What Kids Learn in an Arduino Camp

Arduino is a small, programmable circuit board that reads sensors and controls things like LEDs, motors and servos. Kids write code on a laptop, upload it to the board, and watch their circuit respond. See the Arduino website (opens in a new tab) for the official overview.

In Arduino Basics, our three-day beginner camp, kids build a new gadget every day:

1. Day 1: LEDs, buttons, and a reaction-time game
2. Day 2: Distance sensor and servos, then a sweeping radar
3. Day 3: Team mini project and a demo for parents

See the Arduino Basics camp.

• Wiring circuits. Connecting LEDs, buttons and sensors to a board, and reading what each part does.
• Writing code. Telling the board what to do, then changing it to see what happens.
• Debugging. Finding out why a circuit or program does not work, one small change at a time.
• Working with sensors and motors. Measuring distance, moving servos and reacting to input.
• Presenting. Showing parents the finished build on the last day.

Students who are ready for more can take Vision Robotics, where they build a camera on two servos that follows a ping pong ball using computer vision. They use OpenCV (opens in a new tab) and YOLO object detection with Python, and design a mount in Tinkercad. Students who want a weekly rhythm can join our 9-week Friday or Saturday classes, with a new take-home build every week.

A Windows or Mac laptop with its charger, because Chromebooks and iPads cannot run the Arduino software. Install the free Arduino IDE (opens in a new tab) before Day 1, and bring an Arduino starter kit (you can purchase one from us). Our before-camp checklist has the full list.

Arduino Basics runs Mon–Wed, Nov 23–25, 10 AM – 1 PM, and costs $175 for the three days. An Arduino starter kit is $30 extra if you purchase it from our team, and your child keeps it. Weekly classes are $30 per class, billed $90 at a time, over nine weeks. Spots are limited to 10 students per class, and the current dates and spots left are on the programs page.

Yes. Arduino is widely used to teach first-time makers because a working result appears quickly, and our beginner camp assumes no experience. With a maximum of 10 students, a teacher can sit with each child until the circuit works. Still choosing? Read how to choose a kids robotics camp.