iCamping with Computers

Children with a technical and creative side can unite those two traits for outside-the-box activities that count on imagination at summer camp in Belmont.

Now in it's third week, icamp has temporarily set up shop at, where children from grades 2 to 8 are applying complex technology to kids-friendly projects that accentuate non-conventional subjects, such as claymation, stop motion animation, robotics and illustrative storytelling.

“A lot of what we do is 'off the shelf.' We try to use versions of things that they can use at home,” said Director Brad Fox.

For example, LEGO's NXT “brain” is used to power some of the robotic creations. Fith-grader Julian used the NXT Software to program a motor that when activated will move his robot across the floor and lift an elevator to serve coffee or food.

“I thought it would be fun to create something to serve food in restaurants,” he said. Julian, who initially came up with the idea was assisted by Bobby, another fifth grader, from time to time.

Bobby said that robotics immediately captured his attention during the first week of the workshop although he also dabbles in animation.

The children are focused on the projects and their eagerness to complete them that sometimes the staff have to “pry” them away after camp hours, said Fox.

“One child shows up at 8:30 a.m. to complete their project,” said Fox proudly.

The staff are intent on engaging the children on the technologies while encouraging them to flourish independently.

“We instruct them and guide them through a new piece of technology and they just go.” Fox said that any level of experience is welcome to the camp, even those that have not had much interaction with computers.

Acquiring new skills

With a green screen and camera set up to record the children's in- action storyboards, icamp counselors assist with making sets for the children's fanciful stories. Places like Mars, Egypt or the sea serve as a setting for some of the adventures.

Miranda, who will be entering the 5th grade, and her friend Zoe – fresh out of kindergarten – worked intently on their story that included dolphins, wizards and mermaids. Because Zoe had an interest in dolphins, she researched the marine mammal and sketched out the character before the two constructed the character from clay.

The two took child's play to a intelligent level, that one day could parlay into a career or flourishing passion, said Fox. Video game design, digital music design, animation and robotics are fields that may not get attention in the general curriculum.

While some icamp activities that may not seem productive to adults, such as video game playing, former icampers have taken the computer skills taught in the workshops and applied them to college-bound careers, such as robotics and animation.

icamp, which is part of Children's Technology Workshop, will move to Lexington after the day camp finishes in Belmont.