Summer Science Camps 2012
Welcome to YSI's Summer Science Camps for 2012!
Thank you for choosing YSI!
Please click on the tabs marked Schedule, Locations, Camp Descriptions, Camp Policies, Documents, for further information and purchasing ability.
YSI's Summer Science Camps take advantage of our outdoor settings to get children out into nature to investigate and discover the world around them. Kids build, conduct experiments, play games, hike, use their creativity with natural and recycled materials, share stories, and closely examine the YSI animals. Campers work and play in small groups, learning cooperation and teamwork.
Our small group camps engage children in hands-on inquiry-based activities that satisfy the most spirited souls!
- Pre-K to 6th grade.
- Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos and Alum Rock Park in San Jose.
- June 18 - August 17, 2012.
- Each camp is one week long.
- 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. for children entering Pre-K to K.
- 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. for children entering 1st through 6th grade.
Camp Options
NEW! Extended Morning Camp (EMC) available for A Campers (children entering Pre-K to K)
- 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Available:
- Weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 at Vasona Lake County Park.
- Weeks 3 and 4 at Alum Rock Park.
- Activities include games, rest time, play, and time to eat lunch.
- All campers must bring their own lunch and snacks.
- 1:6 instructor to camper ratio.
Extended Day Camp (EDC) at Vasona has NEW hours. Available for B, C, D campers (children entering 1st through 6th grade)
- 1:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Not available for A campers.
- Activities include arts and crafts, outdoor games, rest time, hikes, and more!
- 1:7 instructor to campers ratio.
Discount for YSI Memberships
Willow, Buckeye, or Oak, receive a one-time $25 off discount for Summer Science Camp Registration.
Limited Scholarships available for low income families. Call 408-356-4945 x 10 for details
NEW! Refer-a-Friend and receive a $25.00 rebate!
More families have learned about the joys of YSI from word-of-mouth than from any other method of advertising. We appreciate the kind words you have shared with your friends, so as our way of saying “thanks” we have developed a new reward program. Click on the Documents Tab for complete information.
IMPORTANT Message for Alum Rock Park campers
- Alum Rock Park is closed on Mondays and occasionally when the fire danger is high.
- Camps are at Penitencia Creek Park on Mondays and fire closure days.
Other Ways to Register
Click on the "Documents" tab and download the 2012 Summer Camp Registration Form. Complete the registration form and choose one of the following:
- Call YSI at 408-356-4945 x14.
- Email your registration form to camp@ysi-ca.org.
- Fax your registration form to YSI at 408-358-3683.
Mail the registration form to:
Youth Science Institute, 296 Garden Hill Drive, Los Gatos, CA 95032.Visit us at the Youth Science Institute office located in Vasona Lake County Park Use 333 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032 to map.
Reminder: If you are paying by check, please include payment with your registration form.
Additional Information
YSI is a 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization. Federal Tax ID number: 94-1265213.
We look forward to seeing you and your children this summer!
What Parents Said About YSI's 2011 Summer Science Camp
"Usually after a camp, I have to coax him into sharing something, anything he had done that day. After each morning at YSI, my son couldn't stop talking about what he had done/learned/seen. What a difference!"
"This was my daughter's first time going to a camp and she had a blast. She enjoyed the whole week."
"I would strongly recommend YSI Science Camp to friends (and, in fact, already did so for this summer session), because it's fun, well-organized, well-staffed, and a great, safe learning environment for kids. Vasona Lake Park is also a lovely spot to spend some summer days."
"Great subjects taught by very knowledgeable and nice instructors. The kids had a ball."
"I absolutely love it that you continue to offer half-day camps. 3 or 4 hrs is the perfect amount of time for my kids. I love the content of the camps and the beautiful settings (we've done Vasona and Sanborn). The instructors are smart, friendly and are great with the kids. Great role models."
"I liked the mix of learning/fun. Also nice small group sizes so children got attention."
"YSI summer camps are fun and teach science. My daughter loves bugs, snakes, turtles etc. To be exposed to this during summer camp is great."
"I have been quite impressed with all of the counselors and counselors in training—both this year and last year. They are very upbeat, knowledgeable, and conscientious. I know that my son really enjoyed working with all of the staff."
