1 WEEK SESSIONS
GRADES: RISING 3–8
SKILLS & TECHNIQUES
Campers will master practical kitchen skills such as measuring, mixing, cutting, sautéing, and decorating while exploring how ingredients interact to create flavor, texture, and balance. They’ll learn to follow multi-step recipes, manage time effectively, and stay organized as they cook.
As campers navigate successes and setbacks, they strengthen resilience and self-regulation, discovering that patience and attention to detail lead to great results. Every session combines creativity with accountability as they plan, test, and refine their dishes, culminating in the excitement of tasting and sharing their culinary creations with friends.
Campers enjoy sampling the dishes they make each day and also take home a selection of their creations (whether cookies, pastries, or savory bites) to share with family, along with newfound confidence and skills they can use in the kitchen for years to come.
GENERAL DAILY SCHEDULE
- 9:00am Morning Circle
- Activity period—approximately 1 hour
- Snack and stretch break—approximately 15 minutes, outside weather permitting
- Activity period—approximately 1 hour
- Lunch and Recess break—approximately 1 hour, outside weather permitting
- Activity period—approximately 2 hours (included in this time can be a stretch break as needed)
- 2:45-3:00pm: Clean Up and Daily Reflection
- 3:30pm: Dismissal to pick up or DEAN Zone (until 5:30pm)
PASSPORT TO YUM
Pack your bags for a flavor adventure! In Passport to Yum, campers will bake their way around the world, learning real kitchen skills as they whip up Brazilian pão de queijo, Egyptian namoura, Italian butter cookies, and more. Guided by our culinary instructors, they’ll practice measuring, mixing, safe knife handling, and even food decoration while keeping hygiene and safety top of mind.
As they work together to follow recipes and balance flavors, curiosity drives them to try new tastes, collaboration keeps the kitchen running smoothly, and responsibility ensures every dish is handled with care.
By the end of the week, campers will have grown their confidence in the kitchen, made each recipe themselves, and brought home plenty of leftovers to share their global palate with family.
THE WORLD OF SWEET IMAGINATION
In The World of Sweet Imagination, campers become confectionery creators, making a full spread of sweets like fudge, gummies, toffee, and more! Along the way, they’ll master skills like melting chocolate, pulling taffy, molding gummies, and decorating their treats with flair.
Midweek, the focus shifts to branding as campers invent their own candy company—designing a name, logo, and packaging to showcase their favorite creation. Creativity drives their candy designs, collaboration fuels idea-sharing, and responsibility keeps them on track as they measure, pour, and stir.
By week’s end, every camper leaves with a custom candy brand and a box of hand-made sweets to share with family and friends.
IS IT CAKE?
Get ready to be fooled—and amazed! In Is it Cake?, campers will bake, sculpt, and decorate cakes so realistic you’ll have to look twice. From mixing vanilla cakes and chocolate cupcakes to mastering buttercream, fondant, and even gelatin cakes, they’ll learn the essential skills of a baker while creating edible illusions that look like sneakers, burgers, or even potted plants.
With instructors guiding each step, campers will practice carving, shaping, and detailed decorating techniques to bring their sweet designs to life. Collaboration makes the kitchen come alive, creativity drives their bold ideas, and responsibility ensures safety with every tool and recipe.
On Friday, each camper will unveil their very own showstopper cake—an edible masterpiece to proudly take home and share!
PASSPORT TO YUM
Pack your bags for a flavor adventure! In Passport to Yum, campers will bake their way around the world, learning real kitchen skills as they whip up Brazilian pão de queijo, Egyptian namoura, Italian butter cookies, and more. Guided by our culinary instructors, they’ll practice measuring, mixing, safe knife handling, and even food decoration while keeping hygiene and safety top of mind.
THE WORLD OF SWEET IMAGINATION
In The World of Sweet Imagination, campers become confectionery creators, making a full spread of sweets like fudge, gummies, toffee, and more! Along the way, they’ll master skills like melting chocolate, pulling taffy, molding gummies, and decorating their treats with flair.
Midweek, the focus shifts to branding as campers invent their own candy company—designing a name, logo, and packaging to showcase their favorite creation. Creativity drives their candy designs, collaboration fuels idea-sharing, and responsibility keeps them on track as they measure, pour, and stir.
IS IT CAKE?
Get ready to be fooled—and amazed! In Is it Cake?, campers will bake, sculpt, and decorate cakes so realistic you’ll have to look twice. From mixing vanilla cakes and chocolate cupcakes to mastering buttercream, fondant, and even gelatin cakes, they’ll learn the essential skills of a baker while creating edible illusions that look like sneakers, burgers, or even potted plants.
With instructors guiding each step, campers will practice carving, shaping, and detailed decorating techniques to bring their sweet designs to life.
DEAN Adventure Camps operate in Haverford, PA and Lawrenceville, NJ, as well as in partner site locations in DC, MD, and VA. Our programs help children build confidence and explore new interests in a creative, structured, and fun environment, through specialty camps in art, robotics, culinary, sewing, leadership, and more. Looking to make an impact? DEAN Camps offers opportunities to enrich the lives of kids ages Pre-K - 8th grade.