School's out for summer - almost. Beat boredom before it sets in by signing the kids up for a local summer camp. From art & science to technology & math, kids from Pre-K to age 19 can enjoy participating in hands-on activities or sports throughout Richland County. Camps sponsored by Riverbanks Zoo, Columbia College, USC and the Children's Museum are also available.

"Seeing the kids at the end of the day bursting with information and sharing it with their parents is my favorite part," says Alma Coyle, Coordinator of Camps & Overnight Programs at Riverbanks Zoo.
 
Watch your child learn and grow through one or more of the following camps currently available during summer 2012:

Days of Discovery
Multiple Richland County locations
Camp times: 5 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Camp dates: June 4 to Aug. 6
Cost: $99/ week (scholarships available upon need)
Details: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and one field trip included.

Art Adventure
Multiple Richland County locations
Camp times: 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Camp dates: June 4 to Aug. 17
Cost: $99 week (scholarships available upon need)
Detilas: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and one field trip included.

Camp WOW Summer Camps
Camps below will be hosted by the Richland County Recreation Commission for ages 6-13 entering 1st-8th grades. Click above link for location details.

• Playground Camp: June 4-July 27; Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon (NOTE: camp is free of charge)
• Summer Afternoon Camp: June 4-July 27; Monday-Friday noon-6 p.m.
• Day Camp: June 4-August 10; Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Junior Ranger Ecology Camp
Congaree National Park, 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins
Camp dates: June 25-29 and July 9-13 (rising 5th graders)
Camp times: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
NOTE: Camp is free of charge.

Blythewood High School Cheerleading Youth Camp
Blythewood High School, 10901 Wilson Blvd in Blythewood
Camp dates: June 4-6 (ages 4-13)
Camp times: 9 a.m.-noon
 
H. Haney Golf Academy Junior Golf Camp
The Golf Center, 109 Tat Rd, Columbia
Camp dates: June 11-15, July 25-29, July 9-13 and August 6-10 (ages 6-17 for all weeks) Camp times: 9 a.m.-noon
NOTE: Camps also offered at Riverside Golf Center, 1600 Garner Ln in Columbia on June 19-21 and July 17-19.

JOE'S PLANET FUNNTASTICS
Camps below will be held at North Springs Park, 1320 Clemson Rd. in Columbia, Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Tumble into the Olympics:  June 25 - 29 (ages 2-6)
• Cheer Stars Camp: July 16 - 20 (ages 5 and up)
• Reach for the Gold: July 30 - August 2 (ages 6 and up)

Medventure Summer Camp
Ridge View High School (M-Building), 4801 Hard Scrabble Rd, Columbia
Camp dates: June 11-15 (rising 3rd-6th graders)
Camp times: 9 a.m.-noon
 
Ridge View High School Youth Football Camp
Ridge View High School, 4801 Hard Scrabble Rd, Columbia
Camp dates: June 11-14 (ages 6-15)
Camp times: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Samurai Karate Summer Camp
Samurai Karate Studio, 2000 Clemson Road, Suite # 9, Columbia
Camp dates: Jun 4-August 10
Camp times: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Tumble Tree Summer Camps
The Factory, 170 Pontiac Business Center Dr, Columbia
Camp dates: June 4-August 17 (available per week or for the entire summer)
Camp times: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m. except for August 20-22 (Monday-Wednesday only)
NOTE: Sports Camps are available for boys & girls. Cheer/Dance Tumble Camps are available for girls only during the above dates/times.

Camp Zone
Chesterbrook Academy, 1050 Wildewood Centre Dr., Columbia
Camp dates: June 4-August 15
Camp times: TBA (click above link for details)

CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER
The following camps will be held at the Challenger Learning Center, 2600A Barhamville Road in Columbia.

• Astronaut Academy Junior: June 4-7 (3rd-5th graders); 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Astronaut Academy: June 11-14 (6th-8th graders); 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Astronaut Adventure Junior: June 25 (3rd-5th graders); 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Astronaut Adventure: June 26 (6th-8th graders); 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Rocket Camp: June 18-19 (4th-8th graders); 9 a.m.-2 p.m. (alternate launch dates June 25, 2-4 p.m. and June 28, 9-11 a.m.)
• Robotics Camp: June 20-21 (4th-8th graders); 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Elevate Basketball and Cheer Camp
Columbia First Nazarene, 901 St. Andrews Rd, Columbia
Camp dates: July 26-28 (boys & girls ages 4-12)
Camp times: Thursday & Friday 5:30-7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-noon

Benedict College Language Arts Camp
Benedict College, 1600 Harden Street, Columbia
Camp dates: June 4-July 12, six-week program (ages 5-13)
Camp times: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

University of South Carolina Adventure Series
University of South Carolina, Columbia
Camp dates: June 3-8, June 10-15, June 17-22, June 24-29, July 8-13, July 15-20
Camp times: Click above link for time details.
NOTE: Camps are for 6th-12th graders but each camp has individual requirements (i.e. 6th-9th graders for some, 9th-12th for others, etc.) View each camp for details.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA SPORTS CAMPS
Camps below will be held at Carolina Stadium in Columbia.

