MANKATO — If kids are handling soldering irons, building robots, visiting state-of-the-art factories and getting a nice T-shirt and lunch to boot, it can only mean one thing: Zap Camp is back.

This year the annual camp for science-minded kids includes tours through the South Central College’s mechatronics and computer-integrated machining departments, and maintains the same rigorous pursuit of science-based knowledge that has characterized the camp for years.

Zap Camp is open to anyone. There is no intelligence or test score test to pass. In fact, one of the teachers said it’d be a good time for any kid. But the point is that it takes kids on a four-day adventure through ideas, theories, factories and classrooms that a normal summer week couldn’t offer.

It is sponsored by the Minnesota Center for Excellence in Manufacturing and Engineering, which is based at Minnesota State University. The center’s interest is in molding young minds. At the very least, it looks like a good time.

Jacob Ward, 13, of Pemberton came to Zap Camp after his mom suggested it. In his spare time he shoots his .22-caliber rifle or wires his tree house for lights.

He spent Tuesday, however, building a robot that finds light. Using circuit boards, batteries and soldering guns, Ward carefully put the pieces in place to build a little car with sensors that, when light is present, detects that light and pursues it.

Ward was pleased.

“I never expected it to be this hands on,” he said. “And I didn’t expect it to be this much fun.”

Doug Laven runs the college’s mechatronics program, a relatively new one for the college. He put the students through the light-seeking robot project.

Laven said the program is ideal for any kid who is curious, which is to say, any kid.

“Instead of sitting home and watching TV? Yeah, I’d say this would be better,” Laven said. “They get exposed to a lot of stuff.”

The goal, Laven said, is to “trigger something,” to use what is universally good about the pursuit of engineering — solving problems, analytical thinking, etc. — and give kids fun tasks to hone those skills.

Building robots, he said, is perfect for that.

“They like the movement,” he said. “Hopefully they’re intrigued to learn more about math and science.”

Cameron Corcoran of rural Mankato was a returning customer this year at Zap Camp. He attended last year.

“The first year was really fun,” he said.

He liked the robot project.

“It’s sort of something you can put your mind to and really work on,” he said. “I like to get something to be as good as it can get.”

Zap Camp kids are kept pretty busy for the four-day camp. It starts at 9 a.m. and runs to 3:15 p.m. Packed into that day are hands-on work sessions, trips to the Coloplast and PerfecSeal plants on Tuesday and Thursday, recreation time, lunch and time for journaling.

Zap Camp is important, camp coordinator Cheryl Freund said, because of how much emphasis is being put on science and math.

“There’s a national movement,” Freund said. “Even President Obama is pushing it. They believe you have to start young.”