Child Development Center

Academy for Public Speaking The Academy for Public Speaking offers fun, interactive courses to empower your child to become a confident, effective communicator and leader. Our instructors provide a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment where children are encouraged to creatively express themselves as they develop essential communication, leadership, and teamwork skills. Your child will have fun while learning by participating in communication-based games and activities designed to encourage teamwork, creativity, and self-expression. Shy children gain much-needed confidence, while expressive children enjoy opportunities to speak and lead. Your child will also benefit from learning how to organize and verbalize his or her thoughts in a concise, logical manner. Different lessons and projects are presented during each session. Your child will have fun while also improving his or her confidence, public speaking, and leadership skills.

Adventures in STEM using Legos with Playwell TEKnologies: Let your imagination run wild with tens of thousands of LEGO® parts! Build engineer-designed projects and use special pieces to create your own unique designs! New and returning students can explore the endless creative possibilities of the LEGO® building system.

After-School Basketball with 549 Sports:  At 549 Sports, we provide an organized after-school basketball curriculum that allows your child to learn on and off the court. Our goal is to empower children with confidence through sports. Kids are divided by age and skill level. Our fast-paced classes will cover the fundamentals of basketball through dynamic drills, fun contests, and controlled scrimmaging.

After-School Dodgeball with 549 Sports: Everyone loves Dodgeball!! We will help your child learn to dip, duck and dodge while keeping the pace fun and exciting. Our dedicated staff is passionate about helping kids grow as athletes and as people. Good sportsmanship, positivity, kindness, and teamwork is always emphasized at all 549 Sports programs.

Beauty and the Beasts with Helen Woodward: ­­Does your child love discovering fantastic animals and the wild ways they survive? Our animal ambassadors provide HANDS-ON interactions in the classroom, where we adventure around the amazing animal world through art, crafts, stories, poems and animal-themed games. Every week we will have at least two animal encounters and an activity to go along with the daily theme. 

Bollywood Dance with Bollywood Dance Central: Bollywood Dance Central is offering kids Bollywood dance classes. Bollywood is a popular dance-form performed in Indian films. We will be teaching students Bollywood dance over a session which will culminate into 2 full sets the kids can perform. Students will learn Bollywood fundamentals and more about Indian culture!

Brick Art & Design Lab with Snapology: Edgar Degas, a famous artist, once said, "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see." As your child learns about different types of art and the periods in which they were created, students will also be interpreting what they see and  creating their own works of art out of LEGO bricks. In Snapology's Brick and Art Lab class, children will draw inspiration and guidance from great works of art like Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," Van Gogh's "Starry Night," Wright's "Falling Water," and so many more! By the end of the experience, your child will be able to not only share information abou famous artists, art forms, and art movements, but create their own unique works of art that reach beyond the past and into the future.

Cheerleading, with Charlene's Dance N Cheer: GO! FIGHT! WIN! Use pom poms and learn the fundamentals of cheer, dance, and tumble technique, including voice projection, arm motions, kicks and jumps, cheers/chants, beginner stunting and tumbling, sideline dances, and a full routine to perform at the end of the session for family AND at a USD college athletic event (TBD)!

Chess with Mountain Lake Chess Camp, directed by International Chess Master Larry Evans (8 classes) Socratic style seminars for all levels.  Practice joins theory with play sessions every week and a team event on our life-sized chess set for the final class.  "The Evans Method" is used in dozens of schools throughout San Diego and was featured on The Tonight Show and Inside Edition.  Students learn in an exciting, cumulative merit forum that rewards participation with prizes every week and individualized trophies for all participants.

Cinematography 101 with Children's Film Academy: This course is an introduction to video scene setups and digital photography. Students will explore the importance of camera angles, shot sizes, and movements while grasping the basics of Go-Pros®, gimbals, and DJI drones. Students will discover the aesthetics of visual arts by telling a story through still-images and short scenes. Participants create a digital, non-narrative work portfolio by learning key cinematography concepts, including composition, lighting, color, and framing. Digital cameras and all equipment will be provided for course use. Students must bring an 8GB or higher USB flash drive on the last day.

Creative Builders I with Level Up: Energy, Force, & Experiments! Creative Builders is a unique, creative, and hands-on technical class for children of any skill level who are interested in building, challenges, experiments, engineering, and more. There will be a variety of challenging projects throughout the program. Possible projects include: Stomp Rockets, Meteor Rockets Creations, Laser Maze and Solar Kits, Cool Circuits & Bristle Robot Construction - Car Launcher Building

Creature Creator Robotics by Snapology: In Snapology's Creature Creator Robotics class, your animal lover will create their own animal-inspired robotic models. Students will learn about gear ratios, sensors, simple machines, and programming as they build insects, dolphins, gorillas, and much more. Your child is sure to have a wild time as they build, learn, and play. 