Baseball Camps
Camp dates: June 11-15, June 18-22, June 25-29, July 9-13 (ages 7-12)
Camp times: 8:30 a.m.-noon
AND
Camp dates: July 15-17 (ages 13-12th grade)
Camp times: Sunday 6-8 p.m.; Monday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Tuesday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Women's Basketball
Camp dates: June 18-21 (rising 6th-12th graders); June 30-July 1 (HS Varsity, JV and AAU teams); June 25-26 (rising 1st-5th grade boys & girls)
Camp times: Call 803-777-8824

Football Camps

• 7 on 7 Passing Camp: June 16
• Youth Football Camp: June 8-10 (rising 3rd-8th graders)
• Senior Camp: June 14, 15 and July 17 (rising 9th-12th graders)
• OL/DL Camp: July 16 and July 17
• Kicking Camp: June 10

Soccer Camps (boys)

• Identification and Super Elite: July 13-15 and July 27-29 (ages 14-19)
• Team Camp: July 13-15 (ages 12-19)
• Senior Residential Camp: July 13-15 and July 27-29 (ages 14-19)
• Junior Residential Camp: July 13-15 and July 27-29 (ages 9-13)
• June Full and Half Day Camp: June 25-29 (ages 5-16)
• July Full and Half Day Camp: July 23-27 (ages 5-16)

Soccer Camps (girls)

• Half Day Camps: June 25-29 and July 23-27 (ages 5-12); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon
• Full Day Camps: Jun 25-29, July 23-27 (ages 8-12); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Softball Camps

• Carolina Softball Pitching and Catching Specialty Camp: July 5-6 (ages 10-18)
• Lil Gamecocks Camp: July 7-8 (ages 5-8)
• Gamecocks Fundamental Skills Camp: July 7-8 (ages 9-14)
• Advanced Hitting: July 9-10 (ages 10-18)
• The Next Level- Defense and Offense Camp: July 11-12 (ages 10-18)

Swim Camp
Camp dates: June 4-8 and June 9-13 (ages 9-18)
Camp times: Click above link for overnight and daytime schedules.

Tennis Camp (boys & girls)
Camp dates: June 4-8, June 11-15, June 18-22
Camp times: Click here.

Track & Field Cross Country Camp (boys & girls, all ages)
Camp dates: July 1-4

Volleyball Camps

• Gamecock Academy: May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30
• Carolina Beach Camp: June 2
• Volley-School: July 10-11
• Positional Camps: July 8-9 and July 10-11
• Elite Skills Camp: July 18-20

Carolina Cheer Clinic
Camp dates: July 16-18
Camp times: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.   

YOUTH ART WORKSHOPS
The following camps will be offered to kids ages 6-17, Monday-Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the 701 Center for Contemporary Art, 701 Whaley St in Columbia.

•    Printmaking PLUS  June 4-7
•    POW! Narrative Illustration: The Art of Comics and Coloring Books June 11-14
•    Beginning Ceramics June 18-21
•    Draw Out Your Creativity: Basic Drawing June 25-28
•    Re-New: Found Object Sculptures July 2-5
•    POW! Narrative Illustration: The Art of Comics and Coloring Books July 9-12
•    Re-New: Found Object Sculptures July 16-19
•    Beginning Ceramics July 23-26


RIVERBANKS ZOO DAY CAMPS
The following camps will be held at Riverbanks Zoo, 500 Wildlife Pkwy in Columbia.

•    Sprout Camp: Weeks 1-4 and 6-9 (ages 3-4 with parent); Tuesday-Thursday 9:30-11:30 a.m.
•    Kindercamp: June 4-August 10 (ages 4-5); Mondays (and Tuesday June 5) from 9 a.m.-noon
•    Wild Weeks: June 4-August 10 (agest 6-12); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.


EDVENTURES CAMPS
The camps below will be held Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Children's Museum, 211 Gervais St in Columbia. Extended hours (3-6 p.m.) available for an extra fee.

Ages 3-4
•    EDDIE's World: June 4-8 and July 9-13
•    Junior Firefighter: June 11-15
•    Giggle Science: June 18-22 and July 23-27
•    Edible EdVentures: June 25-29 and July 30-August 3

Ages 5-7
•    Spa Science: June 4-8 and July 9-13
•    EDDIE's Cookbook:  June 11-15 and July 16-20
•    Senior Firefighter: June 18-22
•    All Bugged Out: June 25-29 and July 30-August 3

Ages 8-10
•    Let's Get Inventive: June 4-8 and July 9-13
•    Journey to Planet E: June 11-15 and July 16-20
•    Robotics Academy: June 18-22 and July 23-27
•    EDDIE's Science Academy: June 25-29 and July 30-August 3


TEEN SUMMER CAMPS AT COLUMBIA COLLEGE
The following camps will be held at Columbia College, 1301 Columbia College Dr in Columbia.

•    Choreography Camp: June 14-16; Thursday-Saturday 9 a.m.-noon (ages 11-14) and 1:30-5 p.m. (ages 14-19)
•    Exploring Popular Music: June 18-22 (ages 14-19); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon (extended session available thru 5 p.m.)
•    Learning Skills for Struggling Students: June 14-16 (ages 14-19); Thursday & Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-noon
•    Girls Rock the House…& Senate! CC Political Academy: July 9-13 and July 16-20 (ages 14-19); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-noon
•    SC College Search Camp: July 9-13 and July 16-20 (ages 14-19); Monday-Friday 1-15 p.m.
•    SC Film Academy: July 16-20 and July 23-27 (ages 14-19); Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
•    Technology Camp: June 18-22; Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Also at Columbia College:
•    SLAM (Sports Literacy Arts & Media) Camp: June 4-August 15 (rising 1st-12th graders); Monday-Wednesday 8 am.-5 p.m.