Escondido, CA, USA
Hands-on discovery shapes the camp day, with children moving between museum exploration, guided STREAM learning, stories, art, and collaborative activities. Campers ages 4–8 take part in a mixed-age program inside the Children’s Museum of Discovery, where current school-break camps use the museum itself as a learning environment. The experience combines structured activities in the Indoor Classroom with time to explore museum exhibits and outdoor spaces.
Current themes give each camp a distinct focus while keeping a consistent rhythm. Fall programming explores nature after dark through nocturnal animals, owl eyesight, and fireflies. Winter programming shifts to seasonal science and music, including the science of seasons, sound, strumming, drumming, and movement. Across these themes, children work through Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math activities, then balance that focused learning with storytime, team time, exploratory centers, and museum play.
The program is designed for children who enjoy learning by doing, trying new ideas, and moving between several kinds of activities in one day. Enrollment is capped at 20 campers, and current Fall and Winter Camps publish a 1:12 adult-to-child ratio. Staff can modify lessons to support different learning styles, while campers are expected to use restroom facilities independently. Families provide peanut-free food and water for the day.
| Ages: | 4–8 |
| Type: | Day |
| Gender: | Co-Ed |
| Setting: | City |
| Adventure: | Adventure, Nature, Animals |
| Technology: | Technology |
| Academics: | Academics, Science |
| Arts: | Arts, Fine Arts, Arts & Crafts, Music |
| Meals Type: | Bring Your Own |
| Time: | 09:00 AM - 02:30 PM |
| Staff to Сamper Ratio: | 1:12 |
You won’t be charged yet. The camp will contact you to confirm all terms first.
| Dates | Days | Price | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 23 - Nov 25, 2026 | 3 | $235 | |
| Dec 21 - Dec 23, 2026 | 3 | $235 | |
| Dec 28 - Dec 31, 2026 | 4 | $310 |
The camp day follows a structured sequence that blends guided learning with open-ended discovery. Children begin with drop-off and museum exploration, gather for a welcome, and then take part in a Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math activity. Snack, storytime, lunch, team time, art, exploratory centers, and another museum exploration block follow before closing storytime and pickup. Indoor and outdoor museum exploration is built into the day.
Seasonal themes shape the content inside that framework. Fall Camp focuses on Nature at Night, inviting children to investigate nocturnal and diurnal animals, owl eyesight, and fireflies through hands-on STREAM work and crafts. Winter Camp includes a Science of Seasons option and a STEMusicians option, with daily themes around seasonal changes, the science of sound, strumming, drumming, and groove. These themes give children repeated chances to observe, create, test ideas, listen, and work with others.
Current Fall and Winter Camps are full-session sign-ups for ages 4–8. Enrollment is limited to 20 children, with a published 1:12 adult-to-child ratio. Campers participate as a mixed-age group, and lessons may be modified to support different learning styles.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:00–9:15 | Drop-off |
| 9:15–9:30 | Museum exploration |
| 9:30–9:45 | Welcome to camp |
| 9:45–10:25 | STREAM activity |
| 10:25–10:40 | Snack time |
| 10:40–11:35 | Storytime |
| 11:35–12:05 | Lunch |
| 12:20–12:50 | Team time |
| 12:50–1:20 | Art |
| 1:20–1:50 | Exploratory centers |
| 1:50–2:20 | Museum exploration |
| 2:20–2:30 | Closing storytime and pickup |
Campers bring their own snacks, lunch, and a bottle of water each day. Food is not provided by the Museum. Snacks and lunches are eaten in the Indoor Classroom during the published camp schedule.
The Museum is a peanut-free facility. Peanuts and peanut butter-based snacks are prohibited because of severe allergy risk. Campers may use the water bottle refill station and water fountain near the outdoor sinks with staff assistance. Families should plan the full camp day’s food around these rules and send only peanut-free items.
Campers and designated staff use the Indoor Classroom for camp activities, while museum exploration can place the group near public visitors in indoor and outdoor spaces. For pickup, staff verify the parent or guardian’s photo ID, and every authorized pickup person must be listed on the sign-out sheet.
Families are asked to keep campers home when they show listed COVID-like symptoms. A camper who develops symptoms is asked to remain or return home and must be symptom-free without medication for 24 hours, with proof of a negative at-home rapid test, before returning. The Museum also operates as a peanut-free facility to reduce severe allergy risk.
Published camp health guidance focuses on illness response and independent personal care. Campers with listed COVID-like symptoms should remain home; a camper who becomes symptomatic may be sent home and must meet the published symptom-free and testing conditions before returning.
Campers must be able to use restroom facilities independently. Staff do not provide restroom assistance. If an accident occurs, a parent or guardian is contacted and must come to the Museum to assist the child.
Hands-on exploration is led by trained educational staff. Current Fall and Winter Camps publish a 1:12 adult-to-child ratio and a maximum capacity of 20 campers. The program can modify lessons as needed to support different learning styles, but the Museum does not provide one-on-one aides or paraprofessional support. Campers who require that level of support are directed to contact the education team about available options.
Families with camp questions or concerns are directed to the Museum’s education team. The camp FAQ also asks families to notify the Museum in advance when they expect to be late for drop-off or pickup so staff can make arrangements. Pickup authorization is handled through the sign-out process, with staff checking photo identification at dismissal.
Morning drop-off begins at 9:00 a.m. Families should park and walk campers to the designated check-in area, where staff check them in and start arrival activities. Pickup begins at 2:15 p.m. at the Indoor Classroom, and staff verify photo ID before releasing a child to an authorized person listed on the sign-out sheet.
Campers should arrive with peanut-free snacks, lunch, and a water bottle. Pickup more than 10 minutes after the camp end time triggers a late fee, with additional fees for each further 10-minute period. Museum visitor parking is available in front and along the side of the building.
Cancellations made at least 14 days before camp are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations 10–13 days before camp are eligible for a 50% refund; later cancellations are not eligible for a refund. All cancellations carry a $25 processing fee for each camp and registrant.
