Summer Camps 2022 Info Coming Soon!
Omaha Children’s Museum’s summer camps feature engaging curriculum and great instructors who make every day exciting and new. Camps include daily play in the museum and a snack. Whether your child wants to experiment in our kitchen or learn about wizards, superheroes, or the Olympics, Omaha Children’s Museum has the perfect summer camp.
**See Updated Health & Safety Procedures Below in the FAQ section **
Camp Fees
Week-long camps are $120 for members and $135 for non-members per session. A limited number of scholarships are available. Contact the Group Sales Manager at groups@ocm.org for details.
Easy Online Registration
Online registration will be available for Summer 2022 soon! If you have questions or would prefer to register by phone, call (402) 342-6164 ext. 432.
Medical Form
Please return a completed medical form before the first day of camp. An online version of the medical form is available HERE. You may also download a copy HERE and return the completed form to groups@ocm.org.
Age Requirements
Children must be within the age range for each camp before camp begins.
Educators
Camps are taught by trained and experienced educators. All museum staff have undergone background checks. We have a couple Meet-the-Teacher Nights, which are free events for camp families, giving parents a chance to meet the staff and explore the museum with their kids. The night includes play in the museum. Information will be emailed to camp families with more details on how to register.
Scheduling and Refunds
Camp space is limited and registration is handled on a first-come, first-served basis. Parents will receive an informational packet via email prior to camp. Omaha Children’s Museum reserves the right to cancel camps that do not meet minimum enrollment. All camp fees are non-refundable, except in the instance a camp does not meet minimum enrollment. A $10 per child fee applies when switching camps or dates.
Before & After Care
During this time, children play games, draw, read or participate in other activities supervised by museum staff. Before and after care is available for all of our camp sessions. Contact the Group Sales Manager at groups@ocm.org for additional details.
Before Care and After Care run Monday-Friday. Before Care runs from 7:45 AM - 9:00 AM. After Care runs 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM.
$15/week: Only Before Care or After Care
$30/week: Both Before Care and After Care
$10/day for drop-in session: Only Before Care or After Care (subject to availability)
Lunch Care
Campers need to bring their own sack lunches. Campers who are enrolled in an AM camp and a PM camp in the same week are considered all-day campers and will have supervised Lunch Care at the museum. Lunch Care is free for all-day campers.
Campers who are not all-day campers -- that is, they are enrolled in AM only or PM only camp - may have Lunch Care purchased, and still need to bring their own lunches.
Lunch Care for Campers enrolled in AM and PM: FREE
Lunch Care for AM or PM Campers: $15/week; $10/day for drop-in session (subject to availability)
All-Day Camp Options
Children can enjoy a full day of activities at Omaha Children’s Museum with a morning and an afternoon camp! See listings for dates. Lunchtime will be from Noon – 1 PM and will be supervised by museum staff. Campers should bring their own lunches.
Free T-Shirt
Campers receive a Summer Camp T-Shirt! Available in sizes 4T - Youth Large.
Camp Safety
Our team will continue to monitor government health and safety regulations in 2021, and will adjust classroom sizes, and requirements for face masks and temperature checks prior to camps starting. Our goal is to ensure a safe and fun summer for your camper! We will finalize classroom and check-in procedures in the weeks leading up to your camp and will inform you of the most up-to-date guidelines we will be following prior to your arrival to your first day of camp.
Camp FAQs
Camp classes have a limited student-to-teacher ratio following the Department of Health and Human Services guidelines for childcare.
All campers ages 4+ older are required to wear a mask or face covering at all times.
When campers have snacks and lunch (only for all-day campers), there will be a clear shield between campers so it will be safer to remove masks for eating.
We ask that families keep a camper home if he or she does not feel well or has a fever. We insist on our staff following the same rule. When in doubt, please leave them home. Museum staff will do temperature checks and health screens as they did in 2020. This includes checking temperatures at check-in, and the staff doing temperature checks and filling out daily health sheets. Anyone with a fever will be asked to go home until they have been fever-free for 24 hours. There will be a designated space in the museum that will keep ill campers separated from other children until their parents or guardians can pick them up.
We are adding to the museum's already-stringent cleaning schedule, disinfecting the exhibits, camp classrooms, and supplies between camp sessions daily. Camp teachers and museum staff in the building will wear face masks.
Yes. We will be providing a small snack each day for all campers. Below is the snack schedule. Campers can bring their own snack if they prefer it to what we have for the daily snack.
Monday – Cheez-it’s
Tuesday – Fruit snacks
Wednesday – Goldfish
Thursday – Gushers
Friday – Toasted cheese crackers
A limited number of scholarships are available. Contact groups@ocm.org for details.
In this situation, we recommend the older child attending the younger camp with their sibling.
In order to make the summer camp experience the best for everyone, campers need to be the required age before camp starts.
A welcome email will be sent out 2 weeks before your camp start date with information about what to expect for your week of camp.
Please note that drop-off and pick-up procedures for 2021 may be modified at a later date.
On the first day of camp, please park in the lot and bring your camper in to check-in at the main (south) entrance. Camp Counselors will be outside waiting to check-in.
When picking up your camper, please pull up at the main (south) entrance. Have your ID ready. Campers will not be allowed to leave with anyone whose ID does not match the name of an adult listed on their release forms in the authorized pick-up section. If you are not sure who you have listed, you are welcome to call and check with our receptionist (402-342-6164 ext. 432). If you are not driving to pick up your child, please walk up to the main entrance. This helps maintain security during the pick-up process.
In the case of rain, please check the museum’s Facebook page for any changes to the pick-up procedure. In the case of severe weather where a warning is issued, camp counselors will take campers to a safe and secure area of the museum. If this happens during pick-up time, pick-up will be delayed until the warning is lifted. In this instance, access to museum phones are limited. Camp staff will be in communication with all camp parents as needed.
Yes! Campers will spend about 20 minutes each day in the museum to play and explore the current exhibits.
Your child is welcome to play in the museum during open business hours accompanied by an adult. All parties need to be checked in at the front desk and admission needs to be paid for any non-member persons present.
We take the security of your children very seriously. Anyone and everyone that will be picking up your camper should be listed in the authorized pick-up section of the medical release form, including each parent. Adults must show ID at the time of pick-up. In the event that someone else is picking up your child that you had not originally planned, please call the museum to let us know.
One teacher and one counselor. If camps are larger, there will be a third counselor.
Each day there is a combination of craft, physical activities, STEAM activities and approximately 20 minutes of play in the museum. Some camps may watch a short, 20-minute video related to the camp theme.
All-day campers are those who are registered for both the AM & PM session. All-day campers will eat lunch between 12:00-1:00 PM each day. The museum does not provide lunches. Please send campers with a sack lunch each day. We do have refrigerators to house lunches during the morning session.
There will be protective, clear barriers between campers while they eat.
For the most part, all children need to bring to camp are themselves! Make sure children are dressed in clothes they can play in. If you would like, you can always pack water or a snack. All day campers need to bring a sack lunch. It has also been helpful to pack an extra pair of pants for those campers that might have an accident during their day.
As long as the camper can administer the medication themselves, our camp staff is happy to oversee. Our staff is not certified to administer medicine to children. In the case that an adult needs to administer the medication, we can arrange for the child to be available at a specific time for a parent or guardian to administer the medication. OCM cannot house medication overnight.
A link to the medical forms is available here. Medical forms must be completed by the time we take the camper into our care.