Kids can make slime, learn piano. Check out Merced College’s summer programs

Merced College is bringing back the popular College for Kids summer program offering local youth hands-on enrichment as well as athletic opportunities designed to keep children curious, engaged, and active during the summer.

Open to children ages 5 to 14, the program offers dozens of classes in areas such as art, music, athletics and the sciences. Among this year’s offerings are Slime Creations, Beginner Piano, Hands-on Science and Engineering, Line Dancing and Dinosaurs, Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Aquatic classes are offered and sports camps in baseball, volleyball, softball, cheer, tennis and soccer are also available as part of the summer program.

This year’s summer program marks the return of the Theater Camp. During the program, participants will work to stage a musical titled “Shhh! At The Sugar Cube Cafe.” The theater class will run from July 7 to Aug. 2, with performances taking place on August 1 and 2 at the Merced College Theater.

Merced College Community Education Coordinator Matt Escobar said the theater class, which is a half-day camp, is the largest class offered in the program and that seats tend to fill up quickly. The aquatics programs are also very popular, he said.

Open to students entering second through eighth grades, with some age ranges varying by activity, the college said most of the sessions offered run Monday through Thursday, with several classes offered in a total of four different sessions throughout the summer.

• Session 1: June 9 - June 18
• Session 2: June 23 - July 2
• Session 3: July 7 - July 17
• Session 4: July 21 - July 31

Jill Cunningham, vice president of External Relations, emphasized the College for Kids program’s community impact and said it is an example of the college’s commitment to connection with the community and lifelong learning.

“For nearly 50 years, College for Kids has provided local families with a fun, affordable way to keep their children active, engaged, and learning during the summer,” Cunningham said in a news release.

Registration includes enrollment fees and supplies unless otherwise noted. It does not cover meals or additional expenses. Program costs vary. Parking passes are available to parents and guardians or registered students. With the exception of aquatic classes, all students will be escorted between classes.

Enrollment remains open at this time, Escobar said, and will remain open until classes begin or until a class reaches capacity.

Roughly 1,300 students enrolled in the College for Kids program last year at the Merced and Los Banos campuses, said Escobar, which is about average for the college. The program saw a decline during the Covid-19 pandemic, but has since seen an increase as the program offers more enrichment courses, he said.

A class that is offered for the first time this year is the Slime Creations class.

“I’m really excited about our slime creation class,” said Escobar. “That one seems to be getting a lot of retention, a lot of people are registering for that. Our line dancing class is another new class we’re putting out.”

Escobar said another class that has been around for a couple years is a chocolate creation class.

“We get a lot of positive feedback about that one,” he said. “That’s a really exciting class for kids.”

The Merced College Los Banos campus will also offer College for Kids sessions in basketball, arts and crafts, cooking classes and tile art creations. Los Banos classes will be held during two sessions:

• Session 1: July 7 - July 17
• Session 2: July 21 - July 31

Escobar described the summer program as a unique way for children to engage with learning in a collegiate setting.

“It’s important for us that we let the students explore, learn and that they feel at home at Merced College,” he said. When their older, if they come back and it feels familiar, it’s exciting. It’s a great way to teach them that learning is fun and to be a part of the Merced College community.”

Registration can in-person at the Merced College Business Resource Center, 630 W. 19th Street, Merced, by calling 209-384-6224, or online at the Merced College website. Additional information can be found by calling the previous number or by emailing communityed@mccd.edu.

This story was originally published May 24, 2025 at 6:00 AM.