Apple Store locations—including the one in the Staten Island Mall—just launched its annual summer program to inspire and celebrate kids’ creativity. Apple Camp on Staten Island and in other locations across the country, announced the camp program titled Design Your Dream Invention on iPad, will take place each week now through Aug. 5. And the best part is, the camp is free!
Apple Camp on Staten Island is all about digital creativity. It gives kids ages 8 – 12 the opportunity to design inventions that impact their communities on trading card-style GIFs using Apple Pencil, Keynote and Freeform on iPad. The 90-minute sessions are led by Apple Creative Pros and designed for kids to attend alongside their parents or guardians.
Like all Apple in-store programming, devices will be provided, and participants will have the opportunity to work with Apple experts on creative brainstorming, design skills, collaboration and presenting.
“We’re so thrilled to welcome campers and their families into our stores this summer to tap into and expand their imagination at Apple Camp,” Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of retail, said. “This exciting and fun program celebrates the great inventors, trailblazers and entrepreneurs of the future by providing them the tools and skills to learn and connect with each other and our team members.”
What to Expect at Apple Camp on Staten Island in the Staten Island Mall
Camp sessions are offered once or twice a week at Apple Stores around the country, including the one in the Staten Island Mall (there are other nearby locations, too). If kids are interested in attending more than one session, Apple staff encourages them to come back, have fun and create more inventions. The camp is designed for parents and their children to learn together and have fun creating their dream invention digitally.
The program is designed to be both fun and educational. Kids will consider a problem their communities might be experiencing, and figure out a way to fix it.
“The idea of coming up with a dream invention can be overwhelming, but we’ve made it simple for kids by asking them to start by looking around their neighborhood to solve a problem,” Anthony Jackson, a Today at Apple creative pro explained. “During the brainstorming portion of the session we ask them to consider an invention that can better their own lives, their families’ lives or those around them.”
This session is the first of its kind at Apple and will only be offered for a limited time this summer. Throughout camp sessions at different locations, kids have created a number of thoughtful and impressive inventions, Jackson explained, including portable water habitat so fish can leave the ocean, to a snack bot 3000 which makes any snack on demand.
Parents and kids can attend the Apple Camp on Staten Island or many other locations throughout the city, including stores in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Weekend sessions are available. No previous experience with the apps or device is necessary.
How to Register and Find Out More
For more information about the program, including how to register and see a list of upcoming sessions that are available, visit apple.com/today.
Looking for more fun things to do with your family this summer and beyond? Check out our digital calendar, as well as these 40 free or cheap things to do with kids on Staten Island! We’ve rounded up a bunch of our favorite local activities you can do with your kids throughout the year that won’t break the bank. These include outdoor movie events, nature activities, museum activities, free classes and workshops, and so much more!
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