At a Glance
The essentials
Introduction description placeholder text.
12 weeks
Enough time to build real momentum and finish a meaningful project.
Live online
Fully virtual with live instruction, discussion, and guided feedback.
Small cohort
Every child is seen, heard, and supported individually.
Ages 8–12
No prior design or technology experience required.
Real final project
Each child presents a mobile app prototype they built from scratch.
Thoughtful pace
Immersive but never rushed. Space to think, create, and grow.
Not Another Summer Camp
This summer, your child won't just stay busy.They'll build something real.
Over 12 weeks, they move from wild ideas to a real mobile app prototype — learning to think like a designer, speak with confidence, and use AI as a tool, not a crutch. No experience needed. Just curiosity.
From first sketch to final prototype — here's the creative arc
The 12-Week Journey
Imagination & Invention
Weeks 1–2 · They stretch their thinking with bold invention challenges.
Designing for Real People
Weeks 3–4 · They solve problems for real users, building empathy through design.
Storytelling & App Ideas
Weeks 5–6 · They define a user, a need, and a story their app will tell.
Planning the App
Weeks 7–8 · They map screens, flows, and wireframes on paper.
Building Digital Screens
Weeks 9–10 · Paper ideas become real digital layouts.
AI as a Thinking Tool
Week 11 · They learn to prompt, evaluate, and think alongside AI.
Final Prototype & Presentation
Week 12 · They present the app they built to an audience.
Week by Week
What happens inside each phase
The program starts with the same foundation as the 8-week core program, then takes children further into full mobile app design.
Purpose
Creative invention challenges that stretch imagination and logic. Children learn that even the wildest ideas need structure.
What they learn
- Ask "what if" questions that open up new possibilities
- Think in systems and see how parts connect
- Identify needs and constraints in a design challenge
- Sketch early ideas visually to communicate thinking
Benefits
- Creative courage
- Systems thinking
- Visual communication
- Structured imagination
Purpose
Children shift into human-centered design — solving real problems for elderly users, people with disabilities, and communities with specific needs.
What they learn
- Design from another person's perspective
- Identify the real needs behind a problem
- Simplify ideas so they become more useful
- Balance creativity with empathy and function
Benefits
- Empathy
- Human-centered design
- Accessibility thinking
- Problem framing
Purpose
Before designing an app, they need to know what story it tells and what problem it solves. This is where "cool ideas" become meaningful directions.
What they learn
- Express ideas clearly through story and visual art
- Define a user and a real need for their app concept
- Choose one strong concept to develop further
- Connect emotion, purpose, and function in their work
Benefits
- Storytelling
- Concept clarity
- User definition
- Creative direction
Purpose
The app design process begins. Children plan structure, create paper wireframes, and map out simple user flows.
What they learn
- What a home screen does and how users navigate
- How users move from one screen to another
- What buttons, menus, and actions are for
- How to simplify an idea so it becomes buildable
Benefits
- UX planning
- Wireframing
- User flow thinking
- Information architecture
Purpose
Paper ideas become digital layouts. This is where their project starts to feel real.
What they learn
- Recreate paper ideas as digital screen layouts
- Organize screens clearly for a better user experience
- Improve layout, flow, and usability of their designs
- Think about what the user sees and does next
Benefits
- Digital design tools
- Interface layout
- Usability thinking
- Analog-to-digital translation
Purpose
AI introduced as a tool to question and guide — not a shortcut that replaces thought.
What they explore
- How clear prompts shape better outcomes
- How AI can help brainstorm names, features, and ideas
- How to compare strong and weak AI outputs
- Why human creativity, empathy, and judgment still come first
Benefits
- AI literacy
- Prompt thinking
- Critical evaluation
- Thoughtful technology use
Purpose
Everything comes together. They present their app, explain their process, and leave with something they built from scratch.
What they present
- The problem their app solves and who it is for
- How the app works and what their screens do
- How their idea improved over the course of the program
- A simple interactive prototype they can proudly share
Benefits
- Presentation skills
- Prototype completion
- Reflective thinking
- Creative confidence
What They Walk Away With
Creative confidence that lasts beyond summer
Real problem-solving habits, not just busywork
Empathy — they design for someone else's needs, not just their own
A mobile app prototype they built themselves
Comfort presenting ideas and receiving feedback
A healthy, grounded relationship with AI
AI, Taught the Way It Should Be
They learn prompting, not just clicking
They compare strong and weak AI outputs side by side
They brainstorm with AI, then improve with their own judgment
They understand why confident answers aren't always good ones
Human creativity comes first — always
A Note to Parents
We built this program because we noticed something missing. There are plenty of summer activities that keep kids busy — coding camps, art classes, screen-time alternatives. But very few that teach a child how to notice a real problem, think about it from someone else's perspective, shape it into a clear idea, and then actually build something from it. That's what this summer camp does. Not by rushing through projects, but by giving your child the space to slow down, think carefully, and create with purpose. By the end, the thing we hear most from parents isn't about the prototype. It's: "My child explains their ideas differently now."
