(Above) Participants engage in unique learning activities in SIU’s Challenge to Excellence Camp with Lingguo Bu, early childhood professor. (Middle) Campers put their creativity to the test during Lego camps. (Below) Baseball camp participants learn proper techniques for sliding into base. (University Communication and Marketing photos)
NOTE: Todd Duermyer video.
March 27, 2025
SIU puts the fun, adventure and learning in summer camps for 2025
CARBONDALE, Ill. — There is literally something for everyone at Southern Illinois University Carbondale this summer. A diverse assortment of camps and programs will entertain, educate, engage and appeal to people of all ages and abilities as well as hobbies, passions and personal interests.
SIU’s Events and Outreach, Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center and Saluki Athletics are coordinating a vast array of fun, enriching camp experiences giving children and youths the opportunity to learn new things, enhance athletic skills, make music, explore the great outdoors, create artwork, build, use SIU’s Student Recreation Center, experience flight, and so much more. They can also check out diverse future career options.
The university also offers assorted personal and professional development options for adults through hundreds of continuing education online courses.
Lineup features new additions
This year’s camp schedule boasts a wide array of academic, athletic, art, music, outdoor and nature camps for children from first grade through high school. Along with popular favorites, the lineup boasts some exciting new offerings.
SIU’s Recreational Sports and Services will host two R.E.C. Sports Kids Camps for the first time this summer with one session June 9-12 geared toward grades 1-5 and another June 23-26 for grades 6-8. Participants can enjoy the amenities of SIU’s top-notch Student Recreation Center during a dynamic recreational sports camp.
Youths in grades 6-8 from the Carbondale, Cobden and Murphysboro school districts who meet specific income qualifications can enjoy two new grant-funded science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) camps this summer as well. STEAM for All: Girls camp is June 9-13 and STEAM for All: Boys camp is June 23-27.
The Nursing Career Camp made a quiet debut in 2024, and it’s back this summer June 24-26, giving older high school students the opportunity to explore the possibilities of a career in the life-saving profession.
Numerous choices
There are many other camps that offer a glimpse into what the future may hold, career-wise. Several different aviation camps give participants the chance to explore careers as pilots, mechanics, weather observers, air traffic controllers and aircraft designers. The Involving Girls in STEAM Camp, which admits all genders, explores science, technology, engineering, agriculture and mathematics, and there are camps for accounting, for unearthing history through archaeology, for gamification, for pathways to Saluki medicine and much more.
The always popular Lego camps, including Lego MindStorm, Lego Engineering and WeDo Robotics Lego camps will all be back, with a variety of sessions for grades 1-5. Likewise, the Challenge to Excellence camp, a longtime favorite that melds drama, biology, math, art, psychology and other factions to promote higher-level thinking skills and creativity, is back with separate sessions for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
The Saluki Opportunities Awareness Residency (SOAR) program is SIU’s innovative career development initiative for minority high school students and the goal of the July 20-26 camp is boosting the enrollment of underrepresented student groups attending college and majoring in accounting. High school and community college students participating in the Young Writers’ Conference, set for June 17-18, will hone their prose and poetry writing skills under the guidance and direction of experienced, published authors.
There’s more
And that’s far from all. The Student Center’s Craft Shop offers a big array of art camps appealing to all tastes and ages. Participants can draw comic books, have fun with fiber, sew stuffed animals and even create their very own themed set of dinnerware with clay.
Individuals and groups of various ages can enhance their musical skills via assorted summer music camps. Options include piano camp for grades 5 through college, high school band and junior high band. Also, high school drum major and individual or squad color guard and percussion camps.
Saluki Athletics is offering a full slate of sports camps and clinics, too. New this year is a free soccer skills clinic for the community from 5 to 7 p.m. April 14; youths in grades 1-9 can participate. There are numerous other baseball, soccer, football, swimming, track and field camps in the coming months for various ages.
Touch of Nature, SIU’s scenic experiential learning center located alongside the Shawnee National Forest, will also host a session of its acclaimed EDventure camp this summer. During the Embrace Your Inner Critter camp June 16-21, campers ages 5-10 will become emerging naturalists as they explore the great enchanting forests and discover the creatures and mysteries that lie therein with engaging activities, interactive lessons, free play and adventures galore.
Explore the choices
Discover all of the summer camp options and register online at camps.siu.edu. Additional camps and more details are continually being added.
Organizers note that SIU’s camps are led by professionals who are experts in their fields. Saluki students assist with some camps.
John A. Logan College, located nearby, offers a complementary lineup of summer camps. Find more information and registration details on its community education page when registrations go live.
Inspiring a tradition of lifelong learning
At SIU, learning never goes out of style, regardless of your age, as there are appealing educational opportunities for adults as well. Discover details about the multitude of continuing education online courses, become a community listener, sign up for sign language interpreter courses or learn about a variety of other in-person and continuing education and professional development programs.
For additional information about any of the Events and Outreach adult programming, visit the website, call 618-536-7751 or email conferenceservices@siu.edu.