About the Homeschool Enrichment Series
(For info on SLNC’s Day-off from School Camps, please click here)
SLNC’s Homeschool Enrichment Series is an option for families who take a different approach to educating their children (ages 5-12). Our 4-week program provides an opportunity for children to get hands-on experience within the STEM disciplines, without the formal constraints. Each of the lessons are developed with the PA Standard Aligned System (SAS) in mind and ensure that children will excel in all settings.
There are FIVE sessions this year: Fall II, Winter, Winter II, Spring, and Spring II. The topics covered are relevant to each season. We enjoy all types of weather at SLNC and will encourage your children to feel the same way. It is important to make sure that your child dresses for the weather, including closed-toe shoes, and is always prepared to get dirty! Long pants are also recommended as we do explore in our forest, meadow, and marsh.
The program is a drop-off program run by SLNC’s Environmental Educators. We encourage parents to minimize interactions with the class in order to reduce distractions. Parents are not encouraged to stay on site, but are welcome to hike the trails on their own during this time.
Participants may sign up for either a morning (10:30am-12pm) and/or afternoon (1:30-3pm) session.
🧪✨STEAM Explorers: Where Science Meets Art PM 10:30am-12:00pm
Join us for a hands-on homeschool enrichment series where children dive into exciting experiments and real-world problem-solving. Each week, children will explore different topics including chemical reactions, gas production, polymers & states of matter, viscosity & density, and air pressure through interactive demonstrations and guided experiments. We’ll also tap into engineering skills as children design, test and refine their own creative builds. This series is perfect for curious minds who love to experiment, discover, and get their hands messy!
Weekly Themes & Activities
🎨Week 1 (Feb 11th): Colorful Chemistry (Chemical Reactions & Gas Creation)
- Science experiments include inflating balloons using vinegar and baking soda in a bottle and elephant toothpaste using a hydrogen peroxide + yeast reaction
- Art Project “fizz paints” using baking soda and colored vinegar paints to creating fizzing textured art
Concepts: Acids and bases, gas production, chemical vs. physical change
🌀 Week 2 (Feb 18th): The Science of Slime and Goo (Polymers & States of Matter)
- Science experiments include making our own slime with glue, baking soda, and saline solution and our own oobleck mixture using cornstarch and water.
- Art Project mixing different textured items into our slime and making temporary sculptures
Concepts: Non-Newtonian fluids, polymers, viscosity, experimentation
🌈 Week 3 (Feb 25th): Light, Color, and Chemical Change
- Science experiments include a swirling color reaction of food coloring, milk, and dish soap, and a sink or float demonstration.
- Art Project spinning abstract art with liquid paint talking about centrifugal force creating unique patterns
Concepts: Density, diffusion, color mixing, and light
💨Week 4 (March 4th) : Air, Flight, and Motion
- Science experiments include designing and testing bottle rockets noting how shape and air affect movement
- Art Project designing paper planes and gliders
Concepts: Air Pressure, Engineering, and motion
🌿 Eco Engineers: Hands-On Engineering Inspired by Nature PM 1:30-3PM
Put your child’s creativity and problem-solving skills to the test in this hands-on engineering class inspired by the natural world! Children will explore how real engineers design, build, test, and improve structures using simple materials and big ideas.
Each week, children will take on a new engineering challenge such as building tall towers, strong bridges, and earthquake-resistant structures. While also learning about the importance of balance, stability, weight, and design.
🏗️ Week 1 (Feb 11th) : Strong Structures & Tall Towers
Focus: Strength, balance, and shape
Students will investigate what makes structures strong and stable by exploring different shapes and building techniques. Using a variety of materials, children will design and construct tall, free-standing towers and test how well they hold up.
Activities include:
- Exploring strong shapes found in nature
- Building and testing a free-standing tower using marshmallows & toothpicks
🌉 Week 2 (Feb 18th) : Bridges, Weight & Balance
Focus: weight distribution
This week focuses on how bridges support weight and span distances. Students will learn about different bridge styles and why spreading weight matters. Working in teams, they’ll build a bridge that must hold increasing amounts of weight while remaining stable.
Activities include:
- Examining bridges in nature and real life
- Designing and building a bridge out of popsicle sticks & recycled materials
- Testing how much weight a bridge can hold
🌍 Week 3 (Feb 25th) : Stability, Motion & Earthquakes
Focus: Stability and movement
Children will explore how movement, shaking, and motion affect structures. After learning why some structures fall while others stay standing, children will build a structure designed to withstand simulated “earthquakes” and test it.
Activities include:
- Learning what causes shaking and movement
- Building a stable structure out of recycled objects including cardboard, plastics, and other materials
- Testing designs during simulated earthquakes
🛠️ Week 4 (March 4th) : Roller Coaster Engineering & Marble Race
Focus: Motion, speed, gravity, and design
Children will explore how gravity, speed, height, and curves affect motion before designing and building their own roller coaster tracks using tubes, cardboard, and other materials.
Activities include:
- Building rollercoasters out of recycled materials
- Marble racing to test out designs
Refund Policy:
If you have any questions, please contact Summer Camp Director/ Environmental Educator, Holly Hewchuk at v-hlhewchuk@buckscounty.org or 267-880-5021.