Bell Summer Camps in Grand Rapids
Bell Summer Camps are fun and enriching day-long experiences that encourage children to explore their scientific passions and discover new interests. Children entering grades 1-5 will experience science and nature like never before with interactive discovery, games, creative projects, guided outdoor exploration and much more! Camps in Grand Rapids are located at the University of Minnesota’s North Central Research and Outreach Station. Camps are open to individual registration as well as registration by community/school groups.
Every camp includes brand-new activities this year! If you joined us last year, get ready for fresh discoveries and new learning experiences in every single camp!
How to register for camp:
Step 1
Fill out the google form.
Step 2
Pay for camps by following the instructions within the registration form. Your registration is not complete until payment has been received. Our camp pricing is a pay-what-you-can fee which ensures camp is affordable for everyone. When you register for a camp, choose between the fee options that work for you. One day camps are $25 or $50, and four day camps have several fee options: $75, $125, or $175.
Full scholarships may be requested to support equitable access to our camps, as resources allow. Contact bellswecamps@umn.edu
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Astronomy Camp: Journey Through Space
Two-day camp, grades 3-5Set off on a two-day cosmic adventure, where young explorers journey from the planets of our solar system to the dazzling stars of our galaxy! Through a mix of creative models and hands-on science activities, campers will compare different planets and moons, explore what objects are made of, and dive into the ideas of mass, volume, and density. Kids will uncover the Sun’s life cycle, enjoy creative cosmic-themed art, investigate how new stars form, and participate in hands-on lunar activities that spark curiosity and imagination. They’ll spend two days discovering just how incredible our universe can be. It’s a high-energy, curiosity-fueled space camp that’s sure to inspire young astronomers!
Location: North Central Research and Outreach Center, 1861 Highway 169 East, Grand Rapids
Fee is pay what you can: $50 or $100
Monday – Tuesday, 6/22/26 – 6/23/26
10:00am-4:00pm -
Food & Fun on the Farm
Four-day camp, grades 1-2Get ready for hands-on adventures into the amazing world of modern farming! Each day, young explorers will try out real tools and cool technology used in agriculture—from planting tiny grains and building seed-sorting machines to spotting invasive plants and insects. Campers will meet animals, learn how farmers care for crops and cattle, and even design their own mini research plots. We’ll spend plenty of time outside doing active, hands-on STEM that brings farming to life in exciting and memorable ways!
Location: North Central Research and Outreach Center, 1861 Highway 169 East, Grand Rapids
Fee is pay what you can: $75, $125, or $175
Monday – Thursday, 7/6/26 – 7/9/26
10:00am-4:00pm -
Eco-Explorations: New Adventures in the Coniferous Forest
Four-day camp, grades 3-5Get ready for a hands-on adventure exploring the outdoors of northern Minnesota! Over four days, campers will become forest detectives as they dig into tracks, trails, and tree secrets; investigate water and the living organisms in it through experiments and field observations; uncover the story of the land by examining rocks, minerals, and creating mini land-forms; and become wild animal detectives, tracking and observing the creatures that call the North Woods home. With plenty of time outside, active challenges, and hands-on STEM activities, campers will have fun while building observation skills and discovering how ecosystems work. New activities for this year! Don’t miss out on a field trip to the Forest History Center to investigate Mississippi River invertebrates!
Location: North Central Research and Outreach Center, 1861 Highway 169 East, Grand Rapids
Fee is pay what you can: $75, $125, or $175
Monday – Thursday, 8/3/26 – 8/6/26
10:00am-4:00pm
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Agri-Science
Four-day camp, grades 3-5Step into the world of modern agriculture through the lens of engineering, technology, and research! Campers will investigate how small grains grow, design and refine their own working seed-sorting machines, and learn how drones collect crop health data. They’ll explore how farmers use data and innovative systems to care for both crops and livestock, then apply what they’ve learned by designing their own small-grain research plots. With plenty of outdoor challenges and hands-on STEM, this camp turns the farm into an exciting engineering playground!
Location: North Central Research and Outreach Center, 1861 Highway 169 East, Grand Rapids
Fee is pay what you can: $75, $125, or $175
Monday – Thursday, 7/13/26 – 7/16/26
10:00am-4:00pm -
Astronomy Camp: Universe Uncovered
Two-day camp, grades 3-5Journey across the cosmos in this two-day adventure! Campers will investigate black holes, supernovae, and the hidden colors of light before shifting into hands-on engineering mode to create star wheels, geodesic domes, and space shelters. Along the way they’ll craft constellations, explore NASA spacecraft and the James Webb Space Telescope, and even imagine the messages we might send to distant civilizations. It’s an action-packed blend of astronomy and engineering guaranteed to spark curiosity, creativity, and out-of-this-world thinking!
Location: North Central Research and Outreach Center, 1861 Highway 169 East, Grand Rapids
Fee is pay what you can: $50 or $100
Monday – Tuesday, 7/20/26 – 7/21/26
10:00am-4:00pm
Resources
Camper Guardian Guide
2026 Statewide Summer Camp Guardian Guide
Statewide Bell Summer Camps supported by:
Parking and camper drop-off map