Overview

Camp Sycamore is a hands-on, project-based summer program for rising 5th through 8th graders hosted by The Sycamore School in Arlington, Virginia. Campers research, envision, and build complex chain-reaction machines — commonly known as Rube Goldberg machines — constructed entirely out of everyday materials. Each machine is engineered to perform a simple task through a sequence of elaborate, interconnected steps. The camp reflects The Sycamore School's core educational philosophy: learning through creativity, collaboration, and real-world problem solving. Participants develop engineering intuition, critical thinking, and perseverance in a small, supportive environment that celebrates curiosity and out-of-the-box thinking.

Additional Information

Camp Sycamore runs as two separate one-week afternoon sessions in August, each meeting daily from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Sessions are August 14–18 and August 21–25. Families may register for one or both sessions.

Cost is $200 per session when paying by check, or $210 per session when paying online (to cover processing fees). The program is open to rising 5th through 8th graders, ages 10–14, and is co-ed.