Daring Flight Designers with Star Inc.: In this hands-on engineering class, you will learn the principles of aerodynamics while designing and creating your own flying machines! Conduct flight tests and show off your skills with stomp rockets, rubber band helicopters and flying saucer Frisbees! Explore the principles of lift, drag and thrust as you experiment with different materials and construction techniques. By the end of this thrilling class you will have unlocked a treasure trove of invaluable engineering skills that will empower you to conquer the skies and soar to new heights.

DIY Kids with Star Inc.: DIY projects and Pinterest have taken over the internet and now they have taken over our class! In this class we will create kid approved projects while learning how to measure, paint, apply a decal, tie knots, and tap into our own creativity. From book binding to string art, students will be creating projects they are proud of while learning to follow step by step directions and new DIY techniques.

Escape Classroom Experience with Level UP: Evaluate, Solve, and Escape! Level UP has created an interactive learning experience that supports students in working together to search for clues, solve mysteries and puzzles to unlock the mystery of the day. The structure provides opportunities for students to acquire 21st century learning skills while having fun! Activities and skills may include: problem solving, critical thinking, riddles, puzzles, and scavenger hunts. 

Experiment-a-mania with Mad Science: Children will uncover the vital role that science plays in detective work, examine the science behind popular toys and get a buzz out of the amazing world of insects! Your Mad Scientists will explore Earth Science, weather phenomena, and experiment with some kitchen chemistry. Children will build their own Mad Science Machine and create their own short, animated cartoon!

Expressive Art with Aya Art Co.: Our Expressive Arts After School Program offers a dynamic and enriching environment for students to explore their creativity through a variety of unique creative processes and mixed media materials. Students engage in hands-on mixed media art projects in a supportive and empowering atmosphere where they can express themselves freely and explore their creative potential. Throughout our diverse art projects, students learn about entrepreneurship, creative problem solving, confidence building, mindfulness, multicultural art, art history, and environmental stewardship as they bring intentional and eccentric mixed media works of art to life.

Foodie Fun: Cake, Sushi, and Ice-cream - Oh My! with Cre8 Art: Here at Cre8 Art School we love anything to do with food! What better way to celebrate that than to create a session that captures the essence of a warm cinnamon roll topped with frosting, or an ice cream speckled with sprinkles and whipped cream with a bright red cherry on top. Throughout the weeks, the students will be introduced to a wide variety of clay to create several one-of-a kind food-themed sculptures. Some of the projects include molding colorful cakes, capturing the cuteness of a raccoon nibbling on a snack, and creating adorable dumplings on their own bamboo steamer. It is certain to be a fantastically foodie time!

Game Bots with Snapology: Calling all gamers! Have a blast creating robotic games each week while learning about robotics. Students will learn about gear rations, sensors, programming, and pulleys as they have fun playing games. Whether creating pinball machines, duck hunt or a ring toss game, your child is sure to have fun building, learning, and playing. 

Golf with TGA of North San Diego: TGA introduces the game of golf right on campus through accessible instruction & fun, interactive games! Using real equipment (all provided) and skill-based drills, students develop the fundamentals of the swing, explore academic concepts through gameplay, and practice life skills — such as sportsmanship, integrity, & perseverance. With a low student-to-coach ratio, TGA creates a safe environment & allows for individualized attention — meeting each student where they are in their journey & progression.

Hand Sewing with Star Inc.: This class is more than just "sew-sew." It's FANTASTIC! Learn how to sew and unleash your imagination to create projects as unique as you. Seasoned instructors will teach basic stitches and all the skills students need to create their projects. Picking fabric and colors that reflect each student's personal flair is just one way to express creativity in a class that will keep everyone in stitches!

Hip-Hop with Dance to Evolve: This fun, high-energy kid’s dance class enables boys to be boys and girls to let loose while developing creativity, coordination, musicality, and listening skills. Activities include hip hop, basic break dancing, and dance games in a non-stop action-packed class that will have you movin’ to the beats! All music and dance moves are age appropriate. 

Hollywood Film Making with Children's Arts and More: Join us for an introduction to the world of film making. Create your own commercials, mystery, DIY, Superhero, or detective short films. Afterwards, students will edit, produce, and finalize their creative works of art.

Incredible Inventions Robotics with Snapology: Whoever said you couldn’t solve the world’s problems with LEGO® bricks? Learn a little about the process real inventors go through to create new inventions while you help design, build, and program robotic machines to solve problems.

Intro to Minecraft by Star Inc.: The immersive game of Minecraft is a crowning achievement of modern technological creativity and innovation, a tool for students to create a unique world in which to build anything they can imagine. Students will use Minecraft as a gateway into team-building, problem solving and resource management - all while having fun! This virtual world is yours to explore, build, and create in any way you want. Students explore the hidden potential of this popular game as they learn about construction and architecture in their very own computer-generated world. 