"My son's transformation in one week was incredible. I loved that my son could tell me what he learned after camp each day. It was obvious that the campers' learning was a priority. It wasn't just about having fun. He now has "new eyes" for his environment!"
YSI Vasona, Los Gatos63/80 available
YSI's Science and Nature Center has been open to the public since 1980. Exhibits at Vasona Science and Nature Center feature live animals that live in the Guadalupe Watershed as well as a variety of natural history displays. In addition to serving as an educational resource, the Vasona facility serves as the administrative headquarters for all of the Youth Science Institute.
The YSI facilities in Vasona Park include two spacious classrooms that are used for year round educational programs as well as summer science camps. Adjacent to the classrooms is the Viola Anderson Native Plant Trail, which provides integrated information on plants native to Northern California.
- Address:
- 333 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA, 95032 map it
- Phone:
- +1 (408) 356-4945
YSI Alum Rock, San Jose11/14 available
Located within historic Alum Rock Park, YSI's Alum Rock Science and Nature Center has been open to the public since 1953. The lush Penitencia Creek, which bisects the site, flows year-round. Once home to the Ohlone Indians, Alum Rock Park features rugged ridges with spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley, geologic formations including mineral springs and evidence of seismic events, and a variety of native flora and fauna.
The Science and Nature Center has exhibits of animals that populate the nearby Mount Hamilton Range. Perhaps the most popular of these live animals are the birds-of-prey: hawks and owls that have been injured and are non-releasable. These animals work hard as part of YSI's teaching ambassadors in programs that reach over 30,000 young people each year. Also on display is the Holmes bird collection from the early part of the last century containing many species.
- Address:
- 16260 Penitencia Creek Road, San Jose, CA, 95127 map it
- Phone:
- +1 (408) 258-4322
Bike Explorer Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 1 location 7/8 available
Explore our park and beyond; sometimes leaving the bike for closer investigations. Practice and improve your bike skills and learn bicycle maintenance and basic repairs. Examine the inner workings of bicycles and biking physics. Check out different kinds of bikes and their uses.
Please note:
– Participants must bring their own two-wheel bicycle with gears and be comfortable riding up and down hills.
– YSI cannot provide overnight bike storage.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Availability:
| Location | Week | Price | Options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasona | week-4: 7/16 - 7/20 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-5: 7/23 - 7/27 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-2: 6/25 - 6/29 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-3: 7/9 - 7/13 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-1: 6/18 - 6/22 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | FULL |
| Vasona | week-7: 8/6 - 8/10 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-6: 7/30 - 8/3 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-8: 8/13 - 8/17 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
Bike Hike Group-C:; grades 2,3 1 location 7/8 available
Biology and ecology is as easy as riding a bike! Explore the paved trails in and near Vasona Park and learn about our watershed, local and natural history. Learn riding skills, trail etiquette, safety, bike parts and how to repair a flat tire.
Participants must bring their own two-wheel bicycle (no training wheels) and be comfortable riding. YSI cannot provide overnight bike storage.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Availability:
| Location | Week | Price | Options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasona | week-3: 7/9 - 7/13 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-5: 7/23 - 7/27 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-2: 6/25 - 6/29 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-1: 6/18 - 6/22 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | FULL |
| Vasona | week-4: 7/16 - 7/20 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-8: 8/13 - 8/17 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-7: 8/6 - 8/10 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-6: 7/30 - 8/3 | $249.00 | EDC: $199.00 | buy |
Chemistry Inside and Out Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 2 locations 2/3 available
Explore the world through the safety goggles of a chemist. Experiment with acids and bases and create cool chemical reactions. Learn the science behind making ice cream, growing crystals, and concocting gooey polymers. Extract DNA and explore the chemistry of living things.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Crime Solving Science Group-C:; grades 2,3 2 locations 4/5 available
Learn how police, firefighters, rangers and other law enforcement people use science to solve crimes. Examine evidence under a microscope, use chemistry to identify mysterious substances, and see how they find the facts. Then use your skills to solve a crime.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Curiosity Camp Group-A:; pre-K,K 2 locations 7/10 available
Preschool-type format for our youngest campers: four unique weeks in rotation (Red, Blue, Green, and Purple.) Each color week is offered twice in the summer and features different animals, experiments, habitats, games, snacks, and crafts. For example:
- Red Week: Campers plant seeds, experiment with solids and liquids, examine worms, explore bee communication, and learn about camouflage.
