“Brad is FANTASTIC! So kind, accommodating, great with kids & insanely talented!
We've attended 3 events and our son would LOVE to come back!” -TG
Turn Screen Time Into Skill Time
Inspiring Art & Animation Camps For Young Creators
Visit Our Other Cartoon Camp Programs:
“Best Art School in Barrie”
20+ Years of Award-Winning Professional Animation Industry and Post-Secondary Leadership Experience.
Voted “Best Art School in Barrie” & “Business Champion” in 2025.
A safe, inspiring and supportive space for all. Sibling Discount: 10% off the 2nd seat.
A Pizza Party lunch is included with every full single-day or 5-day Cartoon Camp.
All traditional materials included.
Watch to Learn About Cartoon Camp
(unmute)
*Please note: Cartoon Camp is not a camp. There are no tents, bears or marshmallows.
…OK, well there might be marshmallows as a treat and we might see bears, but they’ll be drawn with pencils.
Meet Your Cartoon Camp Leader, Brad
Photo credit: Laura Joy Photography
🏆 Award-Winning Experience: Heavy contributor to multiple Emmy and CSA-winning television series, including Peep and the Big Wide World and Almost Naked Animals.
🎤 Local Recognition: 2025 Barrie Arts Award for “Business Champion”, Voted “Best Art School in Barrie” (2025) and Grand Prize Winner of the HBEC Grand Pitch Competition (2023).
✏️ Industry Expertise: 20+ years of professional experience as an Animator, Designer, Storyboard Artist and Director/Showrunner.
🎓 Educational Leadership: Former Post-Secondary 4-year Animation Diploma Program Director and Instructor. Also your Founder and Director of Upchuckle Education.
Some Clients Brad’s made TV shows for:
Bring your curiosity to Cartoon Camp!
Regardless of our planned curriculum, we're here to support our students growth, understanding and passion. We’re happy to answer any questions about art, animation, production, or the secrets behind creating captivating films and TV shows. We organically adjust our planned schedule and curriculum as needed to suit the pace, understanding & interest of the group.
6 hour days from 10am-4pm (with an optional Extended Hours Program)
Pizza lunch and all materials included
Learn important skills directly from an award-winning pro in a safe & supportive environment
10% Sibling Discount applied to your 2nd seat to the same Cartoon Camp at checkout
Each single-day Summer Cartoon Camp offers 5 Early Creator Seats at a reduced cost (First come, first served)
Summer 2026 — Single Day Cartoon Camps (only 2 options left!)
How To:
Draw Monsters & Aliens
Wednesday, August 12th
Whether it’s a three-eyed, fanged space traveler from a distant galaxy or a slimy, homework-eating creature hiding under the bed, at this Cartoon Camp we explore bringing wild ideas to life as we create fantastic characters with imaginative backstories!
(Click + below to learn more).
-
Take a deep dive into the weird, wonderful realm of imaginative monster and alien design! We focus on the principles of creature construction, showing students how to take those wild ideas and give them the structure they need to look like intentional, thought-out characters. Stumped on what to create? We'll also help dig you out of that rut as we explore imagination-boosting exercises, all designed to help students uncover fresh approaches to finding ideas they may not have considered before.
The Goal: To turn a single spark of imagination into a character that feels solid and purposeful. We'll explore expression, silhouettes, fur, and costume to give creatures a sense of depth, weight, and storytelling. It’s a challenge that encourages students to take any trait they can imagine—animal, robot, or totally original—and organize those wild ideas into a believable design.
Mini Final Project: To wrap up our day, students will develop their own signature monster or alien character, complete with its own unique history and complementary side-characters. Whether your child dreams up a friendly space-bot, a swamp-dwelling mutant, or a bizarre creature from another dimension—we’ll be here to guide their vision and creativity through every weird and wonderful detail they draw.
Early Creator Seat: $89!
(Only 5 available-while they last!)
