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SUmmer camps

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UpCycle Creative Reuse Center offers unique summer camp experiences for children ages 3.5 - 12

UpCycle camps take place at our Materials Center, where children have the opportunity to experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from exploring, creating and innovating with reuse materials. Experienced teachers lead campers in activities that encourage creativity, critical thinking, innovation and environmentally sustainable behavior. Each camp culminates in a family-friendly art show.

Whether your kiddo is a junior upcycler or a full-fledged creative reuse champion, every week of UpCycle's summer camp will bring a new and exciting challenge that perfectly marries arts and crafts with sustainability. 

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Preschool Tinker Camp

​Ages 3.5 - 5 (must be potty-trained)
Monday through Friday
9 AM - 12 PM
$325/WEEK


​Looking for a fun challenge for your child? Tinker Time is one of UpCycle’s signature programs to inspire playfulness and creative expression. Children have access to an amazing selection of reuse materials and art supplies with an open-ended invitation to create and have fun. This full week camp offers Tinker Time with a twist. Daily challenges using tinker materials add an element of surprise and will get kids problem-solving and thinking creatively as they work both independently and together in team challenges. Each week will bring a whole new host of amazing upcycled projects, from CD case suncatchers to power pinwheels to junk jellyfish and more! Choose your week(s) below! 


  • Week 1: June 1-5
  • Week 2: June 8-12
  • Week 8: August 24-28​
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Elementary school camps

​Ages 6 - 12
Monday through Friday
9 AM - 1 PM (Aftercare available from 1-4pm)

NEW THIS YEAR: OPTIONAL AFTERCARE

This year, we are pleased to announce that we’ll be offering camp aftercare! Campers can spend the time doing open-studio Tinker Time, playing with Legos or games, and trying new crafts, all under the careful eye of our amazing UpCycle teachers.

Aftercare is available 1-4pm every day after camp, at a flat fee of $125 for the week. Join us this summer for bonus UpCycling at aftercare!


RE-Inventors Club Camp - $325
Week 3: June 15 - 19, 2026
Week 6: July 20 - 24, 2026


Young inventors are challenged to reimagine the possibilities of everyday items, transforming them into functional and fun inventions. Throughout our RE-Inventors Club week, campers will:
  • ​Tinker with tools and materials: Learn hands-on skills like basic engineering, building, and crafting using upcycled materials.
  • Solve creative challenges: Work individually and in teams to design solutions, from recycled gadgets to eco-friendly contraptions.
  • Explore innovation: Discover how inventors throughout history turned ideas into reality and how modern creators are solving environmental problems through upcycling.
  • Build and showcase: Develop unique, working prototypes using items like cardboard, bottles, old electronics, and more.
The week concludes with the Inventor’s Expo, where campers present their creations in a fun, science-fair-style event to friends and family. Join us for a week of ingenuity, fun, and eco-conscious invention as we turn “junk” into genius!

UpCycled Fantasy World Camp - $325
Week 4: June 22 - 26, 2026

Step into a world where imagination meets sustainability! During UpCycled Fantasy World week, kids will discover the enchanting art of transforming everyday “junk” into magical creations. They’ll learn how to breathe new life into discarded materials, unlocking their potential to become something truly extraordinary.

Campers will embark on a whimsical journey, using their creativity and “magic powers” to craft enchanted wands, design masks fit for superheroes, create upcycled magical sidekicks, costumes, and so much more! They will finish out the week with a Fantasy World Tour, where they’ll get to show off all the amazing creations they’ve dreamed up during the week. Join us for an awesome week of artmaking, where we’ll use the magic of upcycling to create the fantasy world of our wildest imaginations!

Eco Explorers Camp - $325
Week 5: July 13 - 17, 2026

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Embark on an exciting journey with Eco Explorers, where creativity and sustainability come together! During this nature-inspired camp week, kids will use upcycled materials to craft beautiful works of art and discover the importance of sustainability through hands-on activities with natural materials.

Learn eco-friendly skills while learning about the wonders of the environment and how to protect it. The week concludes with an Eco Explorers Showcase, where campers will display their nature-inspired creations and share what they’ve learned about turning waste into wonder. It’s the perfect blend of art, adventure, and environmental stewardship!

Super-Sized Art Camp - $325    SOLD OUT! Email us to get on the waiting list
Week 7: August 10 - 14, 2026

During our Super-Sized Art week, join us for the chance to create beyond your wildest dreams! This week, kids will get the chance to think big, dream bigger, and make art on a grand scale. Using our collection of reclaimed and recycled materials, campers will explore larger-than-life art projects that encourage experimentation, collaboration, and joyful mess-making. You’ll get a chance to transform the space around you while you fling paint at a canvas like Jackson Pollock, build bold sculptures from found materials, design life-size paper dolls, and more!

This camp is all about process over perfection! Campers will learn to see everyday materials in new ways while gaining confidence, creative problem-solving skills, and a sense of pride in making art that can’t be ignored. Expect big ideas, big messes, and even bigger fun!

Questions about camps? Contact our program coordinator at [email protected]

UpCycle Creative Reuse Center is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming place for all people. 

Service dogs are permitted. Our Materials Center features an ADA compliant bathroom and passageways.
​There are no stairs in our materials center. 
If you have specific access needs, we encourage you to contact us at programs@upcyclecrc.org so we can do our best to accommodate. 

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UpCycle Creative Reuse Center | 2397 S Dove St. Alexandria, Virginia  22314 | 703-861-8705
Copyright © 2026
  • About Us
    • About UpCycle CRC
    • Board of Directors
    • Volunteer
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Give Us Feedback >
      • Suggestion Box
      • Programs Survey
  • Shop
    • Our Shop >
      • Shop Hours and Location
    • Gift Certificates
    • Memberships
  • Donate
    • Support UpCycle
    • Make a Donation
  • Our Programs
    • Kids & Family >
      • Scout Workshops
      • Tinker Time
      • Parties and Group Experiences
      • Camps
    • Adult Programs
    • Teachers >
      • Lesson Plans
      • Professional Development
  • Inspiration