You don’t always think that a summer camp might change your life, but in our family we absolutely know it can. My husband and I met years ago when we were camp counselors in college in Canada and it’s one of the reasons why we ended up where we are in Seattle today. But we also changed our lives when we put our kids in a Museum of Flight summer camp when they were around 7 or 8 and if you live in Washington state and have kids you might want to know about the benefits of their summer camp program too. It’s called Connections and it’s one of the coolest programs I’ve ever seen and it’s absolutely free.
What is Connections at the Museum of Flight in Seattle
Connections is a program through the Museum of Flight Boeing Academy for STEM learning and it’s for ages 5-18. My kids qualified for this program because they did a Museum of Flight summer camp program called ACE or Aerospace Camp Experience and it’s one of the education programs on the Connections eligibility list when I checked in December 2023. By doing this one week daycamp in the summer that year we found out that each kid could sign up for Connections and this meant that they could visit the Museum of Flight for free until they are 18 years old as well as bring one free adult guest each visit. According to the Connections website the last time I checked too, siblings of current Connections members could also be enrolled in Connections and there is information and an email contact for how to do this on the site.
And opportunities beyond museum visits too
The point of Connections was to keep us connected to the Museum of Flight and they’ve done this in such an effective way. I’ve been on their mailing list for years and read most of them because my kids have always been into everything flight and I’ve learned a lot through the mailings. When information about a program called the Michael P Anderson Program showed up in this newsletter, I showed my twins and they applied. They ended up meeting a pilot who mentored their program and a highlight was going to Alaska Airlines’ Aviation Day.
We also found out about Raisbeck Aviation High School (our real estate agent for our cabin had a son who went through this school and my friend Rachel also blogged and instagrammed about her son’s journey through this school as well) and one of our sons ended up applying and going there as well. (Applications start around October until January for this school and it is a public school in the Highline School District). There is also a really cool no cost program for girls in 6th-8th grade called Amelia’s Aero Club that I think it would be such a fantastic program to keep on your radar if you are a parent of girls.
I never imagined that our lives would be so changed by a summer camp my kids did when they were still very little but I think about this often as we drive together to school. If you are looking for summer camps for your kids in Seattle this summer this is one of the reasons why you might choose one at the Museum Of Flight. (And if you have any questions feel free to message me through my instagram or email too.). Do you also have kids obsessed with all things airplane?
Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys. She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live. She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)