Jr. Engineers with Snapology: Young students build fun and simple models using DUPLO® blocks. By playing with and manipulating the models, they experience pulleys, levers, gears, wheels and axles while exploring energy, buoyancy, and balance. Classes include free-building time to promote creativity.

Jr. Scientists: All About Animals with Snapology: Can you explain the differences between mammals and reptiles? Or do you know which mammals live in the sea? In Snapology's Junior Scientists: All About Animals class, your little zoologists will be able to answer these questions in no time! They will learn all about the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates, warm-blooded and cold-blooded creatures, reptiles and mammals, and so much more while playing creatively with LEO DUPLO bricks.  Your child will be too busy exploring the animal world to realize that they are gaining critical social, motor, and developmental skills. 

Kinder Bots with Snapology: Children will begin to explore the world of robotics as they build simple models that teach the fundamentals of robotic design. Whether learning about sensors while building drills and magic wands, or discovering ways that gears and pulleys create movement while building helicopters and robotic dogs, your child is sure to have a great time.

Lego Video Creation with Level Up:  Is your child crazy about LEGOS? If so, this class is the perfect choice to add something new to their LEGO experience! Over the course of the session, students will write, film, and direct their own LEGO movie using their newly acquired stop-motion animation techniques. Our students are challenged to: Create Imaginative LEGO Sets, Basic Storytelling Tools, Basic Filming & Editing Techniques & Tools.  While they bring their creations to life in a short film, they will get to share these with friends and family up to two weeks after the completion of the class. The class is run by experienced and energetic Instructors from Level UP, who will work with students at an 8 to 1 ratio to create films, assist with building, and support social interactions. Creativity is limitless and possibilities are endless. Take this class as many times as you’d like!

Math Magic: Fun with Numbers! with Level Up Have you been struggling with math? Do you have a hard time understanding why it even exists? Or maybe you just love it and can't get enough! Level Up brings an understanding that every student learns differently, and that not everyone loves math. And even if you do, there's still room to love it more! This after-school enrichment program has been designed to touch on the standards of the specified grade levels through projects and activities that allow students to gain mastery over critical thinking concepts. Our goal is to encourage students to connect with mathematics concepts on a deeper, real-life level, in a fun and engaging way! Projects will include 3D geometric constructions, learning to measure and draw to scale, solving puzzles and word problems, engaging in critical thinking games, and more! 

Magic & Illusions with Level Up Calling all aspiring Magicians, Illusionists, Pranksters, and Performers! Magic, Pranks & Illusions is a brand new program where students will learn to perform illusions, routines, pranks, & slight of hand tricks! This program offers opportunities for growth in performance, public speaking, & social confidence building. With our 8 to 1, student to instructor ratio, our future magicians will have many opportunities for small group environment with lots of personalized attention to mastering tricks. There will be a variety of tricks throughout the session including: Card, Poker Coin and Rope Tricks, Illusion and Mind Tricks, Fun Prank Toys, Money Magic, Magic Can Restore & Refill Brain Games Tricks and much more. At the end of the session, students will take home their Magic Kit filled with instructions for each trick & materials collected over the session. This class is something you'll have to see to believe! 

Mega Machines Robotics with Snapology: In Snapology's Mega Machine Robotics class, your child will create some of their favorite motorized vehicles and machines! Students will learn about gear ratio, sensors, pulleys, cranks, and programming as they build trucks, space rovers, helicopters, and much more. Your child is sure to have fun as they build, learn, and play. 

Monart Drawing: Forest Friends Examples: moose, bears, foxes, squirrels, skunk, deer, hedgehog, and more!  The forest will come to life in this exciting new collection of popular woodland animals and landscapes. In this class students will practice their drawing skills by using the Monart drawing method, as well as learning interesting facts on these animal and their habitats.  Our non-competitive, non-judmental environment will encourage artissts of all abilities to learn that drawing is aa teachable skill at which everyone can be successful, and that there NO MISTAKES in art! Students will be taught how to use various mediums, such as watercolor, oil pastels, colored pencils, chalk pastels, markers, and more. Each week a fact sheet on the subject drawn will accompany a completed drawing.

Musical Theater and Dance: "Wicked" with Charlene's Dance and Cheer: Casting all boys and girls! Participate in fun acting and drama games, get cast parts, learn lines, scenes, songs, and a finale dance in preparation for an end-of-session abridged presentation of the NEW hit movie musical "Wicked!" Costumes to borrow are included! Great for building confidence, teaching stage presence and making new friends!