Standard Creator Seat: $99
(Less than $17/hr)
Please select carefully-No price adjustments for errors
📅 Wednesday, Aug 12th • 10am–4pm
The best monsters aren't just a collection of teeth and tentacles—they’re characters with a story to tell. This one-day Summer Cartoon Camp dives into the art of the "weird and wonderful," transforming a blank page into imaginative creatures that feel like they could step right off the page and into its own world.
Working alongside an award-winning designer, animator and director, your child will learn the pro secrets of silhouette, construction, expression and appeal. We aren’t just drawing scary things; we’re exploring how to use anatomy (or a total lack of it!) to create aliens and monsters that look iconic, believable, and full of personality.
From Outer Space to Under the Bed: Whether it’s a friendly swamp-giant or a mischievous space-traveler, your creative kid will spend the day learning how to balance the "weird" with the "wow"—leaving with a lineup of original characters ready for their own adventures!
✅ Ages 8–13 (or grades 3–8)
✅ 10am–4pm (with an optional extended hours program)
✅ All materials and PIZZA PARTY lunch are included
✅ Small group setting for lots of personal attention
Seats are limited—reserve your child’s spot today!
Sibling Discount: Automatically save 10% on your 2nd seat to this Cartoon Camp at checkout.
IMPORTANT:
Click here to read our CARTOON CAMP-TERMS AND POLICIES AGREEMENT. It covers everything to help make Cartoon Camp safe, fun and happy for everyone.
If you have a coupon or gift certificate from before September 2025, contact us to apply your discount before your order. Discounts cannot be applied after you’ve paid and would need to wait until next time to be redeemed.
Enrollment closes:
Friday, August 7th @ 9am
How To:
Design GREAT Characters
Wednesday, September 2nd
What makes some characters stick with us our entire lives? Designing these icons isn’t just random luck—it’s about having a well-equipped toolkit of skills and knowing what makes a character’s design and personality speak to an audience for a lasting impact.
(Click + below to learn more).
-
We’re giving your creative child a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making great characters unforgettable. From the shapes we use in our designs, to how we pose them (and everything in between!) tell a story of who that character is—and ultimately, why an audience might feel that indescribable connection with them.
The Goal: To give students a reliable introduction and skills to help them draw great characters long after our day together is done. We’ll practice structure, helping our characters look consistent from any angle or pose as well as "visual acting" to push expressions beyond the basics and learn how a character’s proportions can communicate their entire vibe in a single glance. It’s a day of exploring the balance between personality and structural design, giving students the confidence to bring their most ambitious ideas to life.
Mini Final Project: To wrap up our day, students will apply what we've learned to create their own Character Model Sheet. This professional tool features images of their original character in various poses and signature expressions. Whether they’ve designed a bumbling raccoon detective or a mutant princess from the future, they’ll leave with a complete visual guide that defines exactly who their character is and how they express themselves.
Early Creator Seat: $89!
(Only 5 available-while they last!)
Standard Creator Seat: $99
(Less than $17/hr)
Please select carefully-No price adjustments for errors
📅 Wednesday, Sept 2nd • 10am–4pm
Ever wonder why some characters stick in your head forever? That isn’t an accident—it’s great design. This one-day Summer Cartoon Camp pulls back the curtain on how professional artists build iconic heroes, villains, and sidekicks that leap off the screen.
Working alongside an award-winning animator, designer and director, your child will move past "just drawing" and start constructing characters from the ground up. We’re diving into the secrets of visual storytelling to discover how every line and detail can tell a character's story before they even say a word.
✅ Ages 8–13 (or grades 3–8)
✅ 10am–4pm (with an optional extended hours program)
✅ All materials and a pizza lunch included
✅ Small group setting for lots of personal attention
Seats are limited—reserve your child’s spot today!
Sibling Discount: Automatically save 10% on your 2nd seat to this Cartoon Camp at checkout.
IMPORTANT:
Click here to read our CARTOON CAMP-TERMS AND POLICIES AGREEMENT. It covers everything to help make Cartoon Camp safe, fun and happy for everyone.
