15 STEM Summer Camps in Colorado for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 1 hour ago
- 10 min read
If you are a middle school student, camps are a solid option for exploring interests beyond the classroom while building independence and confidence in a structured, supportive environment. By stepping into a specialized setting, you get an early taste of advanced subjects and practical life skills, like problem-solving or teamwork, that are often skipped over in traditional schooling. Beyond the academic boost, you build lasting connections with mentors and peers who share your passions.
What STEM summer camps are available for middle schoolers in Colorado?
In Colorado, middle school students can dive into a wide range of STEM summer camps that turn complex subjects into hands-on adventures. These programs allow you to experiment with robotics, explore environmental biology, or even try your hand at aerospace engineering. Beyond learning how things work, these experiences help you build critical-thinking skills and confidence. By stepping out of the traditional classroom and into a more collaborative, creative environment, you discover new passions that can guide your future academic choices while making lasting memories in the process.
To help with your search, we’ve narrowed down our list to 15 STEM summer camps in Colorado for middle school students.
If you’re looking for online programs, check out our blog here.
15 STEM Summer Camps in Colorado for Middle School Students
Location: Silicon STEM Academy, Denver, CO
Cost: $292–$415 for 5 dates
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically, 12 students
Dates: Half-day/full-week sessions, mostly in June; specific dates vary based on selected camp
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Middle school students (grades 6–8) are eligible for most camps
These half-day STEM camps offer hands-on activities voted Colorado’s #1 for engaging kids in science, technology, engineering, and math. You participate in themed projects Monday through Friday at the Wash Park Denver location, covering subjects such as robotics, coding, science labs, and more. Camps focus on practical STEM skills through interactive sessions, helping build foundational knowledge in middle school. For next year, they are offering free camp changes through March 15. After this date, a $50 fee applies to switch sessions, provided space is available.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies according to the program type; full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; 1:1 Mentorship
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies as per cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program provides a structured STEM research experience for middle school students. Over eight weeks, you work individually with a university mentor to design and complete a research project in an area such as physics and astrophysics, AI and data science, biology, medicine and public health, or environmental studies. The program begins with foundational instruction in your chosen subject, helping you identify a research focus that aligns with your interests. As the program progresses, you move into a more specific topic and develop your project with ongoing guidance from your mentor. Mentors are affiliated with research institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Columbia, and Oxford.
Location: Colorado School of Mines campus, Golden, CO
Cost: $300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; maximum 20 students
Dates: June 22–25; June 29–July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until full
Eligibility: Middle school students entering grades 6–8 in fall of the camp year
The Academies for Young Minds: LEGO Robotics Mindstorms camp at the Colorado School of Mines is a half-day, high-energy, project-based summer program designed to help you transition from basic building to engineering autonomous robots using LEGO Mindstorms kits. You design, construct, and program robots with sensors and motors to navigate obstacle courses and complete missions. Sessions emphasize programming logic, mechanical design, and creative problem-solving through hands-on challenges. The program runs Monday through Thursday, fostering STEM skills on the Mines campus. Similar sessions repeat in afternoon slots.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program type; full financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Small cohorts; 5:1 student-to-mentor ratio
Dates: 25 hours over 2 weeks (weekdays during the summer) or 25 hours over 10 weeks (weekends)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8
Veritas AI offers a STEM summer program for middle school students interested in learning how artificial intelligence is used in real-world technologies. You study core topics, including Python programming, machine learning, data analysis, and neural networks, through guided coding exercises and practical assignments. The curriculum introduces applications of AI across areas like gaming, healthcare, political science, sports analytics, education, and crime analysis. Project work may involve tasks such as creating simple games, analyzing image data, identifying patterns in text, or building basic voice-based tools. After completing foundational lessons, you work in a small group to develop a project focused on an AI application that matches your interests.
