Plan The Best Summer With Our 2023 Youth Summer Camp Guide

Youth Clay Critters

Youth Gizmos

Learn kinetic techniques to design, engineer, and construct a mechanical sculpture, contraption, or gadget with lights and moving parts. Using new and salvaged components, you will learn how motors, lights, and switches work, how to create mechanical structures, how to create different types of motion, and how to incorporate switches to operate your very own fantastical contraption!

Youth Blacksmithing I

Learn to bend and shape steel in The Crucible’s smithy as you practice traditional blacksmithing techniques, such as drawing, bending, twisting, punching, slitting, and drifting using the forge and anvil. Students will learn to forge with confidence and complete projects such as a bracelet, hook, fork, and spoon.

Youth Ceramics I

Try your hand at making sculptural and functional forms in clay and create a one-of-a-kind ceramic sculpture or functional vessel. Youth will practice traditional hand-building and surface treatment techniques while pushing the boundaries with unconventional methods. Youth will leave with a solid foundation in working with clay and the ability to apply your new skill set to other 3-D work and materials.

Youth Glass Blowing I

Learn the basic skills and techniques to create a personalized hand-blown glasswork. With supportive instruction in a team environment, you will learn to safely work with molten glass, gather glass from the furnace, apply colors, and shape and sculpt molten glass. Be prepared to work in the heat!

Youth Glass Flameworking I

Create beautiful glass ornaments, pendants, marbles, and more! Learn how to use tools and equipment like an oxy-propane torch to melt and shape glass with confidence. We will cover a variety of techniques including color pulling and applying, color pattern application, and marble making.

Youth Leather Working I

Learn techniques for working with leather, including cutting, edging, stitching, dyeing, and oiling. We will cover design, setting rivets, adding hardware like buckles, and safety issues. Each student will make a belt and at least one bag.

Youth MIG Welding I

MIG (metal inert gas) is the most common type of modern welding. It is a process by which a welding machine focuses electricity along a moving metal wire that is fed through a hose to a handheld torch. Student welders manipulate this torch as the electricity melts the wire and creates a weld. You will learn about the fundamentals of MIG welding, such as metallurgy, preparation, joints, technique, and safety. We will also cover plasma torch cutting. The class begins with a basic, technical welding exercise and transitions into a small creative project.

Youth Skateboard Building

Design and build your very own custom skateboard from seven layers of hard maple veneer. Learn woodworking techniques and the concepts of vacuum press veneering and bending wood. You will practice using basic woodworking power tools, including the band saw and power sanders, as well as hand tools, such as files, rasps, and planes. Apply a basic wood finish and set up your skateboard deck to ride.

Youth Woodturning I

Using a lathe, you can turn a rough piece of wood into a beautifully shaped spindle or bowl. In this jam-packed class, you will learn the basics of the turning process as you explore small bowl turning and spindle turning. The class will cover tool usage and sharpening, as well as wood selection, preparation, and finishing.

Youth Woodworking I

Learn to use hand and power tools to shape wood into objects that will last for decades. You will learn about the properties of lumber, safe tool use, measurement and layout, and fundamental woodworking joints. You will leave with an end-grain cutting board, a mitered corner box, and the skills to build an unlimited range of wooden objects.