LEGO Camps

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Last Updated: Apr 09, 2025, 04:07 PM

LEGO Camps

The first LEGO brick was produced in 1949 and 75 years later, those little bricks can still become anything a child imagines.  Godtfred Kirk Kristiansen, the founding father of the LEGO® System of Play, believed that children should not be offered ready-made solutions, instead, they needed something different that would strengthen their imagination and creativity. He devised the notion that a range of toys should fit together to form a system, to create a toy with value for life.  LEGO campers will engage their creativity systematically by cultivating the relevant mindsets behind the creative process.  LEGO play develops:

  • Curiosity - triggers our imagination
  • Mental readiness - fuels our imagination
  • Confidence - allows us to experiment with our imagination
  • Positive framing - helps us see where our imagination can be useful
  • Commitment - makes us willing to preserve in shape our imagination into something new, surprising, and valuable

SIU LEGO Camps create engaging learning experiences in science, literacy, math, and social studies. Using LEGO Education in combination with these activities, students will be inspired to think critically, problem-solve, and be creative.

Families enrolling more than one child will receive a $25 discount on additional LEGO Camp registrations for siblings.  Please contact our office to register multiple siblings or mail/fax registrations together and note the discount request.  This discount is for LEGO camps only and is not available for online registration. 

LEGO Camps Registration Form

Types of LEGOs Camps

Beginning Engineering LEGOS Camp

For those entering 1st and 2nd grade in the fall of 2025. Join us for one of the three exciting sessions of Beginning Engineering LEGOs Camp! Camp projects will include basic LEGO parts and construction; level and catapult, car, pulley, conveyor, gears, gears with belts, simple crane, gears with chains, motorized gears, motorized turnstile, motorized car construction, folding chair, draw bridge, motorized player piano, motorized windshield wipers, helicopter, airplane, motorized car, motorized conveyor belt and a motorized Merry-Go-Round. There will also be a take-home project, as well as challenging creative time.

Each camper will receive excellent faculty delivery, a quality curriculum, and a final project to take home on Friday.

Camp Location: SIU Carbondale, Quigley Hall, Room 118

Registration Fee: $150 ($120 for June 16-20, a 4 day camp)

 

Click camp date to register online: 

Camp Time: 8:30 am - 12noon each session

Advanced Engineering LEGOS Camp

For those entering 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade in the fall of 2025. Join us for one of five fun sessions of Advanced LEGOs Engineering Camp! Camp projects will include a street cleaner, disk car, hand-held crane, mechanical hammer, disk speedster, balance, balance with the dial, windmill, sail car, motorized go-cart, motorized rail, motorized walking stick, motorized dog, motorized crane, weighted crane, motorized dragster, mobile crane, tow truck, helicopter, and an airplane. There will also be a take-home project, as well as challenging creative time. New projects will explore renewable energy sources; investigate energy supply, transfer, accumulation, conversion, and consumption; and use measurements and data analysis to describe and explain outcomes through hands-on activities.

Each camper will receive excellent faculty delivery, a quality curriculum, and a final project to take home on Friday.

Camp Location: SIU Carbondale, Quigley Hall, Room 118

Registration Fee: $150  ($120 for June 16-20, a 4 day camp)

Click camp date to register online: 

Camp Time:  1 - 4:30 pm each session

WeDo Robotic Engineering LEGOS Camp

For those entering 3rd, 4th or 5th grade in the fall of 2025. Join us for one of three sessions of WeDo Robotics LEGO Camp!

Campers will be involved in creating engaging learning experiences in science, literacy, math, and social studies. Using the LEGO Education WeDo hardware and software, in combination with these activities, students will be inspired to think critically, problem-solve, and be creative. Activities cover the Wild Animals theme models: Hungry Alligator, Flying Bir,d, and Roaring Lion. Mathematics, literacy, science, and social studies activities will be incorporated for each model as well as standards covering visual arts, dramatic arts, music, physical education, and technology. There will also be a take-home project, as well as challenging creative time.

Camp Location: SIU Carbondale, Quigley Hall, Room 120

Registration Fee: $150  ($120 for June 16-20, a 4 day camp)

Click camp date to register online:

Camp Time:  1 - 4:30 pm each session

Mindstorm LEGOS Camp

For those entering 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade in the fall of 2025. Join us for one of the six brand-new, exciting sessions of LEGO Mindstorms Camps!

The Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Architecture LEGO Camps is excited to announce LEGO Mindstorms EV3 has arrived! Combining the versatility of the LEGO building system with the most advanced technology LEGO has developed, unleash the creative powers of the new LEGO Mindstorms EV3 set to create and command robots that walk, talk, think, and do anything you can imagine. Instructors will assist in the step-by-step 3D building instructions to create TRACK3R, R3PTAR, SPIK3R, EV3RSTORM, and GRIPP3R and bring them to life with an easy, intuitive, and icon-based programming interface. Students will use the remote control and take on challenging ready-made missions or they can download the free app and command their robot using their own smart device. The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robot revolution has begun!

Camp Location: SIU Carbondale, Quigley Hall, Room 120

Registration Fee: $175  ($140 for June 23-27, a 4-day camp)

Click camp date to register online:

Camp Time:  8:30 am - 12noon each session

What To Know

  • Camp Information

    • Check-in will begin 15 minutes before each camp beginning.
    • The LEGO® kits are reused by the other campers. Your child will not take them home at the end of the camp session; however, as noted above, each camper will receive a take-home project.
    • Campers are to be picked up and signed out promptly after each camp, daily.

  • Requirements and Refunds

    Camp Requirement:
    The Camp Release Form must be submitted to Events and Outreach at least five (5) business days prior to camp beginning in order for your child to attend.

    Refund/Cancellation Policy: A refund, minus a $15 cancellation fee, will be issued if cancellation is received at least three weeks before the start of camp. At any time after that date, refunds will not be issued. Refunds will not be given to campers who voluntarily leave camp or to those sent home for disciplinary reasons.

    Questions: Please call Events and Outreach at 618-536-7751 or send an email to conferenceservices@siu.edu

LEGO Camp Founder

Jon Davey directed Kid Architecture and LEGO Camps for 38 years. Starting his career in the School of Architecture-University of Wisconsin, he later joined the SIU Carbondale Architecture Studies and Interior Design Programs, as a teacher of architecture and design. Awarded Department Teacher of the Year five times and College Teacher of the Year twice; Distinguished Faculty award twice and College Scholar of the Year.

Davey had a special concern with inspiring young people to be creative and have fun while learning, his legacy lives on in the annual summer LEGO camps taking place each June.
LEGO creations