- Blue Week: Campers learn to describe and sort rocks, grow mold, experiment with wind, meet a snail, and see how clouds form.
- Green Week: Campers learn about birds and their habitats, explore the differences between insects and spiders, study animal movements, paint with mud, and experiment with bubbles.
- Purple Week: Campers make a tambourine, test lemon boats, learn about frog habitats, experiment with magnets, and meet an isopod.
All color camps repeat one time. Register for one to four weeks to explore the world through hands-on science.
| RED: | Week 1 (June 18-22) | Week 5 (July 23-27) |
| BLUE: | Week 2 (June 25-29) | Week 6 (July 30-August 3) |
| GREEN: | Week 3 (July 9-13) | Week 7 (August 6-9) |
| PURPLE: | Week 4 (July 16-20) | Week 8 (August 13-17) |
Group A Details
- Grades: preK or entering K in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 11.30am
- Must have date of birth before Jan 1, 2009, and be able to use the bathroom independently.
Availability:
| Location | Week | Price | Options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasona | week-1: 6/18 - 6/22 | $189.00 | EMC: $60.00 | FULL |
| Alum Rock | week-3: 7/9 - 7/13 | $149.00 | EMC: $40.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-4: 7/16 - 7/20 | $189.00 | buy | |
| Alum Rock | week-4: 7/16 - 7/20 | $149.00 | EMC: $40.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-5: 7/23 - 7/27 | $189.00 | EMC: $60.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-2: 6/25 - 6/29 | $189.00 | buy | |
| Vasona | week-3: 7/9 - 7/13 | $189.00 | EMC: $60.00 | buy |
| Vasona | week-6: 7/30 - 8/3 | $189.00 | buy | |
| Vasona | week-7: 8/6 - 8/10 | $189.00 | EMC: $60.00 | FULL |
| Vasona | week-8: 8/13 - 8/17 | $189.00 | FULL |
Curious Chemistry Group-C:; grades 2,3 1 location 3/3 available
Investigate the chemicals in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the natural world around us! Create tie-dye t-shirts and concoct slimy substances. Examine the differences between solids, liquids, gases and plasma. Perform experiments to identify mysterious matter and more!
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Deep Earth, Deep Space Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 2 locations 2/2 available
Explore our universe and how it works from deep inside Earth to outer space. Learn how scientists figure out what Earth is made of and how it moves. Identify and experiment with rocks and minerals. Tour our solar system and uncover the mysteries of asteroids, meteors, and comets. Make a handy star chart and learn how to use it.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Dinosaur Discovery Group-B:; grades 1,2 1 location 3/3 available
Find out how dinosaurs moved, ate, and lived on the ground and in trees. Learn fascinating facts about dinosaurs and other prehistoric life by studying clues hidden in fossils, just like a paleontologist! Do descendants of the terrible lizards still exist today?
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Earth and Space Explorers Group-C:; grades 2,3 2 locations 2/2 available
Explore deep inside Earth. Discover the causes of landslides, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Find rocks, examine minerals, and build a volcano. Go beyond our small planet to visit our Solar System neighbors. Learn about the moons, planets, and stars visible in the night sky.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Feathers, Fur, and Scales Group-B:; grades 1,2 2 locations 2/4 available
Investigate different kinds of animals from head to toe and from the inside out. Learn how snakes slither on their bellies and how owls see behind themselves. Examine bones, fur, feathers, claws, teeth, scales, and skeletons. Meet live animals to see how they use these adaptations.
