Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a selection of questions frequently asked of our programs by parents and guardians. If you have a question about our programs, please call us toll-free at 1-866-556-8723 (966-7755 in Saskatoon) or email us at science.camps@usask.ca.

Why science and technology?

SCI-FI Science Camps is dedicated to presenting science, engineering and technology to elementary school-aged youth in a fun and interactive manner. We do this through classroom workshops in May and June, week-long summer camps in July and August, and Saturday Science Clubs during the school year. By presenting these topics in a fun, hands-on environment, we hope to increase students' science and technological literacy, as well as demonstrate that these topics are both fun and relevant!

We believe that our programs should be accessible to all youth, regardless of geographic location, race, gender, or financial situation. Through the generous support of our funders, we are able to deliver our programs in over a dozen locations across Saskatchewan, and provide financial bursaries to those who would not otherwise be able to attend.

Who delivers your camp programs?

Our Instructors at SCI-FI Science Camps are all University of Saskatchewan students with a strong background in science or technology. We hire students from any discipline - Engineering, Education, Physics, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, and more - so long as they can demonstrate to us their interest in science and technology and desire to share it with youth. We make every effort to hire a dynamic, fun, and well-qualified staff to work at our programs.

Our Instructors are all certified in CPR-C and Emergency First Aid, and must present a satisfactory Criminal Background Check before working with campers.

I just registered for camp. Where can I find some pre-camp information? 

We will email you a pre-camp package. Pre camp packages will be avaialbe here shortly for our  Saturday.clubs programs.  Pre-camp packages contain information about where to go on the first day of camp, what to bring, and all other important information!

Who are your camps named after? 

Good question! Check out our fun facts camp page. 

Is Online Payment secure?

In brief, yes. We use every available method to encrypt information submitted online and we do not keep credit card numbers on file. Online payments are submitted through the same secure server that thousands of University students use to pay their tuition online. Data submitted to us is stored on a secure server in the Engineering building.

For more information, please read our Disclosure Statement.

When it says "Grade" on the registration form - what grade do you mean?

Good question! For our summer camp programs, please enter the grade your child is entering next fall. For example, if Jennifer is in Grade 2 in the spring of 2008, she is entering Grade 3 in the fall of 2008 and is therefore old enough to attend our programs.

If Tim is in Grade 9 in the spring of 2008, he is entering Grade 10 in the fall and is therefore too old to attend our programs (he should volunteer as a CIT).

For our fall & spring club programs, please enter the grade your child is currently in.

Do you repeat projects year-to-year?

Absolutely not! We make a strong effort during May and June to generate exciting new projects that campers have never seen before. While some core activities remain the same (like Lego Mindstorms in our Technology Camps), campers returning year-to-year will have a completely different experience every summer!

How about Satellite Camps (camps not in Saskatoon)? Are they short on projects?

Again, absolutely not! With the exception of the occasional project that is too large to transport, camps delivered in locations throughout Saskatchewan (see our Satellite Camps page) have exactly the same high-quality, exciting projects we have in Saskatoon.

We offer computer projects subject to the availability of computer labs and support in our Satellite Camp locations.

Why does Satellite Camp registration open later than Saskatoon?

Each year we have to contact schools and community centres where we run our camp locations to confirm dates and space availability. This process means that, on average, online registration for Satellite Camps opens about a month later than online registration for Saskatoon.

Do we get to take the Lego home?

Unfortunately not! The price of a Lego Mindstorms kit is approximately double the cost of camp. Sorry!

Lego Mindstorms kits can be purchased locally at some stores like Toys 'R Us . We recommend calling ahead to check availability. Kits can also be purchased online at www.lego.com.