By: Las Vegas Now Staff
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Instead of sitting in front of the TV all summer, a group of kids are busy learning about chemical reactions, compounds, and how the world around them works.
Dani Dynamite is a summer camp director for Mad Science, a company that has been organizing kids’ science camps throughout Las Vegas for five years.
“It’s a better alternative than day care. So they’re learning science, hands-on experiments and science projects that they can do here or at home because we tell them about all the different stuff that they can do. The parents like it because it’s more than just day care. We’re not just looking after their kids, we’re actually teaching them stuff as well,” Dani said.
Dani started working in human relations with Mad Science two years ago, but when she saw how much fun the camp directors have with kids, she just had to start camps of her own.
“I love teaching them something that they may already know a little bit about, and then the light bulb goes off above their head, and they’re like, ‘Oh! That’s how it works!’ I just love that idea, the way that they realize things like that,” Dani said.
Each camp lasts a week, and seven are held throughout the summer. Each week has a different theme and the kids learn about everything from nature, to crime scene investigation, to “owl’s poop,” a subject that one student said was his favorite.
“I found bones and skulls and a bat inside…”
The kids also get to make projects that they can take home too. One day they made sidewalk chalk out of Plaster of Paris, tempura paint and water. The goodies and the gross-outs are what matter to the kids, but their parents are thankful for something educational to preoccupy them on long summer days.
It’s good to see that during summer time, there are activities for children that do not involve them staring at the T.V. all day. Great Story!
Comment by Sandra Hdez — July 24, 2008 @ 8:26 am
Glad to see their are fun, learning, kids activities for the summer months. I’m getting hooked on these neighborhood stories. Great reporting job by Shannon!
Comment by Tim S. — July 26, 2008 @ 7:38 am
While Mad Science is great for the kids, The company does NOT treat employees well. I was sent to wrong locations, wrong times, uninformed schools, and just mistake after mistake. Unfortunately Dani is also the one in charge of most of this, but dont get on her bad side, she can be a real psycho if things dont go her way. She rarely interacts with the kids, as much of her time is spent in the office conning employees to take more work then they can handle. I find it funny she gets honored on this when she is one of the worst people working for the company. Not to mention the HORRIBLE owners who pawn their own children off on any mad scientist who can stand to watch them. Good lerning oppertunity for kids but HORRIBLE company to work for!! Beware
Comment by Not Impressed — July 26, 2008 @ 1:25 pm
Hey, Not Impressed…
I assume you had the “oppertunity” while in school to LERN to spell? Before you spout off publicly about someone else’s reputation (which, by the way, is something called ’slander’) - take a look at what you write before pressing the “submit” button. If it makes you sound like an ignorant, disgruntled, ex-employee well, then you may want to rethink your diatribe (look it up, young man). As for the content, I think you lost most readers at just the right place - the beginning - when you state “Mad Science is great for the kids”. This, my budding professor, is what the program is all about.
Comment by Your Mom — August 1, 2008 @ 7:33 pm