Mad Science of Central Virginia

Mad Science of Central Virginia offers STEM Spark for preschool students, with colors, skeletons, dinosaurs, chemistry, and more. Other programs include STEM Odyssey with heat and cool molecules, magnets, and sound; Crazy Chemworks with slime, chemical reactions, lab tools, polymers, and catalysts; Science Surprise with forensics, geology, meteorology, entomology, and mechanical engineering; Fantastic Forces with bridges and gravity; and NASA activities about space, technology, rocket science, the atmosphere, planets, moons, and supernovas.

Programs

• STEM Spark — Designed for preschool students · Preschool enrichment program with colors, skeletons, dinosaurs, chemistry, and more.
• STEM Odyssey — STEM series with topics including heat with cool molecules, magnets, and sound.
• Crazy Chemworks — Hands-on science adventure with slime, chemical reactions, lab tools, polymers, and catalysts.
• Science Surprise — Program where kids learn a new STEM topic each class, including forensics, geology, meteorology, entomology, and mechanical engineering.
• Fantastic Forces — Introductory topics in engineering, physics, and chemistry, including bridges and gravity.
• NASA — NASA and Mad Science collaboration with hands-on activities and demonstrations about space, technology, rocket science, the atmosphere, planets, moons, and supernovas.

At a glance

• Ages: 3–12 years old
• General schedule: Summer camps; after-school programs are one-hour programs that typically last 6 or 8 weeks and can be accommodated from 4 to 12 weeks.

About the provider

Mad Science of Central Virginia has been in business for over 30 years. Its mission is to inspire children through science, sparking lifelong imagination and curiosity. The company is listed as a World Leading Science Provider, with over 150 locations in over 20 countries.

Summer camps are non-refundable. After-school registrations are not refundable 36 hours after purchase and may be transferred to another student. Camp ratio is 1 instructor per 10 campers, with a maximum of 15 campers in one camp. The minimum number of campers necessary to hold a camp is 10.

What families say

“My kid has had the best time at the evening events and summer camps! We love Mad Science.” — Katrin, Richmond, VA

“Both of our boys did Mad Science summer camps when they were younger, and loved the experience! It was a very fun and interactive experience for them. And counselor Beth Morrell is the best!!!” — Jennifer, Raleigh, NC

“My son attended the Earth, Space & Beyond Mad Science Camp last summer and absolutely loved it! The hours were convenient for our family, and the location was close by for us. We're sending him again to a Mad Science camp this upcoming summer. These are well run camps, in our experience, and I recommend them for people looking for a fun, science-based camp experience.” — Karla, Silver Spring, MD

Last updated October 16, 2026.