Learning Continues All Year Long

Learning continues well beyond the school bell and into the summer.

Check out some of the high-quality programs offered throughout DFW.

Plant a Spark for Learning

From environmental science to computer coding, Dallas City of Learning has the STEM programs for you.

Sing a song. Play a tune.

With Dallas City of Learning you can explore music and performing arts.

Learning Opportunities Available

(and adding more every day!)

Whatever your interests, we have a program for you!

 

Search hundreds of at-home learning activities and in-person experiences from educational nonprofits and companies you trust.

 

You can search for these programs and hundreds more by age or interest area.

 

 

Coding & Gaming

Learn how to speak the language of computers, program a robot, build your own games and more.

Designing & Making

From creating visual art to designing the stage for a theater production, there is a lot to design and make.

Media

Ever wanted to create your own podcast or star in your own YouTube channel? Check out Media programs.

Performance

You can be a star! Act, sing, play, dance and more with programs in Performance.

Storytelling

We all have an interesting story to tell. This is your chance to share yours and learn to appreciate others.

Zoology

We all love animals! Learn all about their habitats, diet, biology and more with Zoology programs.

Community Action

Get involved with your community through service projects, advocacy efforts and more.

Earth & Science

From learning about the planets to building a bug habitat, there’s a lot to learn and do with Eart & Science.

Numbers

Numbers make the world go round, especially when it comes to math and financial literacy. Check it out.

Sports & Wellness

Sports & Wellness programs will get you up and moving. It’s time to get active!

Work & Career

Try out different careers to figure out how your unique skills can best fit with a future job.

Search All

With so many options, why limit yourself? Search all the program options to see what you can find!

You are invited to join us for

State of Summer

This year’s State of Summer will be held at the Latino Cultural Center in Dallas, Fri., Feb 24, 2023, 5pm -7:30pm

Please RSVP to this important review of 2022 data and how it will affect Summer 2023.

Reserve your spot!

This year, we encourage you to attend with your families. Learn how you, your family, and your community are part of this essential ecosystem that builds on student interests while supporting skills building for future success.  The event will focus on Summer 2022 data and our collective impact. We will also be sharing partner highlights and awards, as well as a panel discussion on the state of out of school time learning with our very special guest, Dallas ISD Superintendent, Dr. Stephanie S. Elizalde.

Explore the City

With Dallas City of Learning you can explore the city. Whether you are taking a ride on DART, visiting a cultural center, taking in a museum or a virtual tour from your mobile device, Dallas City of Learning helps you get out, connect and explore!

Build Your Future

Tinker. Try. Design. Make.

Programs are designed to put learners in the center of the action. Youth won’t be sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture. Activities are hands on and youth led.

Showcase your Talent

Act. Sing. Dance. Perform.

You can take the stage, lead the troop and dance you heart out. Programs with Dallas City of Learning help you find your inner star.

Frequently

Asked

Questions

What is Dallas City of Learning?

Dallas City of Learning  is a citywide initiative to ensure all students have access to high quality summer learning programs that stem summer learning loss.

Who can participate?

Programs and events listed in this website are primarily geared towards students ages 5-18, but participation is open to anyone 18 or younger.

Why should my child participate?

Dallas City of Learning has something for every young person’s interests: robotics, writing, dancing, and much more! Our hands-on approach makes learning engaging and fun; and your child can earn digital badges for participating, and developing all types of knowledge and skills.

How much does it cost?

More than 95% of the programs and events are free. Some of the learning experiences do have costs. The website makes it easy to filter activities by free or paid; and to find out specific payment details at each partner organization.

Do I need to log in to participate?

You can absolutely participate without creating an account or logging in. However, creating an account has many benefits like tracking all of your activities and the ability to earn digital badges for your work.

How do I know my student's information is secure?

The internet is full of possibilities for learning, but we must be diligent about online safety. We focus on steps needed to create a trusted environment that will protect user and youth safety and privacy online without compromising their ability to learn.

Dallas City of Learning encourages parental permission and involvement, while also ensuring all young people have access to learning experiences regardless of whether their parents have an active email.

Big Thought will retain all data collected through the Dallas City of Learning website in strict confidence and is committed to maintaining the security of personal information. Big Thought will not use any personally identifiable data of any individual for any purpose except to provide non-commercial services and communications related to the City of Learning initiative.

City Leaders Support Dallas City of Learning

Check out Highlights from Summer 2020

Learners Are Leaders Lives by Example with Summer Camp Pivot

Many of the projects centered around the camp’s book study. Each learner received a copy of This Promise of Change, a memoir written in free verse about the author’s experience as one of 12 Black students who integrated the first high school in Tennessee.

