Camp Courses

UPDATED IN 2018: The world’s most popular game is back with more behind-the-scenes tricks and group lessons. Students in this course discover the Windows version of Minecraft, which is where it all started. In one week, campers create their own blocks, items, and armor, while building creations that truly come from their imaginations. Lessons also include safety, etiquette, and team-building exercises. A must-take course for the Minecraft fanatic.

Software used: mCreator, Paint Programs, Minecraft

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: Campers in this course create game-based programs using the most popular coding software for this age group. By the end of the week, students will have a small library of games to play at home that they created themselves.

Software used: Scratch 2.0

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: STEAM is the new STEM, and in this course, campers use computers to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics! Campers will work with online physics engines, computer science software, 3D models for engineering, Photoshop Elements, and even variables in a math-based programming project. This is a fun way to thrill young minds with the full range of STEAM activities.

Software used: Clickteam Fusion, Scratch, Tinkercad, and more

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED IN 2018: Fusion is PlanetBravo’s flagship game design software since our inception in 2003. More campers have taken Fusion Game Design courses than any other, and it has been the #1 motivator for our students to pursue computer science as a career. In this course, campers create their own 2D video games with an emphasis on storyline, and the games will be playable from any device after camp. FUSION NOW WORKS ON MAC AND PC, so students can continue with their creations when they get home!

Software used: Clickteam Fusion 2.5

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: There is no denying the wonder and excitement children have for the world of Roblox and its studio software. In this course, campers create their very own three-dimensional video game using the Roblox Studio software. Elements of game design and development are covered through scripting in Lua, building asset libraries, and designing levels of their 3D games.

Software used: Roblox Studio

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED IN 2018: This is PlanetBravo’s classic Minecraft course meant for any first-time modders or returners who took the course before and are looking to design a new thematic version of Minecraft. Students dissect Java code in this class to make Minecraft their own thematic adventure.

Software used: mCreator, Minecraft, Photoshop Elements

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2017: For years, we’ve taught Virtual Reality (VR) courses that could only be fully experienced through Oculus Rift headsets at home. That’s still the realest form of VR out there, but it’s time to share VR through inexpensive and attainable methods. It’s time for Mobile! In this course, campers create their own VR game playable through a mobile phone and a portable VR headset (Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear, Daydream, etc).

Software used: Unity 3D

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED IN 2018: Coding 101 has quickly become our go-to for students who are tired of graphical game design programs and want to speak actual coding languages. Coding 101 introduces students to a multitude of languages to lay the foundation of computer science principles. Warning to participants: these courses are the real deal when it comes to coding. We are typing code into the computers to make our own text-based games and applications.

Software used: IDEs used include Python IDLE, ZeroBrane, Visual Studio Code

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED IN 2018: As seen on TV (Netflix, PBS Newshour), this course with the tongue-in-cheek title still serves a serious purpose: to have young women create technology innovations through code. As women comprise half the world’s population, the field of computer science is sorely lacking in female representation, and equal representation in future creations is critical. This year, campers in this course will create web applications using a JavaScript-based tool called Glitch, which not only acts as its own remixer and editor, but also its own GitHub-like sharing center.

Software used: JavaScript.

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED IN 2018: The popular class is back, this time having the students design toys with movable parts using the Fusion 360 suite by Autodesk. If anyone thought this class was made too easy in the past, we’re back to using the “real” tools of the industry. Campers will leave camp with a couple plastic toys they’ve printed, and many more objects ready for online printing later.

Software used: Autodesk Fusion 360

No prior experience necessary.

LAB FEE: $24

UPDATED IN 2018: With 2D cartoons on the rise again, this is the perfect class for all budding digital artists and animators. This course focuses on crafting funny and interesting storylines with original (and preloaded) characters using the same professional animation software used on Spongebob Squarepants, The Princess and the Frog, and so many more. Final projects can be played in numerous online-ready formats.

Software used: ToonBoom Harmony

No prior experience necessary.