If you have a coupon or gift certificate from before September 2025, contact us to apply your discount before your order. Discounts cannot be applied after you’ve paid and would need to wait until next time to be redeemed.
Enrollment closes:
Friday, August 28th @ 9am
Limited seats (Max 12 per Cartoon Camp)
Children must be enrolled by their own parent/legal guardian
Updating the number of remaining “Early Creator Seats” left available in the dropdown menu is a manual process. Less may be available than shown.
All prices are subject to HST
Give the gift of
CREATIVITY!
Give the gift of creativity, confidence, and fun! Upchuckle Education Gift Cards are the perfect way to support any artist's journey. They can be redeemed for any of our award-winning programs, including:
Customized Private Lessons (solo or with a friend!)
See below for other important information.
Summer 2026 — 5-Day Cartoon Camps (2 options left!):
Each week is 5 x 6 hour days from 10am-4pm (30 hrs plus an optional Extended Hours Program)
All materials and a Friday pizza lunch are included
Learn important skills directly from an award-winning pro in a safe & supportive environment
10% Sibling Discount applied to your 2nd seat to the same Cartoon Camp at checkout
Each 5-day Summer Cartoon Camp offers 3 Early Creator Seats at a reduced cost (First come, first served)
Intro To:
Stop-Motion Filmmaking
(Student Work)
Monday, Aug 17th - Friday, Aug 21st
Work As A Team!
This week Upchuckle Education transforms into a bustling stop-motion animation studio as your young filmmaker spends their week working as part of a collaborative crew-learning the steps that go into creating their own animated film as a team!
(Click + below to learn more).
-
We'll start this week off learning about storytelling and brainstorming a story this animation crew would like to create together. From there, we'll dive into storyboarding, shot-planning and design. Once we go over some of the fundamentals of what makes animation look great, each student will contribute to the animation process.
The Goal: To experience the collaborative "Animation Studio" mindset. Your child will learn how to communicate a shared vision, design and build sets and characters for the camera, and navigate the technical stages of a professional film crew.
The Final Project: A collaborative stop-motion production. The crew will see their hard work come together in a unified film. We’ll capture the final project and send you a digital copy of the crew's debut to share and enjoy! (after some necessary post-production editing time once our week together wraps up)
⚠️ IMPORTANT TEAMWORK NOTE: If your child doesn't enjoy collaborative, brainstorming & fun creative teamwork, this is NOT the week for them—we're working together as a film crew through each stage of the filmmaking process. Being open and supportive of others' ideas, while actively contributing their own will be an important part of this week--just like any animation studio!
Other Notes For Our Week:
-Lunch & Snacks (Mon–Thu): Please pack a nut-free lunch, snacks, and a full water bottle for your child.
-Pizza Friday: Friday lunch and drinks are on us! (Please still pack their water bottle & feel free to pack additional nut-free snacks if they’ll need them through the day).
Early Creator Seat: $379!
(Only 3 available-while they last!)
Standard Creator Seat: $399
(Less than $14/hr)
Please select carefully-No price adjustments for errors
📅 Monday, August 17th — Friday, August 21st • 10am–4pm
This week Upchuckle Education transforms into a bustling stop-motion animation studio as your young filmmaker spends their week working as part of a collaborative crew—learning the steps that go into creating their own animated stop-motion film as a team!
Once the crew defines their vision, we’ll dive into the hands-on process of building environments and characters for the camera. Your filmmaker will learn the technical "how-to" of the production pipeline, exploring how camera angles, lighting, and frame-by-frame motion bring a physical world to life. After the week wraps and we finish the post-production editing, we’ll send you a digital copy of the crew's big debut to share and enjoy!
⚠️Teamwork Note: If your child doesn't enjoy collaborative, brainstorming & fun creative teamwork, this is NOT the week for them. We are working together as a film crew through each stage of the filmmaking process—from brainstorming the story and storyboarding the shots to designing the sets and capturing the animation. Being open and supportive of others' ideas while actively contributing their own is a requirement this week—just like any professional animation studio!
