Give your kids an edge with summer camps at Emory, Georgia Tech, SCAD

Who says going to school in the summer has to be a drag, especially when you can take classes in a wide variety of subjects? Those include creative writing, visual arts and computer science (one that teaches kids how to design their very own apps).

Here’s a look at a handful of summer camps at college campuses for kids who love to learn.

Mercer University’s College for Kids and Youth University — various locations

Mercer University’s College for Kids and Youth University is an enrichment program for kids who love learning and enjoy being challenged through creative activities and hands-on instruction. They are not remedial courses. The classes are held in a child-centered classroom environment with an emphasis on creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Classes are staffed with a certified teacher and a teaching assistant so student-teacher ratio is at or lower than 9 to 1. Classes are available in Creative Writing and Math for rising first- to eighth-graders. Science is available for rising third- to eighth-graders at Atlanta and Douglas sites, and rising second- to eighth-graders in Henry.

The camps will be held at Mercer's Atlanta Campus (2930 Flowers Road, Atlanta), Douglas County (975 Blairs Bridge Road, Lithia Springs) and Henry County Regional Academic Center (160 Henry Parkway, McDonough). In Atlanta: June 6-July 1; Douglas and Henry: June 6-24. Cost of each weeklong camp is $185. https://myp.mercer.edu/welcome.cfm.

Summer Institute for the Gifted at Emory University

Summer Institute for the Gifted at Emory University, offering a residential program (students stay in dorms) and a commuter program, provides a wide variety of courses in humanities, math, science, technology, and the visual and performing arts. Enjoy fun activities at night and excursions on the weekends. Open to children who will be ages 9-17 by Aug. 31. Session dates: June 19-July 9. Cost of the three-week-long sessions is $2,495-$3,995 depending on whether student resides on campus. A SIG day program for children ages 5-8 is also available. For more information, go to www.giftedstudy.org/Residential/emory/.

SCAD Summer Seminars

SCAD Summer Seminars present workshops for high school students who have completed their freshman, sophomore or junior years. Students gain valuable educational experience while developing their creative vision through exciting art and design assignments and projects. Students attend multiple workshops and have an all-access pass to the university's extensive facilities, resources and libraries. Workshops may include demonstrations, lectures, studio work and local field trips, and are taught by SCAD professors, alumni or select graduate students. Class sizes are small, with generally 15 or fewer students in each workshop. A closing exhibition of student work is held at the end of each session. Atlanta sessions: June 26-July 2; July 10-16 and July 24-30. Cost: $1,050 (day program); $1,250 for students staying on campus. Scholarships available. For more information, go to www.scad.edu/academics/pre-college-summer-programs.

Summer PEAKS program at Georgia Tech

PEAKS (Programs for Enrichment and Accelerated Knowledge in STEM) helps elementary-aged kids learn how to build and design their own robotic masterpiece and offers camps for middle schoolers to teach coding. High schoolers will create their own apps to help become the next "appillionaire." Georgia Tech is home to a wide variety of camps for STEM-loving kids, giving them an opportunity for hands-on, interactive camps covering various science, technology and engineering concepts. Most camps are $410 per week (nonresidential). Various camps scheduled for June and July. For more information, go to www.ceismc.gatech.edu/ceismc-summer-peaks.

MORE: A guide to dozens of summer camps in metro Atlanta