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      Summer Programs!

About SD Discovery Center Summer Programs

Join us for hands-on fun that will engage, excite and inspire your children this summer.   

SD Discovery Center members receive a discount from the prices listed on the.  There are scholarships for Girl Scouts and you can apply for United Way or Kids Helping Kids funds.  Please enquire before registration.  Contact us at 224-8295 for more information.

NASA Summer of Innovation Programs are free for students entering 4th - 9th grades.  Please register through the SD Discovery Center to receive the Summer of Innovation special.  Only classes marked as NASA Summer of Innovation Programs are eligible.

NASA Summer of Innovation Programs participants: Please download, print, complete and return this release to the SD Discovery Center ASAP. Release Form

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Registration Information:
On-line: Beginning April 18 at 12:01AM log onto www.pierreparkandrec.com
Members: please contact the SD Discovery Center for your discount code.  Please call 605-224-829.


In-Person: Walk-In registration will be held at the SD Discovery Center on May 21; 9-Noon.
You may also register in person any time after that date by stopping in to the City Recreation office at the YMCA.

Registration Reminders:

  • SD Discovery Center members will receive a discount code (via mail or phone) prior to registration. Call the Discovery Center at 224-8295 if you do not receive this code by April 15.
  • Registration is on a “first-come-first-served” basis. Class sizes are limited so register early. If a class is filled, your child’s name will automatically be placed on a waiting list. If enough names are on the list, afternoon classes will be offered.
  • United Way Booster Funds are available upon request.
  • You will find information on all our programs at www.sd-discovery.com and www.pierreparkandrec.com
  • Call the SD Discovery Center at 224-8295 with any questions or e-mail suedouglas@sd-discovery.com.

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Curious Kids!

 
Paper Airplane Workshop
Date: July 6; 10-Noon
Fee: members: $15; non-members: $18 (tax included)
Ages: 6-8
Location: St. Joes.
Limit: max. 25; min. 5
Build paper airplanes, Frisbees, boomerangs, helicopters, kites and other things that fly. Fly them from our balcony and outdoors. Explore the physics and magic of flight.

Slimy Science

Date: July 13; 10-Noon
Fee: members: $15; non-members: $18 (tax included)
Ages: 6-9
Location: St. Joe's.
Limit: max. 20; min. 5
Slime is important and interesting stuff! Machines need it to run, we wash with it, and we even eat it. Make and experiment with different kinds of slime and bring some home.

Survive and Thrive
Date: July 20; 10-Noon
Fee: members: $15; non-members: $18
Ages: 6-10
Location: St. Joe's.
Limit: max. 20; min. 5
From stinky skunks to flying frogs, your students journey through the amazing ways animals survive on earth. Make your own creature that must survive.

Tracks and Traces NASA Summer of Innovation class
Date: July 27; 10-Noon
Fee: members: $15; non-members: $18
Ages: 8-11
Location: St. Joe's
Limit: max. 20; min. 5
Learn about the critters that call South Dakota home through the use of skins, skulls and artifacts. Explore predator-prey relationships through games and activities.

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Discovery Camps

Woodshop-Build a Birdhouse Camp NASA Summer of Innovation class
Make a birdhouse to take home and learn to use manual and power woodworking tools. This workshop will offer a fun, relaxed atmosphere with plenty of supervision by trained craftsman. Find a new hobby that you can enjoy for a lifetime!
Date: July 11-13; 1-3pm
Fee: members $25; non-members $35
Ages: 9-13
Location: Riggs High woodworking shop
Limit: Max. 15; min. 5
Sponsored in part by Kids Helping Kids Turner Foundation grant

Kids in the Kitchen Camp NASA Summer of Innovation class
Date: July 18-21; 10-Noon
Fee: members $55; non-members $65 (tax included)
Ages: 9-14
Location: Riggs High School Homec Room
Limit: max. 15; min. 5
This awesome camp welcomes boys and girls to have some hands-on, up-to-your-elbows fun while learning important kitchen skills. Participants will have a budget (even cut coupons) to shop for snacks and meals that they will prepare themselves. A trip to the super market with a registered dietitian will be a lesson in delicious, healthy food shopping. Each day will provide cooking opportunities. The final day will be a celebration with parents invited to enjoy the fruits of our labors. Get Kids in the Kitchen apron. Wear closed-toe shoes.

 Inventing Toys Workshop NASA Summer of Innovation class
Date: July25-27; 10-Noon
Fee: members $30; non-members $40 (tax included)
Ages: 10-13
Location: St. Joe's
Limit: max. 15; min. 5
If you love a challenge, love to create and explore and want a chance to build hands-on contraptions, than this class is for you!
Have a blast exploring the science of flight by building pneumatic-blast rockets and planes. Learn about force by making balloon-powered boats create a car that will travel faster than your any other in the class! This hands-on workshop is a great creative outlet that allows kids to work with teammates and invent one-of-a-kind working models.