Location: Colorado School of Mines campus, Golden, CO
Cost: $300
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Non-selective; maximum 20 students
Dates: June 29 – July 2
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until full
Eligibility: Middle school students entering grades 6–8 in fall of the camp year
The Academies for Young Minds: Game Design camp at the Colorado School of Mines is a creative, technical workshop specifically tailored for middle schoolers who want to transition from being players to creators. It teaches you the fundamentals of game design, including coding, asset creation, and interactive storytelling. You use Bloxels to prototype characters and levels in physical form, then digitize them. Makey Makey kits allow you to create custom controllers from everyday objects such as bananas or playdough. Sessions build full games through creative and technical challenges. The program runs Monday to Thursday, developing digital creativity and problem-solving skills.
Location: CU Boulder campus (CU Science Discovery Lab), Boulder, CO
Cost: $330 + $40 Arduino materials fee; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 8:1 student-to-staff ratio
Dates: Session 1: June 8–12; Session 2: July 6–10,
Application Deadline: Session 1: June 5; Session 2: June 26
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8 in the fall of the camp year
This hands-on camp introduces you to physical computing with the Arduino microcontroller and Seeed Studio Grove Beginner Kit. You assemble electronic circuits and write Arduino sketches to create projects that light up, move, and produce sound. No prior experience is required; the kit is user-friendly and expandable for future use. You take home your Arduino kit at the end. The camp allows you to focus on logic and programming rather than spending the entire week troubleshooting loose wires or complex soldering.
Location: CU Boulder campus (CU Science Discovery Lab), Boulder, CO
Cost: $330; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 12–16 students per session
Dates: Session 1: June 1–5; Session 2: July 20–24
Application Deadline: Session 1: May 22; Session 2: July 10
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8 in the fall of the camp year
This hands-on camp dives into artificial intelligence through projects, discussions, and technology exploring self-driving cars, image recognition, and generative AI. You experiment with cutting-edge tools to understand how AI shapes the future and build practical skills through project-based learning. You experiment with machine learning models, training computers to recognize images, sounds, and patterns. You also spend significant time discussing AI Literacy, understanding algorithmic bias, and the societal impact of automation. No prior experience required; sessions emphasize active learning led by CU instructors.
Location: CU Boulder campus (CU Science Discovery Lab), Boulder, CO
Cost: $295; scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 12–16 students
Dates: June 22–26
Application Deadline: May 22
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8 in the fall of the camp year
Chess Logic: Math, Science, and Strategy immerses students in grades 7–8 in the deep connections between chess and STEM concepts. You explore staggering statistics like over 318 billion possible positions after just four moves, with the total distinct 40-move games surpassing the number of electrons in the observable universe. The camp teaches students to formulate a hypothesis about a move, test it against potential counter-moves, and analyze the resulting board state. Through engaging play and problem-solving, campers discover how mathematical probability, logical reasoning, and scientific thinking underpin chess strategies, sharpening critical analysis, foresight, and creative decision-making in every match.
Location: 100+ U.S. locations, including Colorado; see here for current options (may vary yearly)
Cost: Standard Camp: $1,200; Advanced Camp: $1,500 + registration fee + additional supplies cost
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically, 15–25 students per host site
Dates: Multiple 5-day sessions from early June to mid-August
Application Deadline: Varies by location; typically early May – early June
Eligibility: All middle school students
The Air Force Association supports STEM summer camps for middle school students at locations across the United States. The program focuses on computer science and cybersecurity, covering topics including secure system setup, basic system protection, and safe computing practices. Through guided lessons and hands-on activities, you work with both Windows and Linux environments while practicing foundational coding and security techniques. Camp sessions are offered at different levels, allowing you to choose a beginner or more advanced track based on your prior experience. The program concludes with a collaborative challenge in which teams apply what they have learned to address simulated cybersecurity scenarios.
Location: Challenger Colorado, 8717 Wolf Valley Drive, Colorado Springs, CO
Cost: Early Bird: $350 (March 15–May 1); Regular: $375 (after May 1)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically 15–20 students
Dates: 5 days starting the week of June 23
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until full
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7–8 in the Fall of the camp year
Engineering Pioneers is designed as a deep-dive transition into high-school-level engineering. It focuses on Arduino programming, circuitry, 3D design, and printing to help campers identify engineering interests. You dive into software processes, coding for design, and materials through hands-on projects using programmable robots and recycled items. Campers take home their own SparkFun kit. The engineering theme emphasizes investigation, building, testing, and collaborative problem-solving in a low-pressure environment. The curriculum is designed to help students identify which engineering branch (Electrical, Mechanical, or Software) they are most passionate about before entering high school.
