Your Child's Future Starts Here. Launched by tech educators at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy STEM camps are where students get their start as designers, developers, engineers, animators, musicians, and filmmakers.

The Our Kids review of Digital Media Academy

The activities offered at any camp are important, with those at tech camps perhaps being more applicable to many kids' personal and academic lives than, say, tetherball. That said, all good camps see their activities as less an end in themselves, and more as something for young people to gather together around, to test their abilities and resolve, and to help them to grow into a sense of who they are. In all of those things, Digital Media Academy has the balance absolutely right. The sessions will attract young people who share a vocabulary and a curiosity, and the opportunity to spend protracted time in that milieu is a great benefit in and of itself. The content of the sessions is a-list in every way, though the values that inform them are as well. There is a focus on developing curiosities, collaborative skills, resiliency, empowerment, and passion. Again, the balance is right, with the programs promoting a lot more than skills. The sessions are professionally run, by professional educators. The network of locations, as well as national oversight, allow for a wealth of resources and talent to go around.

Ben Ghebrezghi, Camp Director

It’s our mission to foster a learning community of diversity and excellence through memorable and innovative educational experiences led by the highest-quality instructors; building skills and confidence to empower lifelong learners to follow their dreams and make a lasting impact.

Digital Media Academy was born at Stanford University in 1999 as the Academy for New Media, a program owned and operated by the Academic Technology department at Stanford University. In 2002, Digital Media Academy became a private institution, sponsored by the Stanford University Continuing Studies department. Since then, we have set out to be the thought-leader in tech education for kids, teens and adults at prestigious universities across the U.S. and Canada. In addition to our summer programs, DMA offers year-round learning via DMA Online and powers tech ed programs around the globe through its curriculum licensing program. DMA instructors and curriculum developers include industry professionals and outstanding technology educators, with a driving passion for inspiring, teaching, and mentoring.

Sleeping Accommodations

Amenities

Washrooms Facilities

• Coding Toys for Kids

  There’s no denying it: When it comes to coding, there’s definite value in getting kids started earlier.

  The benefits are many. Young kids who learn to code develop enhanced problem-solving skills, as well as improved attention to detail. In addition, learning to code teaches kids how to apply logic and how to stick to a task until it’s completed. Plus, there are important socialization benefits for kids who discover how to collaborate on coding projects.

  And now, learning to program just became even easier, thanks to these cool coding toys:

  HACKABALL

  What It Is: A rubberized softball-sized orb equipped with internal lights, sounds, sensors and vibrating motors, synched to an app that controls the “light show”
  Manufacturer: Made By Many
  Suggested Price: $85
  In a Nutshell: Featured in Time’s “25 Best Inventions of 2015,” the Hackaball appears to be a simple ball, but toss it to a group of kids and watch the fun begin.

  The Hackaball lights up in various cool ways, enabling many games that kids normally love (“Hot Potato,” etc.). The ball also changes color, makes sounds and vibrates – working with a (free) app synched via Bluetooth to an iPhone or iPad.

  The makers stress that the Hackaball is plenty rugged and can take the usual outdoor fun dished out by kids. The creators’ goal was to come up with a “connected” toy that would encourage both social interaction and outdoor recreation. Kids can pick up programming basics just by playing with the Hackaball.

  The Hackaball is a hot idea and one that a lot of people believe in – Made By Many was able to raise more than a quarter-million dollars for the project through a Kickstarter campaign.

  LITTLEBITS

  What It Is: A platform of interconnecting electronic and computer components
  Manufacturer: littleBits Electronics, Inc.
  Suggested Price: Prices vary wildly, from the $99 Base Kit to the $4,999 Pro Library. Currently featured are the Gizmos & Gadgets Kit ($199.95, intended for young inventors), the Smart Home Kit ($249, for DIYers) and the STEAM Student Set ($299.95, for educators).
  In a Nutshell: For decades, DIY electronics was literally a hot mess of stripped wires and molten solder. littleBits solves that basic problem by using clean, simple magnets to hold necessary parts together.

  This turns the platform into a game-like business of connecting electronic building blocks. Another littleBits innovation – color coding, so young users always know that outputs carry a green tag, while wires are denoted by the color orange, etc.

  There are 60 modules in the littleBits library and with these invention guides, kids can guide themselves through each project. This makes littleBits a pretty amazing tool to help kids start to learn how electronics operate.

  LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3​

  What It Is: Next-gen robot-building platform
  Manufacturer: LEGO
  Suggested Price: $349.95
  In a Nutshell: A longtime leader in tech toys, LEGO poured all its know-how into the Mindstorms EV3system.

  The brain and heart of the system is the EV3 Brick, which thinks for the robot and supplies its power, and is equipped with color and touch sensors and a remote infrared beacon.

  The basic EV3 kit contains more than 600 pieces, which can be shaped into various tech-robot creatures. While we can’t deny we love the crab-like SPIK3R, there’s nothing cooler than the robot snake SPIK3R, which slithers across surfaces, actually makes a rattle-like sound and has a wicked set of snapping fangs!

  (At DMA we’re proud to feature LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics in selected summer robotics tech camps.)

  CUBETTO

  What It Is: A wood-based block game that instills coding skills in young learners
  Manufacturer: Primo Toys
  Suggested Price: The Cubetto Playset sells for $225, but is currently available for $145 on Kickstarter. Primo also offers educational discounts for sets of 4, 10 or 16 Cubetto Playsets.
  In a Nutshell: It’s clear that Cubetto is no ordinary coding toy.

  For one thing, it’s generally targeted at very early learners, from age 3 on up, so this game works well with any group of kids, even if they haven’t mastered reading yet.

  Cubetto is the name of the game, as well as the name of the charming wooden robot at the center of the action. The game uses a wooden board as the interface or command line, and it’s through using this board that kids pick up the basics of coding.

  The game was based on proven Montessori education principles and was tested by educators and parents; some 800 prototypes were sent out in more than 40 countries.

  This is another great idea that’s been brought to life through a Kickstarter campaign, receiving $1.5 million in start-up funding.

  LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!

  The countdown to summer vacation has begun, and if you’re a parent, you’re probably already planning what your kids will be doing.

  Make it a summer well spent by giving your kid (ages 6-12) or teen (12-17) the learning experience of a lifetime, at any of DMA’s tech camp locations across the U.S. and Canada.

  When your child begins coding early, it starts their adventure in programming. Come check out our DMA Adventures programs for young learners!

• Refer-A-Friend to Save $50

  Sign up for Summer Camp 2016 and tell your friends to come too. For each friend that registers you get a $50 credit, and your friend saves $50. Please visit our website now and browse the 50+ programs to choose from. 

  To qualify, the friends you refer must be new to DMA and not have a previous account or have attended DMA. For each NEW referral who registers their child using their special referral code, they receive $50 off their registration. Tell parents at your child’s school (or heck, your whole soccer team)!

  During your registration process, you will be given the option to refer friends by entering their name and email address. Enter your friends’ email addresses (there is no limit to the number of people you can refer, so enter as many email addresses as you like). Don’t worry; DMA does not sell or share email addresses. Read our privacy policy.

  DMA will send each of your friends an email letting them know you have recommended Digital Media Academy. The email will include instructions on how they can receive a discount on camp using their Refer-a-Friend code. (For both of you to receive credit, the friend you refer must use the Refer-a-Friend code when registering.) 

  Please visit our website for full details.