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Fishy Fun Group-C:; grades 2,3 1 location 4/4 available
See how fish and other animals that live in water are special. Explore our watershed and examine how its health affects the fish that live here. Take a look at real fish inside and out. Learn how to fish, fishing safety and etiquette, and then go fishing! YSI provides fishing poles.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Green Tech Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 2 locations 1/2 available
Learn to be green! Work on an eco-wise garden plot and learn how to grow your own food. Harness the sun’s energy for electricity and water heating. Make and experiment with water, solar, and wind powered machines. Explore earth-friendly technologies such as natural cloth and dye making, composting, preserving foods, and more.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Habitat Hunt Group-B:; grades 1,2 2 locations 3/4 available
A habitat has the food, water, shelter and space an animal needs to live. Search the creek, forest, fields, and underground and make amazing discoveries about the animals and plants that live in these habitats. Help design a habitat for one of YSI’s live animals!
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Innovative Engineering Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 1 location 0/2 available
Make it, shake it, maybe even break it! Build and test your own inventions, including small-scale bridges, towers, and simple machines. Investigate forces, motion, mechanics, and power while making chemical powered cars, high flying gliders, and other great gadgets
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
It's Alive Group-C:; grades 2,3 2 locations 3/4 available
Biology will be a blast in this exploration of living things. Search for life both big and small in our creeks, fields, and forests. Find tiny living things in some foods – then eat them! Work with YSI’s animals and learn how to keep them healthy. Grow organisms in jars, pots, and petri dishes. Use the tools of a biologist in experiments, games and hands-on activities.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Life as a Bug Group-B:; grades 1,2 1 location 2/2 available
Hunt for bugs in the air, on the ground, inside logs, underground, and in the creek, then examine them up close and find out what they do and how they live. Meet YSI’s live insects, spiders, and other arthropods.
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Phunky Physics Group-C:; grades 2,3 2 locations 4/4 available
Learn physics while making music, creating and flying airplanes and rockets, and experimenting with magnetism, electricity, and more! Amaze your friends with physics magic tricks.
Group C Details
- Grades: entering grades 2-3 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Radical Reptiles Group-B:; grades 1,2 1 location 3/4 available
Meet and touch live reptiles and examine skeletons, skins, shells, and fossils. Learn how snakes, lizards, turtles, and tortoises use these adaptations to survive. Hike and search for wild reptiles in the park.
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Rockn' Robotics Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 1 location 4/4 available
Design, build, and test LEGO Mindstorms NXT robots on our multi-environment obstacle course. Use YSI’s natural resources and Lego’s kits to learn how animal and human characteristics are incorporated into robots.
LEGO and LEGO Mindstorms NXT are registered trademarks of LEGO Group.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Science Sleuths Group-B:; grades 1,2 2 locations 4/5 available
Search for clues, gather evidence, and discover how science can help solve mysteries and uncover myths. From taking finger prints to tracking animals, find out how detectives use the secrets of science. Use your new sleuthing techniques to solve a mystery!
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Something's Fishy Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 1 location 0/2 available
Learn about our earliest and most abundant bony relatives—fish! Explore the aquatic environment, perform water quality tests, search the creek for critters, and fish with YSI’s fishing poles. Dissect a fish and an invertebrate to see how their anatomy helps them survive in water.
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Time Travelers Group-B:; grades 1,2 1 location 2/2 available
No TV, no computers, no video games, no stores? No problem! Travel back in time and learn some old time skills and the science behind them. Have a pioneer party with candles, food, and games of your own creation. Try your hand at the Native American skills of finding food, using handmade tools, and starting a fire. Join us for some old fashioned fun!
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Water World Group-B:; grades 1,2 2 locations 4/5 available
Explore the watershed and discover the mysterious properties of water. Investigate water by dropping, spraying, heating, freezing, and mixing it. Visit the creek and search for critters that live in or near water. Take a close look at YSI’s live aquatic animals.
Group B Details
- Grades: entering grades 1-2 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
Wild Wonders Group-D:; grades 4,5,6 2 locations 1/2 available
Use binoculars, microscopes, and other scientific tools to explore the park’s habitats for wildlife and perform field experiments. Learn about conserving our natural wonders, make a tasty snack from plants that grow in the wild, make animal track replicas, dissect owl pellets, photograph wildlife, and more!