Moving Forward Together: How a Bachman Lake Nonprofit Is Uniting a Neighborhood

Moving Forward Together: How a Bachman Lake Nonprofit Is Uniting a Neighborhood  It’s no surprise that Bachman Lake Together’s Facebook page is more active than ever. In a world that’s been dramatically altered by the global pandemic, having access to accurate...

Social Distance Fun with Fit and Faithful Living

Fit and Faithful Living put the SOCIAL in social distance camp this summer!

T.R. Hoover Reaches South Dallas Youth Through One-on-One Tutoring

And as schools shifted to virtual learning, the T.R. Hoover Multipurpose Center became a crucial resource for families.

SOARing through Summer

Designed for youth ages 6 to 12 in the Pleasant Grove, Redbird and West Dallas neighborhoods, the free program shifted to an online-only format this year.

Dallas Public Library: Turning a New Page

With online story times, dance classes, and sing-a-longs, the Dallas Public Library’s SMART Summer was one to remember.

Healing Through Art: Art-Inspired Healing Collective

This summer, youth aged 10 to 18 joined the Art Inspired Healing Collective for The Miseducation of Self, an eight-week workshop centered around understanding emotions, self-awareness and healing.

Virtual and In Person Camps with Dallas Community Fellowship Inc

Summer learning is going strong! Dallas Community Fellowship Inc., in partnership with Beacon Hill Preparatory Institute and Dallas City of Learning, has been offering in person and virtual camps since June.

Laughter League shares the power of laughter

Founders of The Laughter League, Tiffany Riley (Slappy) and Dick Monday (Monday) have been performing, educating, and helping children in pediatric hospitals for the past twenty years.

Creative Writing Workshops with The Writer’s Garret

The Writer’s Garret has teamed up with Dallas City of Learning to create at-home programs for youth ages 6-12 that focuses on creativity – writing, sketching, poetry and more!

Read, Learn, GO with Readers to Leaders

This summer, Dallas City of Learning partner organizations continued to prove their ability to be resilient to meet the needs of their learners and their communities. Readers 2 Leaders created an entire new series of programming called “Read, Learn, Go!” to help their learners continue their #literacy journey, while also incorporating #socialemotionallearning and #STEM. Their programs made learning fun and accessible to thousands of youth this summer

Citi Tech Camp makes summer STEM-possible!

The Citi Tech Camp was essential in keeping youth academically engaged, while ensuring connectivity with peers in a virtual setting.

Cara Mía Theatre celebrates 25 community-inspiring years in Dallas

Amid a global pandemic that has shut down in-person shows since March, Cara Mía Theatre is celebrating the start of their 25th anniversary season by focusing on their mission to engage and inspire people to uplift their communities.

Black Girls Drone Takes Flight

For Ernanda White, an unexpected layoff from her job in tech turned into an exciting opportunity to uncover a hidden passion.

BridgeBuilders Offers South Dallas Youth Safety and Normalcy Amid Pandemic

BridgeBuilders Offers South Dallas Youth Safety and Normalcy Amid Pandemic When COVID-19 reached Dallas, Tracy Lindsey, the director of student services at BridgeBuilders, knew the organization’s response would need to be quick. Located in Bonton, the ministry...

Take Flight from Home with Dallas City of Learning Turn Up

For the past five summers, hundreds of youth and their families spent a day creating, tinkering and exploring the world of flight through the Dallas City of Learning Turn up with Frontiers of Flight Museum and Dallas Love Field. This summer, youth will have the opportunity to explore and imagine aviation in a new way through a Digital Turn Up event

Meet the Dallas City of Learning Team

Sergio Antonio Garcia

Sergio Antonio Garcia

Senior Manager of Learning Systems

sergio.garcia@bigthought.org

Sergio is the main point of contact for all things Dallas City of Learning. 

Erin Offord

Erin Offord

Chief Programs & Systems Officer

erin.offord@bigthought.org

Erin is the senior leader for Dallas City of Learning.

Shannon Epner

Shannon Epner

Sr. Manager, Research, Evaluation & Design

shannon.epner@bigthought.org

Shannon is the main contact for submitting rosters and program evaluations at the end of the summer.

Partners Make it Possible   |   Los socios lo hacen posible

Partner organizations offer in person programs and at home learning opportunities through Dallas City of Learning. Check out some of our outstanding partner organizations!

Las organizaciones asociadas ofrecen programas en persona y oportunidades de aprendizaje en el hogar a través de Dallas City of Learning. ¡Vea algunas de nuestras organizaciones socias destacadas!

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/dallascityoflearning     |     #weareDCOL