The Team Behind Future Designers
Common Questions
Things parents
Things parents
ask us most
Can't find your answer? Reach out directly.
Not at all. The program is built from the ground up for beginners. We start with imagination and invention — no screens required in the first weeks. Everything is introduced gradually, with guidance at every step.
A computer with internet access and a webcam. We use beginner-friendly, free design tools that we introduce during the program. No software purchase required.
Coding camps teach syntax. This teaches thinking. Children learn design thinking, empathy, storytelling, and problem-solving — then apply those skills to create a mobile app concept. There is no coding involved. The focus is on how ideas are shaped, structured, and communicated.
Each session is live and interactive. Children share their work, discuss ideas as a group, receive guided feedback, and work on hands-on challenges. It feels more like a small studio than a lecture.
We keep cohorts small so every child matters. If your child needs to miss a session, we provide a summary and catch-up guidance so they can rejoin smoothly the following week.
They will finish a simple interactive prototype — a working concept of their app with real screens, navigation, and design decisions. It won't be a published app, but it will be something they designed, built, and can present with confidence.
AI is introduced in Week 11 as a creative thinking tool — not a replacement for their own ideas. Children learn how to write better prompts, evaluate AI suggestions critically, and understand why human judgment still matters most. It's guided, age-appropriate, and designed to build awareness, not dependence.
Cohorts are kept intentionally small — typically under 12 children — so that every child gets individual attention, feedback, and the space to participate meaningfully.
Another Way to Start
Explore the 8-Week Core Program
A steady weekly program that builds creative confidence, empathy, and design thinking foundations.
Compare Programs
Not sure which program fits?
Both programs share the same foundation. The summer camp goes further.
Feature
8-Week Core Program
12-Week Summer CampYou're here
Format
Weekly online program
Immersive online summer camp
Length
8 weeks
12 weeks
Pace
Steady, foundational, intentional
Deeper, more immersive, project-driven
Main focus
Creative thinking, empathy, design foundations, early AI
Creative thinking + full mobile app journey
Starting point
Invention, storytelling, design challenges
Starts with the same foundation, then goes further
App design depth
Intro to simple app thinking
Full guided path to a mobile app prototype
Final outcome
A strong concept, early design thinking, simple project work
A simple prototyped mobile app and final presentation
Best for
Families wanting a strong weekly foundation
Families wanting a richer summer project and bigger transformation
Experience level
No experience needed
No experience needed
AI exposure
Gentle introduction to AI as a creative tool
More integrated use of AI in brainstorming and app ideation
Child experience
Builds confidence and core thinking habits
Builds confidence plus momentum toward a substantial final project
Format
8-Week Core Program
Weekly online program
12-Week Summer Camp
Immersive online summer camp
Length
8-Week Core Program
8 weeks
12-Week Summer Camp
12 weeks
Pace
8-Week Core Program
Steady, foundational, intentional
12-Week Summer Camp
Deeper, more immersive, project-driven
Main focus
8-Week Core Program
Creative thinking, empathy, design foundations, early AI
12-Week Summer Camp
Creative thinking + full mobile app journey
Starting point
8-Week Core Program
Invention, storytelling, design challenges
12-Week Summer Camp
Starts with the same foundation, then goes further
App design depth
8-Week Core Program
Intro to simple app thinking
12-Week Summer Camp
Full guided path to a mobile app prototype
Final outcome
8-Week Core Program
A strong concept, early design thinking, simple project work
12-Week Summer Camp
A simple prototyped mobile app and final presentation
Best for
8-Week Core Program
Families wanting a strong weekly foundation
12-Week Summer Camp
Families wanting a richer summer project and bigger transformation
Experience level
8-Week Core Program
No experience needed
12-Week Summer Camp
No experience needed
AI exposure
8-Week Core Program
Gentle introduction to AI as a creative tool
12-Week Summer Camp
More integrated use of AI in brainstorming and app ideation
Child experience
8-Week Core Program
Builds confidence and core thinking habits
12-Week Summer Camp
Builds confidence plus momentum toward a substantial final project
Apply for Summer Camp
Apply for Future Designers Summer Camp
Tell us about your child and we'll match you with the right cohort.
12 weeks. One real project. A shift in how they think.
Applications are open for summer. Spots are limited.
