Apple Youth Camp 2015

As a parent of an elementary school kid, when summertime comes, I always have to rack my brain as to what activities my son can participate in.  He loves gaming and he and his iPad are like Charlie Brown's Linus with his blanket.  I came across information regarding our local Apple store's Apple Youth Camp for kids 8 - 12 and signed up my son immediately!  It was an hour and a half  "camp" for three days where Apple staff would teach kids about iMovie and Garageband.  Best of all, it was free!

After registering online, I received a confirmation phone call and email about a week before the camp. Apple asked campers to bring in headphones and a digital recording device, but if you didn't have anything, they provided equipment to use in the store. On the first day all the kids received Apple Camp t-shirts to wear and let them begin exploring iMovie and Garageband.  

The staff (Apple Genius people?)  taught the campers about transforming a concept onto a storyboard, recording footage, editing, adding music and captions to create a 2-4 minute video.  On the second day, the campers worked on their projects and each camper received a flash drive "bracelet" (retail unknown) and earbuds (retail $28) - SCORE! I mentioned this was a free activity already right?

On the third day, the campers participated in a Camp Showcase where everyone shared their finished products. EJ created a tutorial video on "How to Get Skins To Minecraft Pocket Edition."  I know what Minecraft is, but "skins" and "pocket edition" are foreign words to me in the video game world. You'll have to ask my son about his video!

At the very end, each camper also received a certificate. 

Overall, the value of the Apple Youth Camp was fantastic! Fun, Creative, Engaging, and Free!  If you are still looking for summer ideas for your kid, consider the Apple Youth Camp at your local Apple Store and sign up today!  In addition to iMovies, Apple also offers youth camps centered around creating iBooks! Check out the different sessions offered here.