Summer Camps
Looking for kid-friendly, hands-on, feet-in marine science? You’ve found it!
Registration Information
Online registration for 2019 Summer Marine Science Camps will open February 15 at noon. The registration link will be available here at that time.
There is a non-refundable $100 deposit per camper. Registrants will need the camper’s first and last name, date of birth and t-shirt size, as well as the parent/guardian’s full name, email and phone number (work, home and cell if available).
We do not allow campers to attend more than one camp session.
Questions? Contact Anne Lindsay at lindsaya@uga.edu or 912-598-2355.
The UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium has been providing science day camps every summer since 1993. Our camps allow kids to grow up learning about the Georgia Coast. Our Summer Marine Science Camp (SMSC) sessions emphasize marine science and coastal ecology while nurturing the curiosity and stewardship potential in each child.
We offer informal, team oriented, memorable camp experiences that balance detailed study with exploration. Each SMSC session is tailored to meet the learning stages and styles of kids aged 6-14.
Low student to staff ratios ensure personal attention and mentoring for your camper. Summer camp staff includes UGA marine education faculty and Georgia Sea Grant marine education interns. Camp sessions are high energy, chock full and lots of fun!
Do sessions change from one year to the next?
Although we swap new activities for old ones each year, the backbone of each session of Summer Marine Science Camp is a collection of explorations in the coastal outdoors. Field and lab activities vary slightly each year. We tailor key concepts in marine science and coastal ecology to camper academic level and attention spans.
Pre-Camp Information
UGA Marine Extension staff will complete registration on the screened-in porch behind the cafeteria. Balances will be paid online with a credit card prior to your camper’s start date. Staff will be on the porch 30 minutes before your child’s session is scheduled to start each day.There will be no supervision provided for children dropped off before this time. If your child must miss a day of camp, please let us know as soon as possible.
Sea Squirts – Age 6
What is a Sea Squirt? Find out in this camp designed to introduce very young scientists to the animals and habitats of Georgia’s coast. With activities appropriate for this curious and excitable age, Sea Squirts will discover the wonders of salt marshes, estuaries and the maritime forest. They’ll spend time visiting the Marine Education Center and Aquarium’s touch tanks and aquarium. Indoor nature craft activities balance outdoor games and exploration.
Session runs Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. Lunch, snacks, t-shirt, arts/crafts materials, and lots of individual attention included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 20 participants.
July 15-19, 2019
$250 per camper / $100 deposit with registration.
Sea Camp – Ages 7-8
This session offers just the right mix of hands-on field experiences, outdoor games and introductory labs for this active age. Campers will explore salt marsh, maritime forest and sandy beaches on Skidaway and Tybee Islands, and they will fish with a cane pole at the DNR Fish Hatchery.
Sea Camp sessions run Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Lunch, snacks, t-shirt, arts/crafts materials and field trip transportation included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 30 participants per session.
Session I: June 3-7, 2019
Session II: June 24-28, 2019
$290 per camper / $100 deposit with registration.
Salty Dawgs – Ages 9-10
Salty Dawgs offers in depth study of coastal waters and includes field, lab and boat experiences. We’ll study fresh, brackish and marine water communities in the field using water quality testing and standard sampling equipment. Highlights of the week will include a trip to Tybee Island and a trawling trip aboard the R/V Sea Dawg.
Salty Dawgs sessions run Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Lab fees, lunch, snacks, t-shirt and field trip transportation included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 30 participants per session.
Session I: June 10-14, 2019
Session II: July 8-12, 2019
$340 per camper / $100 deposit with registration.
Fishing for Fun – Ages 11-12
In this session, campers will learn the importance of restoring, protecting and preserving habitats of coastal Georgia and the important role that they play with regard to local fisheries. Interactive laboratory and field work intertwined with current education, conservation and research topics on coastal Georgia fisheries will allow the students to learn about commercial and recreational fisheries (shrimp, blue crab and oyster). Students will spend time studying nearby rivers aboard the R/V Sea Dawg, exploring the beaches of Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge, as well as fishing and crabbing in our local waterways.
Fishing for Fun runs Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Lab fees, lunch, snacks, t-shirt and field transportation included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 30 participants.
June 17-21, 2019
$340 per camper / $100 deposit with registration.
Coastal Guardians – Ages 12-14
Coastal Guardians is an opportunity for students to have fun outdoors while learning how to become life-long stewards of our coastal environments. Students will make a difference by collecting marine debris from the salt marsh, investigating micro-plastics in estuarine waters, and creating their own artwork that showcases what they have learned. Highlights include a trawl aboard the R/V Sea Dawg, exploration of the barrier island beach on Wassaw Wildlife Refuge and a kayaking adventure along the Skidaway River.
Coastal Guardians runs Monday-Friday from 9:00 am- 4:00 pm. Lab fees, lunch, snacks, t-shirt and field transportation included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 20 participants.
July 22-26, 2019
$390 per camper/ $100 deposit
Women in Marine Science – Ages 12-14
During this adventure-filled week, participants will board boats, travel in nearby waterways to search for and identify dolphins, explore islands, and salt marshes nearby. This year students in the camp will participate in hands-on activities, with a focus on data collection taking place in the field, or in labs. The summer camp emphasizes women and their contributions to science.
Women in Marine Science runs Monday – Friday from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Lab fees, lunch, snacks, t-shirt and field transportation included. 5:1 instructional ratio. Limit 20 participant limit.
July 15-19, 2019
$340 per camper / $100 deposit with registration.