Rose State Kids College: A Unique Spin on Summer Fun

We have partnered with Rose State Kids College to bring you more information about the fun programs they provide!

Is there a subject, hobby, or activity your child is obsessed with? Well, there’s a class for that! Rose State College offers a summertime “Kids College” with weekly sessions of different interest-based classes. These niche classes include things like cartooning and animation, specialty science courses, no-bake cooking, a series of Minecraft mastery classes, sports and martial arts, various Lego and Pokemon themed learning, Kindergarten prep, and an Aerospace Discovery Camp for teens (that means rockets!).

Students playing minecraft in computer lab
Mastering Minecraft was a huge hit! My son came home talking about all the things he wanted to try.

Kids College features many STEAM courses (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics). Your kids can “go to college” this summer and deepen their knowledge in the areas that they love the most.  Kids College accommodates students entering kindergarten through tenth grade (the teens are in a separate program/area called “Teen Scene“).

There’s not a dull minute at kids college. Right when the kids check in, they head to class and get to work! The kids are all smiles as they explore and experiment. By the end of the week, they leave with new skills and confidence in their abilities to pursue their dreams, both new and old.

check-in system
Smiling faces greet you while you check-in with the KidCheck system.

Safety

It can be difficult to leave your children in the care of someone new.  The great thing about Kids College is that they have incorporated multiple security measures to ensure your little one is safe.  All teachers and staff have completed background checks. The doors to the school building are locked at all times except for designated drop off/pick up times.  Classroom doors are locked on the outside as well, and there is a police officer on campus all day. 

All children are checked in every day using an online program called KidCheck that you can customize for your family.  Your family’s profile is identified by your phone number and you can also set up a PIN number for added security.  You can set it up to receive text messages any time your child is checked in or out.  I felt like my kids were very safe at Kids College.

 
Child in wheelchair at a desk.
My son’s wheelchair was easily accommodated.

My son recently broke his leg which allowed us to see another side of Kids College in accommodating children with mobility issues.  I wasn’t sure how things would go with his wheelchair, but it was easily accommodated and everyone was very helpful.  Other students were eager to push him around and he never had to miss out on anything that was going on.

Quality Instruction

The classes offered at Kids College are based on a specific subject or interest.  Teachers are selected who have extensive experience or training in the area.  Instructors at Kids College use a specific teaching style that is very hands-on and interactive.  The students get to collaborate with their teachers.  As I observed the classes, I was very impressed with the teachers’ level of knowledge and passion for sharing that knowledge with their students.  

teacher and student making bracelets
Interactive learning in the Fantastical Fashion course

My children enrolled in two classes each.  My five-year-old was enrolled in Kindergarten Prep and Dr. Seuss’ Station, and my eight-year-old was enrolled in Science in Motion and Mastering Minecraft. When I asked them how they liked Kids College, my eight-year-old said, “This is better than playing on the iPad!”  And there’s no higher level of endorsement than that from him!

If you have older kids and teens, there’s plenty of fun classes for their age group, too!  Your teen can choose from classes that represent their hobbies or future career interests such as coding or robotics.

teacher helping students
Creating bean shooters in Dr. Suess’s Station for Kindergarten students

How it Works

Kids College offers a different selection of classes each week for each grade level.  There are different class choices for morning (9a.m.-12p.m.) and afternoon classes (1p.m.-4p.m.).  Your child may choose morning, afternoon, or both!  It’s up to you.  If you choose to do both, you send your child with a sack lunch and they get to eat in the cafeteria with their new friends while watching a movie!  Counselors are on staff to guide the children to and from lunch and keep an eye on them during that time.  There is even before and after care (you sign up in advance for an additional fee) if you cannot arrive at the appointed times.  The price for each class ranges from $69-$79.

Student practicing martial arts
Exploring Martial Arts for 5th-6th graders

Things to do in the Area

Kids College is held in the Traub Elementary campus in Midwest City near Tinker Airforce Base.  It was about a 30 minute drove from my home in NW Edmond but it was a pretty easy drive down I35.  If you don’t want to drive back home while your child is at Kids College, there are lots of choices for ways to spend your time.  There is a shopping center nearby with all the essentials:  Target, Chick-Fil-A, and more!  If you have other littles with you who aren’t attending Kids College, you may want to check out the Lions Park Splash Pad that is just around the corner. Bricktown and the Adventure District are also just about a 10-15 minute drive away and offer a plethora of museums and activities.

Takeaway

The one thing I noticed that every class had in common at Kids College was this:  FUN. The kids almost always had a smile on their faces. They all truly enjoyed what they were learning about. After all, that’s what everyone loves about college, right? You get to study about what you love!

So if you’re looking for fresh ideas to keep your kids busy this summer, I would recommend taking a look at some of the classes that Kids College has to offer. No matter what your child is interested in, there’s likely to be a class that’s perfect for them. There are still opportunities to sign up this summer!  Find out more about Kids College at rose.edu/kids.

Watch below to get a little taste of what the classes are like!

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Kristen Gardiner
Kristen resides in Edmond with her husband and three wild and crazy boys, ages 8, 5, and 2. She is a native Texan who relocated to the Oklahoma City area with her family in 2015. She loves art, Whataburger, Real Housewives, and being an active member of the LDS Church. Kristen has a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Texas A&M and an M.B.A. from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Kristen is also a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and has a passion for contributing hands-on car seat education to the community. You can read more car seat tips on her blog: Driving Mom Crazy .

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