Group D Details
- Grades: entering grades 4-6 in fall 2012
- Hours: 9am - 1pm
IMPORTANT SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
Release Statement
By registering, I do hereby give my full consent for the above named persons, including minor(s) to participate in the Youth Science Institute’s programs listed and I have read the cancellation policy. I agree to hold harmless the Youth Science Institute and its officers, employees, volunteers and agents. Should any accident occur, requiring medical care for my child, I give full consent to the providing of such care by a licensed physician. If my child should become a disciplinary problem in the opinion of the group leader, and by doing so seriously affect the quality of the trip or program for the other participants, I agree to pick up my child at a place designated by the representative of the Youth Science Institute, however inconvenient that may be. I acknowledge that depending on the type of program, other Releases may be required. Further, I hereby grant full permission to any and all foregoing to use photographs, videotape, motion pictures, recording and any other records of this event for any purpose whatsoever.
Minimum Enrollment
If minimum camp enrollment is not met in two weeks prior to the first day of camp, that camp may be combined with another camp or cancelled. If camps are combined, no refund will be given. If camp is cancelled by the Youth Science Institute, a full refund will be issued.
Cancellation Policy
- 100% of Camp and Extended Camp fees, less a $25 administration fee per camp, are refundable if requested by April 20th.
- 75% of Camp and Extended Camp fees are refundable if requested from April 21st to May 18th.
- No refund (0%) of Camp and Extended Camp fees are refundable after May 18th.
- Because YSI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all non-refunded Camp and Extended Camp fees (does not include administrative fees) are considered a donation as allowed by law. Upon request, a tax donation receipt will be provided.
Enrollment Change Policy
Any change (cancelling out of one camp AND enrolling in another camp) requests must be made at least 30 days before the camp start date, and are subject to availability. There will be a $25 administration fee in addition to the camp fee.
Camps and Extended Camps are NOT transferable to another person.
Returned checks are subject to a $20 returned check fee.
Park Entry and Parking
Your Park Entry Pass can be found under the DOCUMENTS tab. The Pass is good for drop off, pick up and camp-related administrative tasks. If you plan to stay in the park, your must pay the entry fee. Please drive slowy and obey all park regulations. Park Rangers may cite anyone exceeding the posted speed limit.
At Vasona Park
Use the Blossom Hill entrance at 333 Blossom Hill Road Los Gatos, CA 95032. Park in the Circle Parking Lot. YSI staff and signs will help guide you. There is no vehicle entry through the locked gate on Garden Hill Drive.
At Penitencia Creek Park (for Alum Rock Camps on Monday)
Enter the Park at 3050 Berryessa Road, San Jose, CA 95127. YSI staff will meet campers in Penitencia Creek Park at the east end of the parking lot at the picnic tables, between the restrooms and the playground. If you are facing the Berryessa Community Center it is to your left.
At Alum Rock Park (for Alum Rock Camps Tuesday to Friday)
Use the entrance at 16260 Penitencia Road, San Jose, CA 95127 Enter the park from the east end of Penetencia Creek Road. YSI Parking is at the east end of the park road. ALUM ROCK PARK IS CLOSED ON MONDAYS and occasionally for fire danger. Camps will meet nearby at Penitencia Creek Park on Mondays and closure days. Tuesday through Friday Campers meet at YSI in Alum Rock Park.
In the event of Fire closure you will be notified. On closure days, a YSI representative will meet campers in Penitencia Creek Park at the far (east) end of the parking lot at the picnic tables, between the restrooms and the playground. It is inconvenient for all of us when the park closes, and as you can understand, park closure is out of our control. If you have any questions regarding Alum Rock Park closures call our administrative offices at 408-356-4945.
Monday Check-in
Monday Morning Check-in opens at 8:45 a.m. We will distribute t-shirts there and direct you to your camp table.
Camp Table Check-in starts at 8:50 a.m.
Each day of camp the parent or guardian will be asked to sign a check-in and check-out form with your child's instructor. Due to our staff’s need to prepare for camp and for the safety of your child, please wait with your camper until the check in time of 8:50 a.m. If someone else will be picking up your child, you must notify the camp instructor in advance or we will not be able to release your child.