✅ Ages 8–13 (or grades 3–8)
✅ 10am–4pm (with an optional extended hours program)
✅ All materials and a Friday PIZZA PARTY lunch are included
✅ Small group setting for lots of personal attention
Seats are limited—reserve your child’s spot today!
Sibling Discount: Automatically save 10% on your 2nd seat to this Cartoon Camp at checkout.
IMPORTANT:
Click here to read our CARTOON CAMP-TERMS AND POLICIES AGREEMENT. It covers everything to help make Cartoon Camp safe, fun and happy for everyone.
If you have a coupon or gift certificate from before September 2025, contact us to apply your discount before your order. Discounts cannot be applied after you’ve paid and would need to wait until next time to be redeemed.
Enrollment closes:
Wednesday, Aug 12th @ 9am
Intro To:
Traditional Animation (Pose-To-Pose)
Monday, Aug 24th - Friday, Aug 28th
Intermediate Level
This week Upchuckle Education transforms into a bustling animation studio as your young filmmaker spends their week learning the steps that go into creating their own animated film!
(Click + below to learn more).
-
Moving away from flipbook techniques (straight-ahead animation)—which has its benefits—we'll be focusing on planning and timing our animation through pose-to-pose animation. Instead of guessing the next move (like in flipbooks), your young creator will learn to time and plan their key poses first, then use the art of inbetweening to fill in the motion. This deliberate approach is what gives classic animation its smooth, cinematic fluidity.
The Goal: To transition from flipbooks to the professional animation workflow. Your child will learn how to use timing charts, manage spacing, and develop the physical coordination needed to "roll" pages between their fingers like a pro.
The Final Project: A polished, traditionally animated character doing an action of your child's choosing. After our week together, we’ll film the finished project and send you a digital copy of their animation debut to share and enjoy!
⚠️ LEVELING UP: This week is more intermediate than our standard Cartoon Camps because the focus shifts from "how to draw" to "how to plan and time a performance." It’s a fantastic next step for young creators who want to more polished work and develop a deeper understanding. Your young animator will learn to calculate timing and build the coordination to roll pages between their fingers—a tactile, satisfying skill used in professional studios to see movement as it's being created.
Other Notes For Our Week:
Lunch & Snacks (Mon–Thu): Please pack a nut-free lunch, snacks, and a full water bottle for your child.
Pizza Friday: Friday lunch and drinks are on us! (Please still pack their water bottle & feel free to pack additional nut-free snacks if they’ll need them through the day).
Early Creator Seat: $379!
(Only 3 available-while they last!)
Standard Creator Seat: $399
(Less than $14/hr)
Please select carefully-No price adjustments for errors
📅 Monday, August 24th — Friday, August 28th • 10am–4pm
Let your creative child take their animation skills to the pro level this summer!
This 5-day Cartoon Camp is a high-energy, immersive journey where we move beyond flipbook basics and into the disciplined world of Traditional Animation. Your young creator will spend the week with an award-winning animation industry professional, learning the exact "pose-to-pose" techniques used by the legends at Disney and Warner Bros. to bring characters to life.
Instead of guessing the next move (like in flipbooks), they’ll learn to plan their key poses first, then use the art of inbetweening to create smooth, cinematic, and professional motion. They’ll learn how to manage animation timing and spacing to ensure their character’s action feels weighted and real.
⚠️ LEVELING UP: This week is at a more intermediate level than some of our other Cartoon Camps because it’s less about learning to draw and requires more focus on performance planning and timing. It’s a fantastic next step for young creators who want to see their work look more polished and professional while gaining a deeper understanding. Your young animator will build the coordination to roll pages between their fingers in order to see the movement they are creating—a tactile, satisfying skill used in professional studios!
Once the week wraps, we’ll film a work of their choosing and send you a digital video of their big debut to share and enjoy!