Location: Dawson School, Lafayette, CO
Cost: Varies by camp; more details here
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 5:1 staff-to-camper ratio for its youngest campers; 7-8:1 staff-to-camper ratio for its older campers
Dates: Weekly sessions June 1 – July 24
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until full
Eligibility: Students aged 5–15
Science and Tech camps spark innovation through hands-on exploration in robotics, STEAMventures, Makespace digital design, and LEGO-themed challenges. Campers aged 5–15 engage in project-based activities that blend science, technology, engineering, art, and math on a 107-acre campus. Programs emphasize creative problem-solving and discovery, drawing on more than 120 specialty offerings, including sports, arts, debate, cooking, and dance. A Counselor-in-Training Leadership Program develops skills for ages 14–15. Daily pool access and provided lunches support full engagement in a safe, licensed environment with low staff ratios.
Location: CSU Spur, Denver, CO
Cost: $500 per participant; scholarships available, priority to 80216 zip code
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; approximately 20–25 students
Dates: June 1–5
Application Deadline: Rolling basis until filled
Eligibility: Rising 7th–9th grade students; ages 12–14
CSU’s Department of Mechanical Engineering hosts this week-long STEM program, whose curriculum is built around 10 hands-on activities spanning five distinct engineering disciplines and simulates a collaborative laboratory environment. The week is modeled after a professional lab, emphasizing the "Design-Build-Test" cycle rather than just following a kit. Rising 7th–9th graders engage in hands-on projects across mechanical, civil, electrical, chemical, and biological engineering. Past activities include designing spaghetti bridges, prosthetic legs, and Mars lander egg drops, fostering teamwork and problem-solving through authentic engineering challenges.
Location: Gothic, CO (field sites; transportation from Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte)
Cost: $850 + $25 non-refundable registration fee; $800 for Crested Butte/Gunnison/Lake City students; limited partial scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; typically 10–14 students per session
Dates: Session 1: June 22–26; Session 2: July 6–10
Application Deadline: Ongoing until full
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6–9 in fall of the same year
Project Eco-STEM immerses you in field science by shadowing STEM professionals and becoming research assistants at RMBL. You witness innovations, experiment with technologies, and conduct authentic field research while exploring ecosystem impacts. With guidance, design and execute your own individual or small-group research projects through inquiry and engineering challenges during scenic hikes and outdoor settings.
Location: Westview Middle, Frederick High School, Longmont, CO
Cost: Half-Day: $175; Full-Day: $300; discounts available for free/reduced lunch qualifiers
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 15–20 students per camp
Dates: June 2–20 (various four-day sessions)
Application Deadline: May 14
Eligibility: Rising 6th–8th grade students
The SuperSTEM Camps at the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) Innovation Center are high-energy, hands-on summer programs designed to engage students in cutting-edge STEAM fields. They focus on human-centered design thinking, taught by student designers and teachers, creating a collaborative near-peer learning environment. Rising 6th graders tackle drone engineering, AI creativity, makers markets, arcade game creation, clay-to-hero animation, game design with lights/camera/action, outdoor nature exploration, and composing innovation blending music, science, and technology. Full-day combos include SVVSD lunch and supervision.
Location: Online
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 12 students
Dates: Summer course: July 6–24
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Middle school students in grades 6–7, U.S. residents attending U.S. schools, low-income households (typically under $90,000)
The Stanford Middle School Scholars Program (SMSSP) is a prestigious, tuition-free academic initiative specifically designed for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. It prepares them for the rigors of elite secondary education through live, online classes that build both technical skills and a supportive community. You engage in a three-week summer intensive featuring specialized STEM tracks, such as Real-Life Applications to Mathematics or Discovering Geometry, followed by weekly fall sessions. These sessions, led by Stanford Online High School instructors (65% of whom hold a Ph.D.), also integrate math enrichment and growth mindset training with essential workshops on academic writing and selective high school applications.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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