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Outdoor Adventure Camp

Outdoor Adventure NASA Summer of Innovation class
Attention boys and girls! Get outdoors and have some fun this summer! Discover the excitement of kayaking and fishing on our local waters. Mountain bike on La Framboise Island and try your luck at healthy outdoor cooking in Steamboat Park. Make a snack each week, learn to Zumba and enjoy other fun activities. Receive an Outdoor Adventure bag.

Dates: Tuesdays-June 7, 14, 21, 28 (meet at St. Joe's)
Time: 10-Noon
Fee: members: $45, non-members: $55 (tax included)
Ages: 8-12
Location: SD Discovery Center
Limit: 25

Outdoor Adventure EXTREME NASA Summer of Innovation class
This class is for older girls and boys who are looking for a bit more EXTREME and challenging adventure! Go on a kayak expedition down the Missouri River, fish for salmon on the Oahe Reservoir, go on an extreme mountain bike ride and climb a rock wall/ropes course. Outdoor cooking will be a part of each experience. Receive an Outdoor Adventure bag.

Dates: Tuesdays-
July 12 - SD Discovery Center for kayaking at Spring Creek
July 19 - St. Joe's
July 26 -  SD Discovery Center for fishing
Time: 10am-2pm
Fee: members: $75; non-members: $85 (tax included)
Ages: 12-15
Limit: 15


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Pre-School Science Fridays

Little ones are natural scientists. Encourage their great observation skills and abundant curiosity with experiences designed just for them.

Ages: 4-5
Time: 9-10:30 AM or 1-2:30 PM; Specify AM or PM when registering
Fee: Members: $8; Non-Members: $10 (tax included)
Limit: max.15; min. 5
All preschool classes meet at St. Joes.


Balloons and More
July 8
A morning filled with balloons, physics and chemistry fun! Use dry ice, helium, and chemical concoctions to blow up balloons. Make balloon animals and balloon noisemakers. Design your own mylar balloon.

Critter Encounter
July 15
Lizards and snakes and turtles and more! Live animals and genuine artifacts will be on hand for close observation and handling.

In a Grasshopper’s World
July 22
Why are grasshopper’s hind legs larger than its other legs? Investigate real grasshoppers in their natural habitat and learn all about these amazing
insects. Make your own grasshopper to take home.


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Badge Days
Scout Badge Day
Experiment, Explore, Learn!

Outdoor Adventure
Thursday, May 26; 10-Noon
Grades 1-3

Your Outdoor Surroundings
Friday, May 27; 10-Noon
Grades 4-6

Badge Day Information:
Registration required 2 days prior to event. Call 224-8295. No late registrations accepted
Held at the SD Discovery Center, 805 W. Sioux Avenue
Both boys and girls are welcome
Fee: SD Discovery Center members: $8, Non-Members, $10
Fee includes badge
United Way Booster Funds available to Scout troops.

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Fit Kids


6-8 Year Olds: June 9, 16, 23, 30
9-12 Year Olds: July 7, 14, 21, 28 NASA Summer of Innovation class
Time: 10-Noon
Fee: members: $20; non-members: $30

Happiness, Health and Wellness-Thursday mornings at the Discovery Center!  Join us for this fun, exciting new class! Fitness and nutrition education disguised as tons of fun! Make a healthy snack, get active with games and non-competitive activities and explore the great outdoors. Discover how to make healthy choices and create healthy habits for a life time.

Location: St. Joe's
Limit: min. 5; max. 20
This class is a new addition and is not in the City Recreation summer brochure. You can register for it on www.pierreparkandrec.com.

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LEGOS Camps

This series of Lego classes is being offered by members of the SD Robotics Association and led by Professor Daniel Swets from Augustana College. We ask that you only sign up if you will be able to attend all class sessions.

Research has shown that FIRST Lego League participants are significantly more likely to attend college than comparison students (88% vs. 53%, and more than twice as likely to pursue a science or technology career (45% vs. 20%).

Register on the Pierre City website www.pierreparkandrec.com after April 18 2011.

DUPLO Dynamos
Build all sorts of simple machines in this fun beginner class! Build a raft to test buoyancy, a seesaw to test levers and pinwheels to study wind power. Parents are required to stay for this class.
Date: June 20 and 21; 6:30-7:30 pm
Fee: SD Discovery members: $5, non-members:$7 (includes tax)
Ages: 5-6 yrs. + Parents
Location: SD Discovery Center
Limit: max.15; min. 5

Elementary Engineers
Do you love to build with Legos? Then this class is for you. Build the coolest motorized machines! Make a powered car or dragster, a windmill that really moves, and test forces and motion by making a fishing rod.
Date: June 20-24; 10-noon
Fee: SD Discovery members: $8, non-members:$10 (includes tax)
Ages: 7-8
Location: SD Discovery Center
Limit: max.15; min. 5