Attendance
Please be punctual. If your child will be late or absent let the camp instructor or center administrator know as soon as possible. If you arrive late and the camp group is not at the assigned table, your child may have to wait in the office until their group returns.
Clothing
Children should wear sunscreen, a hat, outdoor clothes, and sturdy, closed-toe shoes (no sandals please). Mark external clothing (jackets, hats) and other personal items for easy identification.
Things to Bring
Equip your child with a small daypack containing a water bottle and a snack. We suggest nutritious foods, such as fruit or crackers, that don't require refrigeration and can be consumed during a 10-minute break. Children in B, C, D, and Extended Camps need to bring a lunch, in addition to a snack.
Behavior
Campers are expected to cooperate with YSI instructors for educational, social, and safety reasons. If a child's behavior creates a problem for a group, the parents will be contacted. A serious first incident, chronic disruptive behavior, or an uncooperative attitude may necessitate a child's dismissal. Refunds will not be given for children dismissed from camp. We want all children to have an enjoyable and safe time at camp.
Avoiding Distractions
Our camps are not designed for parent participation. The presence of parents and siblings can create a distraction, which disrupts the activities planned for the children. Separation anxiety often disappears when the parent leaves the camp. Please remain out of sight of camps in progress. Family members who stay in the park also need to pay the park entrance fee. You must inform us of any health problems, allergies, emotional or behavioral disorders, or fears your child may have. In a medical emergency, first aid may be administered until professional medical assistance arrives. YSI staff will call the contact number on your registration form.
Friends
Requests for pairing of friends in the same camp must be made on both registration forms at the time of registration. For Refer-a-Friend credit to be applied this information must be on the registration form.
Camp Times
9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. A Camps
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Extended Morning Camp ( A Campers only)
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. B Camps
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. C Camps
9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. D Camps
1:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m Extended Day Camp (B, C, and D Campers)
Promotions
Promotional codes can be used once, per summer science camp registration.
Documents for download
- 2012 Directions to YSI Summer Camps at Penitencia Creek Park
- 2012 Summer Science Camp Aide Application
- 2012 Summer Science Camp Aide Description
- 2012 Summer Science Camp Parking Pass and Directions to YSI at Alum Rock Park
- 2012 Summer Science Camp Parking pass and Directions to YSI at Vasona Park
- 2012 YSI Refer-a-Friend Program Rules
- Membership Form 2012-A
- Staff Bios
- Summer Camp Registration Form 2012 C
- YSI Summer Science Camp Financial Aid
Hi, thanks for replying to my previous comment about the Bike Explorers and Bike Hike Camps. About how many kids will be in each group and how many miles a day will be traveled? Will the two groups be following each other since I'm thinking of having both of my kids in it (one is 2nd grade and the other in 5th). How far south and north will the camps be going on Los Gatos Creek Trail? I wanted to try the trail with the kids prior to the bike camps. Thanks!
Becky- Thank you again for your interest. There are a maximum of 16 campers in each of the bike camps. We have one teacher and 2 aides riding with the groups with one at the head of the group, one in the middle, and one at the end. We try to separate the groups so that they are not following each other on the trail. The maximum distance that the Bike Hike groups go is as far as Forbes Mill in Los Gatos (2.5 mi.) and Campbell Park (3.7 mi.) on the north end. Bike Explorers continue on to Los Gatos High School (3 mi.) traveling on side streets on the south end of the trail and they ride as far as Meridian Ave. (5.9 mi.) on the north end of the trail. They do not ride further than one end or the other in a single day and they work up to the ride to the north end with shorter rides during the week.
For the Bike Explorer's camp, how steep are the hills? I'm currently trying to find a bicycle with gears for my son. I see some that say 6 or 7 speed with gears only on the rear wheel and then I see some that have 3 gears on the left handle and 7 gears on the right handle shifter. Which type of bike is appropriate? Also, it's been harder to find bikes with 20" wheels and gears vs. 24" wheels and gears which is too big for him. I'm also interested in the Bike Hike for his younger sister who is 8 years old. Will Bike Hike be on flatter roads and will there be plenty of rest stops for the younger kids?
