2026 Summer STEAM Camps and Classes
Looking for fun, safe, indoor-outdoor activities for children in grades K-8? Welcome to Orangutan Chess Academy (OCA)! We offer premier Summer STEAM camps near beautiful Green Lake Park in North Seattle. Our instructors have 40+ years of professional teaching experience in science, math, and chess. Our instructors have worked at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago Field Museum, University of Washington, Burke Museum, The Ohio State University, and The Meridian School (Seattle).
Our Summer STEAM camps run weekdays from 8:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., with an option to extend to 5:00 p.m.. We have field trips every week! Registration options are full week, single day, and half-day. Our students stay active all summer. They averaged 2.0+ miles per day in 2025!
Week 1, Board Games from Around the World; Chess Variants
We learn and play dozens of games indoors and outdoors throughout history. Indoor games include Mancala, Checkers, Dominoes, Chess, Stratego, and SkyJo! Outdoor games include Frisbee Golf, Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, and Scavenger Hunts. Our chess theme is chess variants. Possible field trips are Mox or Blue Highway Games. We also visit Ravenna Park for hikes and zipline.
Week 2, Food Science I; Checkmate Patterns
Food Science is so popular that we are offering it twice in 2026! We poll students and staff about their favorite foods, then research where they come from, how they are made, and their history. In past years, we learned about pizza, tacos, chocolate, and cheese. We usually make butter, whipped cream, ice cream, and shaved ice for students to sample! Our chess theme is checkmate patterns. Possible field trips are Pike Place, local bakeries, or local restaurants. Our business is nut-free, but please let us know if your children have any other food allergies.
Week 3, Green Lake’s History, Plants, and Animals; Most Famous Chess Games in History
Did you know that Green Lake Park has more than a million visitors per year! We explore the lake, its history, gardens, buildings, beaches, playfields, animals, plants, calendar of events, biographies of people at the lake, and even a ghost story! We partner with the community group Friends of Green Lake (FOGL) to learn how scientists monitor lake health and ecology. We test water chemistry and clarity, sample lake bottom sediment, and collect plankton samples to study under a microscope! Our chess theme is the most famous games in chess history. All field trips visit sites along the lake.
Week 4, Seattle History; Chess Tactics
Natural and manmade forces have shaped, destroyed, and rebuilt Seattle over the past 12,000 years. We start with the geology of Western Washington. We discuss Native American history. We explore the history of European settlement and their huge engineering feats, including the removal of hills and mudflats, the construction of canals, and the rerouting of water drainage throughout the area. Our chess theme is tactics. Possible field trips are MOHAI, the Center for Wooden Boats, and the Ballard Locks.
Week 5, Pacific Northwest Parks, Museums, Beaches, and More; White Piece Chess Openings
We explore the natural beauty and historic sites of the Pacific Northwest. Popular sites include Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympics, Yellowstone, Mount Saint Helens, Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, Sun Lakes-Dry Falls, and more! Our chess theme is white piece openings. Possible field trips are Pike Place Market, Seattle Aquarium, MOHAI, Burke Museum, Ballard Locks, and Woodland Park Zoo.
Week 6, Great Adventures in History and Myth; Black Piece Chess Openings
People love a good story, eh? …especially great adventures from history, myth, and pop culture. Great journeys from history include Native American migrations, Polynesian migrations, Chinese Zheng He’s journeys, and Lewis and Clark. Great mythological journeys include Gilgamesh, Monkey King, Thor and Loki, the Sampo, and The Lord of the Rings. Our chess theme is Black Piece Chess Openings. Possible field trips include the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle Center, and the Pacific Science Center.
Week 7, Astronomy and Solar System; Middlegame Ideas
The sky has always been a mysterious and wondrous place. For thousands of years, people have used the Sun, Moon, stars, planets, and comets to make wishes, create calendars, determine when to plant and harvest crops, navigate the world, and predict the future. We explore the Solar System, stars, exoplanets, Milky Way Galaxy, Superclusters, and Cosmic Web. Our chess theme is Middlegame ideas. Possible field trips are Pacific Science Center and Seattle Center.
Week 8, Dungeons and Dragons; Positional Chess Ideas
Grow your child's imagination, creativity, and problem-solving skills! Students make their own characters, team up, overcome obstacles, and explore fantasy worlds! Students learn character types, traits, monsters, spells, weapons, and how to cooperate. We have our own Dungeon Master all week! The chess theme is positional chess ideas. Possible field trips include the Museum of Pop Culture and gaming places such as Mox or Blue Highway.
Week 9, Our Amazing Earth! Earth System Science; Instructional Chess Games
This fun week is based on a series of popular lectures I have taught for more than 15 years to students of all ages. “Earth System Science” studies the structure, functions, and interactions between the different parts of the Earth over time. We learn about the Geosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, Magnetosphere, Anthrosphere, and Geologic Time Scale. Our chess theme is Instructional Chess Games. Possible field trips include the Burke Museum and Union Bay Natural Area.
Week 10, Food Science II; Chess Variants
We end summer with a fun exploration of foods from around the world. We poll students and staff about their favorite foods and then research where they come from, how they were made, and their history. In past years, we learned about pizza, tacos, chocolate, and cheese. We usually make butter, whipped cream, ice cream, and shaved ice for students to sample! Our chess theme is chess variants. Possible field trips are Pike Place, local bakeries, or local restaurants. Our business is nut-free, but please let us know if your children have any other food allergies.