✅ Ages 8–13 (or grades 3–8)
✅ 10am–4pm (with an optional extended hours program)
✅ All materials and a Friday PIZZA PARTY lunch are included
✅ Small group setting for lots of personal attention
Seats are limited—reserve your child’s spot today!
Sibling Discount: Automatically save 10% on your 2nd seat to this Cartoon Camp at checkout.
IMPORTANT:
Click here to read our CARTOON CAMP-TERMS AND POLICIES AGREEMENT. It covers everything to help make Cartoon Camp safe, fun and happy for everyone.
If you have a coupon or gift certificate from before September 2025, contact us to apply your discount before your order. Discounts cannot be applied after you’ve paid and would need to wait until next time to be redeemed.
Enrollment closes:
Wednesday, Aug 19th @ 9am
Limited seats (Max 12 per Cartoon Camp)
Children must be enrolled by their own parent/legal guardian
Updating the number of remaining “Early Creator Seats” left available in the dropdown menu is a manual process. Less may be available than shown.
All prices are subject to HST
“Brad was great! My little brother didn't even know he was into drawing. He got an opportunity to attend Cartoon Camp, and he learned so much! I noticed he's gained more confidence over the week too. We will definitely return next year!”
—Tracey
Your Cartoon Camp Questions, Answered
(Click your question from the list to see the answer)
-
We appreciate that every student is an individual and don’t believe in "one-size-fits-all" solutions. Our full-day Cartoon Camps are 6 hours long, which can feel quite demanding for younger or inattentive students.
As a specialized art and animation school, we do not have alternative activity spaces or non-art backup programs. If your child is outside our stated age range but is passionate about creativity and thrives in a focused group setting, please reach out to us at Education@Upchuckle.com to discuss if Cartoon Camp would be a good fit.
Some Cartoon Camps may have built-in exceptions to the age range. See their info pages for details.
-
Absolutely! For your convenience, we offer a flexible Extended Hours Program for our full-day Cartoon Camps (10am-4pm) to help accommodate busy family schedules.
It allows for drop-off as early as 7:30am and pick-up as late as 5:30pm while your child enjoys inspiring and fun supervised creative time.
Click here for rates & information. Registration for the Extended Hours Program takes place separately once the Cartoon Camp registration process is complete.
-
Yep! We love seeing families create together.
We offer a Sibling Discount: 10% off the 2nd seat when registering two children for the same Cartoon Camp. This discount is automatically applied during the checkout process.
Note: Sibling discounts do not apply to packs, passes or other bundles, as those are already adjusted to provide our maximum savings.
-
Due to our limited seating and heavy administrative and prep work that goes into making every Cartoon Camp great, cancellations 8+ calendar days prior to the event are 50% refundable (+ payment processing fees, if applicable).
Cancellations 7 days or less prior to Cartoon Camp are non-refundable.
-
Once you purchase admission through our website, there is one final step to officially secure your child’s seat at Cartoon Camp:
Within 1 business day of your order, we’ll email you a mandatory Student Information Form to help us ensure the health and safety of everyone at camp. Please watch your inbox (and spam folder) for this email from Education@Upchuckle.com—adding us to your contacts is a great idea!
The form will arrive with a clear deadline for submission (Usually about 3 days—sooner if we’re nearing the registration cutoff date). Because we have to manage our limited seating carefully, missing this deadline will result in cancellation of your order and be subject to our refund policies.
Once we’ve reviewed your form, we’ll reach out to either ask for clarification or confirm your child's seat with us is officially secured.
2–3 days before the event, we’ll send your Cartoon Camp Welcome Package with all the extra details your child will need to join us!
Take a look at the fun memories & creative artwork from Upchuckle events, lessons, workshops & Cartoon Camps!
We coordinate with local charities to provide creative-learning opportunities for students who are experiencing various forms of hardship. Upchuckle matches EVERY sponsorship, automatically doubling it’s impact!
Cartoon Camp In the news…
Note: Dates & location in this newscast are no longer current.
We look forward to welcoming your child to
