp, you have two options:

    1. You may donate the cost of registration to Smithsonian Associates. Request a letter to use for tax purposes. Ticketing and service fees paid may not be considered as part of the donation.
    2. You may offer your tickets to another appropriately aged child of your choice. Send us an email to request your tickets be donated to another camper before the session begins and provide us with their full name along with the name and email address of their parent or legal guardian. Please note that the original order will remain under your account.

    Other Information

    Camp Instructors

    Experienced adult instructors lead each session with staff assistance.

    View Instructor Bios

    Staff

    Staff is composed of full time Associates staff and interns who are here to ensure that children have safe, enjoyable, and informative sessions. Staff will be behind-the-scenes participants in every session throughout the day. Our mission is to ensure a smooth operation and clear communication during online Smithsonian Summer Camp.

    Contact Us & More Information

    Have questions, concerns, or comments for Summer Camp staff?

    Send us an email

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