When the weather outside is hot and sticky this summer, kids will have a new option for camp, courtesy of Weekend Gamerz. Headquartered in Seattle, Giant Campus has 36 programs around the country that will feature Weekend Gamerz this summer at colleges and universities. Locally, Duke University will host a camp July 13-15 and UNC will host one July 20-22. The camps are for teens ages 13 to 17 and activities will blend socializing and videogames like "Warcraft 3," "Half-Life 2," "Age of Mythology," and "Rise of Nations" on PCs. Kids can also bring their own games, including "Guild Wars," "World of Warcraft," "Halo" and "Medal of Honor."

Attendees will also get exclusive looks at new games not yet released, as well as expert advice from pro gamers about playing games. As these camps are still focusing on social interactivity, there will be additional challenges to gaming on PCs, like musical chairs and sabotage while kids are playing. Outdoor events like Ultimate Frisbee and Capture the Flag (a popular online videogame activity) will also be part of the weekend.

The residential experience costs $269 and goes all weekend long, from Friday at 7:30 p.m. to Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Snack foods, drinks, brunch (both days), and dinner (Saturday only) are provided. Residential program participants stay in university housing and the game labs are located in air-conditioned facilities.

The odds are your kids are going to be playing videogames anyway, so it's not a bad idea to at least have them meet other local gamers and try to make new friends while getting some new tips on how to level up in "World of Warcraft."