Summer Programs (Grades 3–5)

After first learning about the structure of trees, students craft scale models inspired by their own idea of the perfect tree. Using these creations as a starting point, students are challenged to design and build a fantasy treehouse within its branches. The class explores various techniques to support the treehouse and create ladders, swings, furniture, and other fun details.

Urban planners consider street layouts, building types, open spaces, infrastructure, and other amenities when designing vibrant communities. Students in this class explore New York City neighborhoods and look at examples around the world to learn about urban design. Each student designs and builds one part of a neighborhood, and by the end of the week the class assembles the individual pieces into a shared vision of an ideal neighborhood.

Beam, truss, arch, suspension, and moving bridges support weight and span great distances. Through interactive discussions, experiments, and small building projects, students will learn about these structural marvels. Students visit several bridges in New York City, then put their new knowledge to the test as they create a final bridge of their own design.

Animal homes come in many different shapes and sizes, all just right for the creatures living in them. This class explores how animals build their homes by observing structures such as nests, ant colonies, shells, and dams. Students visit the zoo to look at buildings and environments created for animals by people. The program concludes with a challenge for students to create a structure that their favorite animal or creature might enjoy.

Museums now cover more subjects than ever before, from history and art to animals and ice cream. This program visits some of the best museums New York City has to offer and also explores examples of museums around the world. Students consider how design helps visitors learn and engage their imagination to create a museum that showcases a collection of objects they love.

Explore the great architectural wonders of the world! This class investigates ancient and new wonders of the world including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Colosseum, Burj Khalifa, and many more. Students create their own designs inspired by these amazing buildings and structures and learn new design techniques and strategies along the way. Got some wonderful design ideas of your own? We’ll end with students creating their own architectural wonders for the 21st Century.

Students investigate the history of housing and consider what’s in store for the future. This program asks students to explore historic homes to see how people lived in the past, discover advancements in green architecture today, and speculate about how we might live in the future. For their final project, students design and build their own model for a house of the future.

Kids are the designers and the experts in this program exploring parks and playgrounds as spaces for movement, imagination, and community. Through playful site visits, observations through our bodies and senses, drawing, and mapping, students study how design shapes the way we play and gather. Play is treated as a form of creative research and thinking. The week culminates in each student designing and building a model of their own ideal play space.