Running Club with Jr. Mavericks: Junior Mavericks Running Club is a USATF sanctioned club. Our goal is to introduce your elementary school athlete to the sport of running. Training is based on age appropriate USATF guidelines. We help your student stay fit and prepare for middle school running or competition. Our training is based on S.M.A.R.T.E.R. training, which focuses on speed, muscle, aerobic, race pace, technique, enjoyment and relaxation.

Scientists by Snapology: Does your child love to experiment and ask questions about the world around them? If so, it sounds like you already have a little scientist on your hands! Snapology’s Scientists program helps children explore their curiosities and cultivate a deep love for science by experiencing the different domains of scientific study. Students will engage with concepts from the fields of astronomy, earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics using LEGO® bricks and other interactive learning tools. We make science fun, exciting, and approachable at Snapology!

Science of Superpowers by Snapology: In Snapology's Science of Superpowers program, children will learn about the science behind their favorite heroes' powers. Students will learn about gravity, aerodynamics, forces, motion, and much more as they learn about flight, supervillain fights, and superhero vehicles. 

Sewing with Star Inc.: Students will create one of a kind creations using sewing machines and hand sewing. Focusing on strengthening the students' fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, teachers will make sure to create a fun-tastic learning environment where students will acquire skills that can use in professions like Fashion Designer, Pattern Maker, and adult. The best part? It's all SEW easy!

Spy Kids (1-6) with Star Inc.: Budding electronic engineers will use programming and electronics to learn how sensors and different components interact. Exciting projects include building a motion-sensing fan, heat-sensing devices, or a color-changing smart lamp, and students can use their skills to make their own prototype gadgets.

Soccer with Super Soccer Stars:  The classic youth soccer program that teaches the fundamentals of the sport in a fun, non-competitive, educational environment. Our unique curricula use positive reinforcement and a low child-to-coach ratio to make sure each child feels supported and confident in his or her own abilities, allowing kids to improve at their own rate.  

Space Explorers Robotics with Snapology: Robotics inspired by Star Wars® and space travel – how cool! Come on an adventure building and programming functional robots using LEGO® bricks in this super-fun program. Learn about space, space travel and, of course, Star Wars®! Build different robots each day! Learning is enhanced through the use of laptops in this class! 

STEM Explorations with Play-Well TEKnologies: Master your engineering skills with Play-Well TEKnologies and tens of thousands of LEGO parts! Apply real-world concepts in physics and engineering. Themes are rotated seasonally to ensure that even returning students get a new experience, so join us to design and build as never before and explore your craziest ideas!

Super Structures with Snapology: Does your builder enjoy designing beautiful buildings or functional spaces for their mini-figures? If so, this program is the perfect space for your young architect to sharpen their design and building skills! All buildings, from the Empire State Building to the house next door, started as an idea in an architect’s head. Students will learn how to take an idea from their head and turn it into a building in the real world. They will be guided through the building process, from creating a floor plan to disaster-proofing the structure, so that they will be able to create the next best thing in LEGO® architecture!

Swifties Dance with Charlene's Dance N' Cheer: Calling all Swifties! Join us for all the fun in the Taylor Swift-themed sing and dance class! Learn fun warm-ups, across the floor combos and exercises, and full dance routines while singing Taylor's hit songs. Each session  features all NEW songs and dance. Perform a special "concert" for families on the last day of the session!

Tiny Tinkers with Level UP: Create, Challenge, and Launch! Tiny Tinkerers is a unique, creative, and hands-on technical class for children of any skill level who are interested in building, creating, and engineering. Our Instructors will guide students through each project, encouraging creative thinking while developing technical fine motor skills. Level UP’s 6 to 1 student-to-instructor ratio, this offers a small group environment with lots of personalized attention. There will be a variety of challenging projects throughout the program. Possible projects include: Lego Challenge Day, Catapult Design & Building, Magnet Experiment Day, Rattle Snake Prank Kit, PVC Fort Day, and a Building Challenge Day 

Tennis with Xecute Athletics, Keith Barksdale  This class teaches basic fundamentals of tennis and proper technique: Forehand, backhand, serves and volleys. Footwork and hand-eye coordination drills are incorporated to help children stay focused. Fun games will be played as well. Rackets are provided.  Questions? Call Keith (619) 760-6255. 

Writing Tutor: The San Diego Writing Tutor (writingtutor4you.com) shares her passion and experience by offering fun and interactive academic writing classes. Students enjoy learning and writing across the curriculum which includes: literature, science, technology, current events, and history. All their work will be edited and shared with the class. Each session focuses on one of three highly tested writing styles (narrative, informational, and opinion). This consistent practice provides students with the necessary skills to achieve success.

Yoga with Kathy Casey Yoga: A yoga class that is fun, creative, and playful! Yoga sequences, breathing, balance poses, and relaxation are taught to build a child's confidence in their abilities while practicing in a non-competitive environment.