Becky- All of our bike camps ride along the Los Gatos Creek trail which has hills at roadway underpasses and over the dam in Vasona Park as well as a few other places where the terrain changes along the trail. The hills are short, but steep enough that I do gear down to my lower gears when climbing them. In the Bike Hike camps many of the children get off of their bikes and walk them up the hills. In the Bike Explorers camps we do have children with 20" wheels and 6-7 speeds and they are able to manage the hills with that. The Bike Hike camps travel shorter distances, more slowly, and with more frequent stops than the Bike Explorers. All of the bike camps take frequent rest and water breaks, especially in hot weather. so that none of the riders should feel stressed trying to keep up with the group.
If a 4th grade camper is interested in attending with a 3rd grade friend, can that be arranged?
Lara- Thank you for choosing YSI. In your situation, it would probably work out best for both campers to sign them both up for a C camp. The D camps are probably going to be too advanced for the child who is going into 3rd grade, being as they are targeted to 4th-6th graders. The child going into 4th grade will probably still have fun in the C camp being with their freind even though he or she is a little older than the other campers.
My son is in Pre-K (will be entering K in Fall 2012) but I am interested in some of the camps for Grade 1-2 e.g. Water World. Can I register him for one of those? thanks
Monica- Thank you for you interest in YSI camps. I know that sometimes it can be difficult to determine what level is most appropriate for your child. There is not perfect system for determining the academic and social level of every child with general guidelines. We use grade level guidelines for our camps because there are certain academic standards and skills that are taught at each grade level in school. In kindergarten children usually learn social skills like playing cooperatively with other children, lining up and waiting their turn, how to listen to directions, and ask questions appropriately. They also usually develop the ability to write their names, read basic language, and use scissors and glue. If you feel that your child has these skills, then yes, you can register him up for a B Camp. However, once he is in a B Camp we cannot say that we can switch him to an A Camp if it is not a good fit. We will try if there is space available, but there may not be space that week.
How is extended care arranged? Is it still by age groups? Will kids from different camps of the same age group in the same week be together? We're signing up with a friend, but may pick a different camp during the same week.
Tracy- Thank you for your interest in extended camp. Campers from all of the camps are grouped together in extended camp. If we have a large number of campers in extended camp we will divide the children into two groups based on age. We do also pay attention to friend requests when we break the campers up into groups in extended camp and we try to keep friends together.
I have a question about Bike Explorer camp — "Participants must bring their own two-wheel bicycle with gears and be comfortable riding up and down hills." To be clear, do kids need a bike that can shift gears (i.e. Shift between 1st, 2nd and 3rd etc)?
Yes, that is correct Eric. Camper's bikes should have at least 3 gears and they should know how to use them. Also, they will have a more enjoyable experience if their bikes have at least 20" wheels.
Do you offer any programs for kids entering 7th grade in the fall. It seems my son has aged out of this program.
Laurie- Thank you for your support of YSI. Unfortunately YSI Summer Science Camps are designed for children Pre-K to entering 6th Grade. I suggest that you check our website for Science Safaris which are family activities and we do have School Programs for older students. Perhaps your son's teacher would like to have YSI come out to his school. We also have volunteer opportunities for older children including trail and garden maintenance. It is a couple years away for your son, but many campers come back when they are 14 years old to help out as camp aides.
What are the Red and Blue camps about for the Preschool programs? Do you have any specifics? Thanks!
Hi Wendi, Thank you for interest in our Pre-k - K Summer Science Camps. YSI has four colored camps Red, Blue, Green, and Purple. Each week we will have activities that will give an experiential sampling of a broad spectrum of science subjects. A sampling of the Red Week activities include: Campers will plant seeds, learn characteristics of solids and liquids, examine worms, and learn about bees. Blue Week: Campers will learn describe and sort skills, explore how rocks look and feel, grow mold, examine animals with shells/exoskeletons, and learn how clouds are made. Green Week : Campers will learn about birds and habitats, explore the differences between insects and spiders, study animal movements, and paint with mud. Purple Week: Campers make a color tambourine, make and test lemon boats, learn about frog habitats, explore inside a flower, meet an isopod, and go crab fishing. All color camps repeat one time.