Summer Programming with TomTod Ideas
Entering its eleventh year in 2023, Camp What If offers week-long day camps (9am-4pm) where middle schoolers explore their city, meet community leaders, and pursue ideas. We make friends, play games, and learn all about the challenges and possibilities of the city.
With over six decades of combined experience in facilitating summer camps for youth, our trained, experienced leadership team is ready to bring community exploration, Liberatory Design Thinking, and a whole lot of fun to your middle schooler this summer.
Along with Camp What If, TomTod also offers Creator Mini Camps. Mini Camps are thematic and often open county-wide as opposed to a single community. Creator Mini Camps are typically 4-5 hours a day.
With over six decades of combined experience in facilitating summer camps for youth, our trained, experienced leadership team is ready to bring community exploration, Liberatory Design Thinking, and a whole lot of fun to your middle schooler this summer.
Along with Camp What If, TomTod also offers Creator Mini Camps. Mini Camps are thematic and often open county-wide as opposed to a single community. Creator Mini Camps are typically 4-5 hours a day.
Information and Registration
A week-long summer adventure into the ideas of middle schoolers
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EXPLORE YOUR COMMUNITY
Our summer camps are community-focused from beginning to end. Campers will go on scavenger hunts and walking tours of the city, meet government leaders, explore local parks, and discover their role in helping the community thrive. |
ADVENTURE INTO IDEAS
We use Liberatory Design Thinking concepts and make them accessible to early adolescents. Throughout our week, campers will learn how to do explorative research by asking good questions, discovering the assets and challenges of the city, and brainstorming ideas together to help the community. |
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PILOT YOUR IDEA
As the week progresses, campers use their newfound expertise about the community to brainstorm, develop, and share ideas that will help the community thrive! |
FUN WITH FRIENDS
Camp What If is designed with middle schoolers in mind every step of the way. Camp headquarters is a space where campers will play games, build forts, hang out in a ball pit, and meet new friends. Lunch from a diverse array of local restaurants is provided daily, exposing campers to even more of their community! |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TomTod Ideas?
TomTod is a youth development nonprofit based in Canton, Ohio that listens to, honors, and advocates for middle schoolers.
Yep. You read that right. Middle schoolers, and only middle schoolers. We create programming specifically for 10-14 year olds because we think their perspective is valuable and necessary for the community.
Since 2012, we’ve helped middle schoolers discover and love their community while finding ways to help it thrive. Using the latest research about early adolescent development, our programing allows students to explore idea creation through a community-focused, developmentally appropriate lens.
We are ball pit engineers, blanket fort architects, dance party organizers, and idea connoisseurs.
Yep. You read that right. Middle schoolers, and only middle schoolers. We create programming specifically for 10-14 year olds because we think their perspective is valuable and necessary for the community.
Since 2012, we’ve helped middle schoolers discover and love their community while finding ways to help it thrive. Using the latest research about early adolescent development, our programing allows students to explore idea creation through a community-focused, developmentally appropriate lens.
We are ball pit engineers, blanket fort architects, dance party organizers, and idea connoisseurs.
Who are the camp counselors?
TomTod’s camp staff is a diverse mix of professionals dedicated to serving middle school students. Each of our summer staff members go through a competitive application and review process that includes a background check before being hired. With over six decades of experience in facilitating summer camps for youth, our leadership team is ready to create the best camp experience for your middle schooler.
How much is camp?
Thanks to our incredible sponsors and partners, Camp What If is free to all campers! Cue the applause!
Who is eligible to attend camp?
Camp What If is open to middle schoolers leaving 5th through 8th grade. Each camp does have certain eligibility requirements, so be sure to check each camp’s description.
Camp What If is educational, but it's not school! All middle schoolers will be challenged and encouraged to make discoveries, ask questions, and learn something new about their community. Camp What If, like all TomTod programming, is for middle schoolers of all learning styles.
Camp What If is educational, but it's not school! All middle schoolers will be challenged and encouraged to make discoveries, ask questions, and learn something new about their community. Camp What If, like all TomTod programming, is for middle schoolers of all learning styles.
What will my child do at camp?
We know middle schoolers are in a unique developmental stage where their imagination and creativity are firing on all cylinders, and the desire to discover who they are and where they belong echoes from within. Camp What If is perfectly designed for children in this stage of life!
Campers will explore the community by going on Learning Labs to area organizations and businesses. They'll have lunch from local restaurants, play games and make friends, and spend time learning how to create ideas for the community.
Campers will explore local businesses and reflect on their discoveries while in our camp ball pit. They'll talk to community leaders like the mayor and come back to ideate in a blanket fort. Campers will learn Design Thinking skills while sharing insights over popsicles in the sun.
Campers will explore the community by going on Learning Labs to area organizations and businesses. They'll have lunch from local restaurants, play games and make friends, and spend time learning how to create ideas for the community.
Campers will explore local businesses and reflect on their discoveries while in our camp ball pit. They'll talk to community leaders like the mayor and come back to ideate in a blanket fort. Campers will learn Design Thinking skills while sharing insights over popsicles in the sun.
Watch these highlights from summer 2021
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