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UPDATED IN 2018: By far our most popular course in years, YouTubers Workshop (formerly Filmmaking for YouTubers) uses easy and fun livestream encoding software to record and live-edit various styles of YouTube broadcasts. Campers in this class become their own YouTube personality through various shows such as Vlogs, Gamecasts (Let’s Play style), and more. Campers create content for their own YouTube show while getting serious instruction on the delicate considerations of creating online media. NOTE: this is not a course where campers create their own YouTube channel and post content publicly, but rather develop thematic segments for episodes that showcase an online personality. For campers who dream of someday being a YouTuber who shares information with the world, this course shows the best practices and how to get started.

Software used: Gameshow, Premiere Elements, and more

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: YouTubers Studio is for the campers who already love to perform on camera and have an idea for their official show. Instead of learning various forms of YouTuber shows (YouTubers Workshop), campers in this course work on one style of YouTuber series all week. Campers create many episodes within their format and work to craft the special qualities that make these shows special (graphics, titles, music, etc). NOTE: this is not a course where campers create their own YouTube channel and post content publicly, but rather develop thematic segments for episodes that showcase an online personality. Campers leave with a private (non-YouTube) method for watching their episodes. For campers who dream of someday being a YouTuber who shares information with the world, this course shows the best practices and how to get started.

Software used: Gameshow, Premiere Elements, and more

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: This is Virtual Reality as it was intended. Campers in this course create the most realistic VR games best-suited for the powerful world of Gaming PCs. Games in this course are designed to be played in the Oculus Rift headset with Oculus Touch controllers.

Software used: Unreal Engine

No prior experience necessary.

NEW IN 2018: For rising middle school students who have already taken Minecraft Modding (in any form from any program), this course finally jumps to the next level of coding Minecraft. We focus on Event Scripting, Server mods, and much more to satisfy the Minecraft mania bug in a more professional way.

Software used: mCreator/Eclipse, Minecraft, Photoshop Elements.

PREREQUISITE: Must have taken standard Minecraft Modding course and must be entering 6th grade or higher in the fall.

NEW IN 2018: Artificial Intelligence Assistants are on the rise, and in this very special course, students use a special AIY (Do It Yourself Artificial Intelligence) kit to build and code their own personal voice-responsive digital assistant powered by Google Assistant (found in Google Homes and on Android phones). Campers will, of course, keep their projects to play with at home and organize their lives with their new electronic friend. This course is STEM to the max! Once we have the assistant built and working with our voice, it's time to program it for more fun tasks.

Software used: DialogFlow, Google Action Console

No experience necessary

LAB FEE: $50

NEW IN 2018: This is THE course to take for those serious about getting a job in the coding industry someday. The web is not going anywhere, and making applications for it is more important than ever. In this course, students use a variety of coding languages and libraries (Python, ReactJS, Flask, HTML, CSS) to make their own web applications that will be accessible from anywhere online after camp.

Software used: Komodo Edit

No prior experience necessary.

UPDATED: This comprehensive course once again comes with a warning: this two-week course is the real-deal when it comes to learning a computer language. Many of PlanetBravo’s courses ease the campers into coding languages by soothing it with graphics, but not this one. Campers will dive into the advanced and widely-used Java language with text-based projects. This course is for the serious coder who wants to be prepared for high-school and college level computer science courses.

NOTE COURSE COST: 2 weeks at $1049

Software used: Blue-J and Java

No experience necessary, but some experience with coding languages (Python, JavaScript) recommended.

NEW IN 2018: Everyone loves camp; every course is a winner… that’s why we take the pressure off with this very special course option. If you enroll in this highly discounted course, we place you in an open class as camp begins. You choose the week, we choose the course.

Also known as "PB Picks," this discounted camp course option is available beginning in February. A limited number of seats at camp are released for $400 apiece or less (for a week of camp) but are not assigned to specific courses until camp begins. In short, this guarantees your child a seat at camp in a course we know they will love, but the space is not assigned to a course until much later.

Refunds work the same (up to 2 weeks before the camp session runs), and you may pay to upgrade into any open course prior to camp beginning. MOST IMPORTANTLY - If your child is on a wait list for a desired course and you choose this option as a placeholder to attend camp, we will automatically switch your child into his or her wait listed choice the morning camp begins if a space suddenly becomes available. Like all of our courses, no refunds or credits are given once camp begins.

Software used: Varies depending on course.

No prior experience necessary.