Youth Classes & Camps
Throughout the year, we offer weekend and after school classes, as well as weeklong camps during spring and summer for youth, ages 8-18, in the industrial arts. Give your child a creative experience—pouring molten metal, forging a steel hook, bending glass into an illuminated neon sign—there’s no place like The Crucible.
Youth Classes & Camps during Covid-19
2022 Spring and Summer Camps for youth ages 8-18 are now open for public registration.
Morning sessions run 9am-12 pm and afternoon sessions run 1-4 pm. This one-hour break between sessions ensures our team has adequate time to clean and reset for afternoon sessions. Campers can register for both morning and afternoon camps.
All Crucible youth classes have been modified with new health and safety policies in place. Students ages 12 and up are required to show proof of vaccination and masks will be required by all students, parents, faculty, staff, and volunteers, regardless of vaccination status. In order to ensure adequate physical distancing in the classroom all class sizes are capped at six students or fewer. Please review our Covid-19 policies before registering.
How Old Is Your Youth?
We offer a wide variety of age-appropriate youth classes for youth ages 8-18. For the safety of your child and their fellow students, our age limits are strictly enforced. Younger than 8? You are welcome to visit for a free tour, field trip or upcoming open house.
Ages 8-11
Ages 12-18
Ages 14-18
Weeklong Youth Camps
Spring Camps: April 4–15, 2022
Summer Camps: June 20–August 5, 2022
In The Crucible’s Youth Camps, students get hands-on learning STEM concepts through the industrial arts, experimenting with different media and techniques, and connecting with creative mentors and new friends. All youth classes have been modified with new health and safety policies in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Spring Camps:
Week 1: April 4, 2022
Week 2: April 11–15, 2022
Summer Camps:
Week 1: June 20–24, 2022
Week 2: June 27–July 1, 2022
Week 3: July 11–15, 2022
Week 4: July 18–22, 2022
Week 5: July 25–29, 2022
Week 6: August 1–5, 2022
Weeklong spring camps
Youth can safely learn in weeklong, Monday through Friday classes this spring. For 2022, we’ve expanded our offerings over two weeks to coincide with the Oakland Unified School District’s spring break and many other Bay Area spring break schedules. Springs camps will fall on April 4–8, 2022, and April 11–15, 2022. The Crucible offers classes for youth ages 8–18, who can learn everything from how to fix their own bicycles to how to sculpt with clay.
Weeklong summer camps
This year, The Crucible’s summer camps return for another 6 weeks of creative education for youth ages 8–18. Youth can attend morning and afternoon sessions, and returning students have the option to take all-day continuing level classes. All Youth Summer Camp classes run Monday through Friday.
Youth Offerings in 15 Departments
Thousands of Bay Area youth, ages 8-17, have attended Crucible classes, camps, and workshops. From metal to wood to glass we provide a unique setting for youth to explore their creative voices, while absorbing real-life lessons in science, technology, engineering, and math.
More Ways Youth Get Creative
Youth Scholarships
Each year, The Crucible offers over $100,000 in full and partial scholarships to local youth, reserving 20% of spots in all our youth classes for scholarship students. Scholarship applications are considered based on economic need, artistic ability and/or promise, and applicants zip code—with priority given first to our neighbors in West Oakland, then Oakland residents, and then Greater Bay Area residents.
Individual Instruction
During one-on-one instruction, youth develop their artistic skill and technique at their own pace. Our most popular departments for youth private instruction are Blacksmithing and Glass Blowing, however we can tailor a curriculum for any of our departments. Individual instruction can be project focused or technique focused.