NXT Mindstorm Robotics
Learn to build and program a computerized robot that really works! Working with a partner, you will build the robot, hook up the “brain” of the robot to a computer and start the programming. Program your robot to follow a planned course using touch, sound and light sensors.
Date: June 20-24; 1-3:30 pm
Fee: SD Discovery members: $8, non-members:$10 (includes tax)
Ages: 9-12
Location: SD Discovery Center
Limit: max.15; min. 5

Adult/Teacher FIRST Lego League Class
FIRST Lego Robotics League is a great way to get kids problem solving, working in teams, and programming computers. Research has shown that FIRST participants are significantly more likely to attend college than comparison students (88% vs. 53%, and more than twice as likely to pursue a science or technology career (45% vs. 20%). Adults are needed to make this experience possible for kids. If you might like to coach, assist or get kids involved at your school or afterschool program, take this class to help you get started.
Date: June 22-23; 6:30-8:30PM
Fee: Free!
Location: SD Discovery Center
Limit: max. 15; min. 5

Sponsored by the SD Space Grant and NASA and the SD Discovery Center

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Kids Helping Kids Camps

Kids Helping Kids Camps are funded by Turner Youth Fund through the Healthy Community, Healthy Youth Initiative. Scholarships are available.
Please call the SD Discovery Center  224-8295 to enquire about scholarships

Horse Science 101
Date: June 9 OR 10; 8:30am-4pm Camp offered twice. Please specify date
Fee: members: $80; non-members: $84 (tax included)
Ages: Riders with no experience
Limit: Max.6
Location: Meet at the SD Discovery Center and travel by River Cities Transit to the Melvin Ranch

This camp will provide basic horsemanship and riding skills. Major emphasis on horse and rider safety and riding skill development. Riders will work on balance and get great exercise while learning a lifelong skill. Geo-caching will be integrated into the camp curriculum (Basic GPS usage integrated with horse and western objects and vocabulary) Snack, water, and lunch provided. Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Horse Science 202
Date: June 17; 8:30am-4pm
Fee: members: $80; non-members: $84 (tax included)
Ages: Riders with some riding experience
Limit: Max 6
Location: Meet at the SD Discovery Center and travel by River Cities Transit to the Melvin Ranch
Horses, riding and horsemanship will be the vehicle for math and science experiences in this day camp. Emphasis on safety for horse and rider. Focus on young rider’s self confidence, fitness, skills, problem solving and goal setting for each child. Geo-caching integrated into the camp. Snack, water and lunch provided Wear long pants and closed-toe shoes.

Discovery Adventure Overnight Camp
Date: July 20-21; noon on first day until 3pm on second day
Fee: members: $88; non-members: $100 (tax included)
Ages: 10-14 yrs.
Limit: Max. 6
Location: Meet at the SD Discovery Center
You will have a blast at this sleepover camp! Our adventure begins when you arrive at our door. Ride your bike on the trails from the Discovery Center to Campground #3 and have it ready for activities later in the evening (we will transport your supplies for you). Set up your tents and spend time fishing along the shore of the trail races at the mouth of the dam. Learning to clean your own fish and cooking it up for dinner will be part of the fun. Make your own meal over a camp fire.
Spend time snorkeling and kayaking with guides from Dakota Adventures Inc. and go geo-caching (like an outdoor scavenger hunt) in the woods. Observe as a trained falcon hunts and talk to the trainer about this amazing hunting practice. Wear closed-toe shoes. Bring personal items including swimsuit, bug spray, sunscreen, towel, flip-flops, change of clothes, pillow, toothbrush….. Snack, water and meals are provided. Fishing poles and sleeping bags are provided for your use but you may bring your own if you wish. Please, no electrical devices.

Pottery
Date: June 13, 20, 27; 1-3 pm
Fee: members: $40; non-members: $45 (tax included)
Ages: 12-15 yrs.
Limit: Max. 6
Location: TBA
Pottery campers will have the chance to do it all! Some of the projects include throwing on the wheel, making pots, cups or bowls and hand-building with slabs and coils. Campers will also learn about the history and process of pottery/ceramics and see some beautiful and exciting works from a local artist.


Woodworking-Build a Birdhouse
Make a birdhouse to take home and learn to use manual and power woodworking tools. This workshop will offer a fun, relaxed atmosphere with plenty of supervision by trained craftsman. Find a new hobby that you can enjoy for a lifetime!
Date: July 11-13; 1-3pm
Fee: members: $30; non-members: $35 (tax included)
Ages: 9-13
Location: Riggs High woodworking shop
Limit: Max.6
Sponsored in part by Kids Helping Kids Turner Foundation grant


 

 







 

 
   

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South Dakota Discovery Center
805 W. Sioux  ♦  Pierre, SD  57501  ♦  (605) 224-8295
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