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:  Our goal is to teach your child the fundamentals of basketball while keeping the pace fun and exciting. We will focus on shooting, ball handling, passing, defense, and rebounding team concepts. Our dedicated staff is passionate about helping kids grow as athletes and as people. Good sportsmanship, positivity, kindness, and teamwork are always emphasized at all 549 Sports programs.

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. 

Cheerleading, with Charlene's Dance N Cheer:  GO! FIGHT! WIN! Use pom poms and join us for all the fun in this high-energy cheer program where students will learn the fundamentals of cheer, dance, and tumble technique including voice projection, spiriting, arm motions, beginner stunts, and tumbling skills, cheers, jumps, and kicks, sideline dance and a new full routine to perform for the family at the end of the session AND at a USD college basketball game during half time (date and time TBD)! Great for building confidence, making friends, and learning teamwork!

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.

Clay and Mixed Media: Adventures in Travel with Cre8art: The world is made up of such brilliant people, places, architecture, and creativity – let’s explore! Throughout the session, the students will use a variety of mediums to be swept off into a world of adventure. They will create ancient treasure maps, learn about and construct compasses, fill travel trunks with voyaging essentials and take a closer look at popular exploration characters and places known throughout the land. It is sure to delight any child with a spark of adventure, especially when they create their very own mini-traveling buddy to take with them wherever they may go.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. Robotics I with Ingenius This class takes students on an introductory journey into the world of robotics with Dash robot. Students will be introduced to basic engineering and programming concepts as well as motors and sensors. Students will learn through playing and creating different programs using motors and light sensors. Students will also learn fundamental programming concepts using drag-and-drop visual programming tool: Algorithm Design, Command Sequences and Control Flow, Conditions, Loops, Sensors and events through creative problem solving.

Jr. Robotics II with Ingenius  This class takes students on an introductory journey into the world of robotics with EVO Robots. Students will be introduced to basic engineering and programming concepts as well as motors and sensors. Students will learn through playing and creating different programs using motors, light sensors, distance sensors, power, and more. Students will also learn fundamental programming concepts using the drag-and-drop visual programming tool: Algorithm Design, Command Sequences and Control Flow, Conditions, Loops, Sensors and events through creative problem solving.

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!

Machine 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!

Mad Science Specialized Science:  Always itching to learn something new? Then this program is for you! During this exciting, hands-on program you’ll become a Mad Science Detective and discover how science is used to solve crimes. Sit in the director’s chair as you explore the science of movie-making, 3-D images, and special effects. Experiment with simple machines and dive into mechanics as you build a Mad Science catapult. Learn about a new specialized area of science each week, including forensics, geology, meteorology, entomology, and mechanical engineering. See how science is used all around you!

Math Enrichment: 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. 

Minecraft Master Engineering using Legos with Playwell TEKnologies: Bring your favorite Minecraft adventures to life with our enthusiastic Play-Well instructors. In a Minecraft world powered by LEGO resources, we will build shelters to keep out Creeper, craft mystical items that only true masters can wield and perfect our crossbow skills to stop the Wither from taking over! If you can imagine it, we can build it. 

Monart Drawing: World Travel through Drawing with Monart Examples: Eiffel Tower, Egyptian Pyramids, Taj Mahal, St.Basil’s Cathedral, and more!  Our guided drawings will take us on a tour through many countries and cultures of the world.  Students will learn interesting and exciting facts about famous landmarks while experiencing the Monart drawing method. The Monart drawing method teaches children of all abilities that drawing is a teachable skill at which everyone can be successful. Students will be taught how to use various mediums, such as markers, watercolors, oil pastels, colored pencils, and more. Each week a fact sheet will accompany a completed drawing. 

Musical Theatre with Charlene's Dance and Cheer: Barbie (SSF only) Matilda (all other sites) Casting all boys and girls! Join us for all the fun and let your inner star shine! Participate in fun acting games, get cast parts, and learn lines, scenes, and a final dance routine in preparation for an abridged end-of-session showcase abridged presentation from the hit musical and book "Matilda"! Costumes to borrow are included!

Piano-Keyboard Club by Musical Minds  Kids will have the opportunity to learn to play their favorite songs and music on electric keyboards. Radio hits, movie and television themes are made so easy, that our participants will be playing them after the very first class! The club is a combination of keyboard piano lessons and a music learning workshop, which uses a clever visual method to teach the basics of music reading and piano playing. We have developed lots of learning games and activities designed to teach students basic music reading skills and playing techniques in ways that are fun, engaging, and stimulating. We want our students to stay motivated and continue to want to learn to play music, whether they like Bruno Mars or Beethoven. We have all the music they want. We have music from Stars Wars, Encanto, Jurassic World, Moana, Coco, and lots more. Each participant will have their own keyboard supplied during the class, along with headphones, books and other materials. This class is open to both brand new students and returnees.

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. 

Short Film Making with Children Arts & 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. 

Spanish with Sing and Speak Spanish: Sing and Speak Spanish makes learning conversational Spanish easy & fun. We set high educational goals but teach in a playful manner - with songs, humor, visuals, interactive puppetry, games, role-playing, and a strong emphasis on the use of vocabulary in conversation.  This curriculum is sequential and goes far beyond most elementary and middle school curricula. Years 1A, 1B, and 2 introduce basic vocabulary and simple sentence structures on subjects children relate to. Tuition includes a music CD, a songbook and a workbook to keep Spanish learning fun and reinforce the vocabulary at home. Maximum 12 children per class. Sing and Speak Spanish has been taught in hundreds of elementary schools to over 10,000 students since 1998. 

Spy Kids (K-2) 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.

Spy Kids Solve It! (3-6) with Star Inc.: Help solve the mystery of who did it! We learn to crack secret codes, solve puzzles, build gadgets and code to solve the case. The last week of class, students will use the skills they have learned to solve the mystery of who did it.

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! 

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!

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. 

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. 

You Tube Sensations with Level Up Want to become the next YouTube superstar? Join us and learn how to write scripts, act, film and edit as you make a positive impact with your creative video ideas! Students will work together to choose their projects and will take all of their videos home. Some projects will include: writing scripts, creating documentaries, recording interviews, making "how to" videos, and making music videos. (NOTE: No videos will be posted during this class.)