About
TomTod Ideas offers What If 101, an in-school class for middle school students that connects them to their community through the Liberatory Design Thinking process. It also offers Camp What If, a free summer day camp with 7-day sessions that include community-based design thinking, community explorations, pitching, prototyping, and idea launching, and Camp Explore, a free summer day camp with 4-day sessions centered around themes and community sectors with community explorations and hands-on projects.
Programs
- What If 101 — middle school students · In-school class; school-based program that connects middle school students to their community through the Liberatory Design Thinking process.
- Camp What If — students leaving 5th-8th grade in the spring · Free summer day camp; 7-day sessions centered in specific cities with community-based design thinking, immersive community explorations, pitching, prototyping, and idea launching.
- Camp Explore — students leaving 5th-8th grade in the spring · Free summer day camp; 4-day sessions centered around themes and community sectors with community explorations and hands-on projects.
At a glance
- Ages: 10–14 years old
About the provider
TomTod is a youth development nonprofit based in Canton, Ohio that listens to, honors, and advocates for middle schoolers. Since 2012, TomTod has helped thousands of middle schoolers discover and love their community while finding ways to help it thrive. Its leadership team includes Joel Daniel Harris, Founder and Executive Dreamer; Patrick Gerber, Team Guide and Lead Adventure Curator; and Zane Sanders, Adventure Curator.
TomTod creates programming specifically for 10-14 year olds. TomTod Summer Camps are open to middle schoolers leaving 5th through 8th grade, and each camp has certain eligibility requirements. Camp What If and Camp Explore are for middle schoolers of all learning styles. Middle schoolers can attend multiple camps, subject to geographic eligibility and only one instance of each camp.
What families say
“I will honestly say that my daughter had a bit of a spark after our first week with TomTod. Quick “yes” or “no” answers turned into long narratives that filled our entire ride home each day.” — Faith B – Parent
“My son taught me things I didn’t know – I could feel the community coming into our home. He’s come back each day eager to share stories about the places he visited and the people he met.” — Lisa T – Parent
Last updated October 17, 2026.
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