A Look at Some Options Available to Kids in Ontario
The OAA has put together a list of some of the summer programs available in Ontario for K–12 students. Some of these programs speak directly to architecture, while others are broader and take a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) outreach approach; both university and non-university offerings are included. This list is not complete (but send us your suggestions for additions!), and the programs are not specifically endorsed by OAA.
University Architecture Camps
Architecture Camp (in-person)
The Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) presents this week-long camp for campers aged nine to 13 looking to unleash their creativity! Campers learn from some of the top architectural science students, and participate in innovative and engaging team and individual exercises.
Imagine Architecture (in-person, online)
Imagine Architecture is a career exploratory studio for Grade 10–12 students interested in design and wanting to gain experience in creative design thinking and making. Taught by instructors from Carleton University’s architecture program, these fun and intensive workshops will introduce students to the creative culture of design studio, which is at the core of the Architectural Studies curriculum. The school is “proud to offer exceptional summer programs for high school students interested in architecture, design, and building a portfolio.”
Daniels Faculty Outreach Programs (in-person, online)
The University of Toronto’s John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design has numerous programs available this summer.
An online Daniels Minecraft Program (ages 8-14) uses the participants’ love of Minecraft to explore the fundamentals of design and architecture while building teamwork and communication skills. This summer, there are three levels: Level 1 (Foundations), Level 2 (Cityscapes), and Level 3 (World Building and Game Design).
The online Daniels Design Discovery (ages 15 to 18+) provides a comprehensive introduction to the discipline of architecture, enabling the opportunity to experience different ways of seeing, thinking, and making through the lens of design. The program will develop skills in a broad range of design tools and techniques, providing a strong foundation for participants to explore their creative potential.
The in-person Daniels Design Discovery (ages 15-18+) is “For anyone interested in a future career in design [and] a great opportunity to experience the intensive studio culture that characterizes most architecture programs. Our programs allow participants to build up a collection of drawings and models that will complement an admissions portfolio. Students are able to use the design facilities at the Daniels Building at 1 Spadina Crescent.”
Non-University Architecture Camps
Imagining My Sustainable Community
For ages 11 to 14, “Imagining My Sustainable Community empowers students with an interest in art, design, and architecture to re-imagine the future of Toronto’s waterfront neighbourhood.
In this week-long camp, run by No. 9, students will be immersed in a creative multimedia studio experience led by artists and architectural designers to learn about climate art, architectural model-making, and sustainable communities. Through an innovative exploration of the creative process and climate change solutions, students will utilize No.9’s pillars of sustainability to imagine, design, and model their own unique projects. Join us this summer to explore sustainability through art, architecture, and design!”
Budding Architects
Located in Toronto, Crescent School presents, for ages six to nine, the following camp: “Imagining, designing, and building! This camp engages girls and boys in the basic concepts and processes of architecture. They'll develop their creativity and imagination as they explore visual thinking, urban and environmental planning and design, scale and structure. Campers will demonstrate their new skills using drawing, collage and modelling with different materials.”
Creature Comforts: Building Home
Run by the Ottawa School of Art, Creature Comforts: Building Home is for ages six to eight: “Whether your home is a house, beehive or nest, there isn’t anywhere else that’s as inviting or uniquely yours as that place we call home. With a focus on Canadians and the creatures that call Canada home, this camp will explore the structures we build searching for safety and comfort as well as look at the objects we furnish them with to make them meaningful. Children will learn essential techniques in a variety of mediums, including drawing, painting, papier-mâché, and more, all while growing their confidence and pursuing self-expression.”
The school also offers Art and Architecture: Drawing/Sculpture Emphasis for children who are eight and nine: “Let’s explore architecture as an art form. Consider architecture from around the world, from different periods of history, built of different materials, for different purposes. Express your knowledge in drawing, painting, sculpture and collage. Lots of drawing tours to examine the diversity of civic and retail architecture in the market area, weather permitting.”
University STEAM/Engineering Camps
Western University Engineering Outreach
“Our mainstay programming is back again this year for all camper grades and includes two just for girls weeks for students in Grades 4–8. Campers registered for these weeks will learn about different types of engineering through a variety of hands-on design projects. Examples of activities include: building your own terrarium (SK–2), civil engineering earthquake challenge (Grade 3–5) and building a prosthetic arm (Grade 6–8).”
Queens University Summer Engineering Academy (QSEA) Girls
“Does your child love to dream up inventive new cities and urban landscapes? Or perhaps they enjoy constructing hands-on projects? If so, this course [for Grades three and four] is the perfect program to help your child utilize 3D/virtual reality programs and introductory coding to bring their imagination to life!”
QSEA Senior
“The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals address the most urgent global problems – from ending poverty to tackling climate change. During this course [for Grades 9 to 11], participants will explore the goals focused on the environment. They will create engineering solutions that minimize the human impact on the natural environment while creating and maintaining the sustainable built environments we require. They will engage in hands-on learning experiences around sustainable mining strategies and efficient chemical processing, and will investigate the relationship between the design and construction of structures and the challenges of our changing climate.”
Ontario Tech University – Summer Camps
In-person at the school’s Oshawa campus, Design It, Create It, Build It is a co-ed course for kids aged 10 to 14. “Find out what all the buzz is about Makerspace activities as you tinker, create, build, and explore with a variety of materials. Each day will provide opportunities to learn new skills. Campers will take home a project of their design.”
STEAM Girls is also in-person for girls 9 to 14. “Be inspired to explore the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math! Using materials such as wood, paint, fabric, or circuitry, design and build your projects of your imagination! Join us for this amazing program just for girls!”
The school’s third in-person offering, Turtle Island, is co-ed and for kids 9 to 13. “This camp is designed to uncover and explore the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land. Campers will participate in a week-long journey exploring the traditional knowledge of Indigenous people to better understand their responsibility as stewards of the environment. Connections between STEAM and Indigenous Knowledge will be explored through hands-on activities.”
University of Windsor – Lancer Summer Camps
“Engineering at UWindsor invites you to take part in hands-on engineering activities. During registration, campers will be divided by age: Junior camp is for ages 8 and 9 and senior is 10 to 12. They will be introduced to a variety of engineering related concepts, including aerodynamics, forces and motion, fluid dynamics, material strength, and the design process. This is a full day camp in which the educational portion is a half day that will take place in our-state-of-the art engineering building on campus, the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation (CEI). The other half of the day will include outdoor activities and swimming at the Toldo Lancer Centre.”