Campers explore concepts of balance, shape, color, and design as we construct kinetic sculpture. Inspired by the work of Alexander Calder, young artists use wire, beads, paper, natural items, and cardboard to create suspended mobiles and balanced standing sculptures. These unique art pieces “dance” in air currents and wind, and we explore them inside and outside COCA. Calder Creation concludes with campers bringing home the work they created.

Athletic campers practice skills, such as tumbling, aerial, and mini-trampoline; explore stilt walking, rola bola, and rolling globe; and work on balancing on the low wire and ground work with juggling, spinning plates, diablo, flower sticks, and more. After learning a little about each of these circus skills, campers select where to place their focus and master the circus element. Circus Explorer concludes with an interactive sharing experience for family and friends during the final 40 minutes of camp. Campers should wear shorts or shorts under skirts or dresses.

Be the camera crew of your very own cooking show. Campers expand their skills in producing, filming, and editing while creating their own episode of sweet competition. COCA Cooking Competition concludes with families receving a digital link to their camper's work sent the week following camp. Art and technology supplies and equipment use included in price.

Learn about the costume design process by reading Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical JR. and creating ideas for character looks and garments. We explore images of costume designs from a variety of styles, practice rendering and illustration, learn to measure and fit costumes to actors, and create a sourced costume from costume storage. We learn hand and machine sewing technique while we build accessories and costume pieces that will appear in COCA's production of Roald Dahl's Matilda The Musical JR.

Calling all artists and animal lovers. Young artists focus on drawing canine friends and raise awareness of animals in shelters. Campers also take a field trip to Saint Louis County Pet Adoption to draw some furry friends in person. Art for Paws concludes with campers bringing home the work they created. Camp price includes field trip.

Focus on the fundamental formal skills in drawing and painting while experimenting with a wide range of materials and artistic genres. The studio teaches observational skills as well as uses projects that cultivate individual intuition and imagination. Glean inspiration by looking at master works by contemporary artists that use drawing or painting as a main component of your works. Drawing & Painting concludes with campers bringing home the work they created.

Campers learn about the fashion design process from design concepts to building garments. We practice rendering and illustration, learn basic machine and hand sewing techniques, and build some simple garments we design ourselves. The possibilities are endless in this exciting introduction to fashion camp. Fashion Design concludes with campers bringing home the work they created.

Explore epoxy resin to embed flowers, vintage beads and buttons, photographs, and drawings to create beautiful coasters, paper weights, mobiles, and other decorative items for your room. Use the same techniques and materials to create personal items like jewelry and key chains to take your glassy art objects along with you everywhere you go. Glassy! concludes with campers bringing home the work they created.

Campers focus their work on learning horror stage makeup techniques to transform into characters from haunted houses. They learn to give themselves the illusion of cuts, bruises, and scars, and create monster and zombie characters. They use latex, bruise wheels, stage blood, and highlight/shadow techniques and use their own face as a canvas. Campers receive a photo record of their transformations.

What is better on a hot summer day than your favorite ice cream treats? How about learning to make your own? Campers spend each day with COCA’s culinary instructor learning how to make some of the most popular summer treats, from their favorite flavor of ice cream to warm brownie sundaes with hot fudge. Along the way, we learn about kitchen safety and practice basic cooking skills. Information about food restrictions or allergies must be provided to COCA during the registration process or by contacting the Registration Office by email at least two weeks prior to camp. Campers should have their hair pulled back. All culinary supplies and groceries included in price.

Aspiring performers are introduced to the basics of stage makeup by learning about face shapes and introductory makeup application. Campers learn about shade matching and the differences and uses between powder and creme products. Intro to Stage Makeup concludes with families receiving a digital link to their camper's work sent the week following camp.

Let your imagination soar as you discover your creative potential in the kitchen! We explore some of your favorite flavors and invent some new ones. We make our very own pizzas with our favorite topping and add "everything" to cookies. We play with our food as we make fantastic garnishes and decorative plates for our dishes. Along the way, we learn about kitchen safety and practice basic kitchen skills. Information about food restrictions or allergies must be provided to COCA during the registration process or by contacting the Registration Office by email at least two weeks prior to camp. Campers should have their hair pulled back. All culinary supplies and groceries included in price.

Designed as an introduction to machine sewing, campers learn fundamental machine sewing skills, such as threading a needle, winding a bobbin, and seaming, as they explore types of stitches and stitch accuracy. Students practice using the machine to create simple sewing projects and improve their sewing skills. Machine Sewing Techniques concludes with campers bringing home the work they created.

Pop down the rabbit hole and peek through the looking glass for wild and wacky fun in Wonderland. We'll read versions of the famous story, become favorite crazy characters (or create our own), paint tea cups, design invitations, and celebrate a "Very, Merry Un-Birthday" on the final day of camp. Mad Hatter Tea Party concludes with campers bringing home the work they created. Campers are expected to be fully toilet trained and use the toilet independently. Features multiple professional teaching artists to present a variety of arts disciplines.

Do you want to take your interest in manga drawings to the next level? We refine our techniques in drawing cartoons and characters in the Japanese manga style. Then, we scan our drawings and use the COCA iPads to animate our characters and bring the stories we imagine to life. We conclude the camp with a manga scavenger hunt "raid" through the COCA building. Using QR codes to embed our animations, we highlight the artistic work we completed in a fun activity for the family. Manag Go concludes with campers bringing home the work they created. Art and technology supplies and equipment use included in price. Features multiple professional teaching artists to present a variety of arts disciplines.