Summer camp provides children with the opportunity to develop new skills, build self confidence and learn to work with others as a team. There are many factors you need to consider when looking for a camp for your child including a camp’s philosophy, program emphasis, and what type of child is successful at the camp they are looking into. And a parent of a child with special needs is going to have even more considerations that go beyond the usual camp search. Not every summer camp is equipped to address the specific needs of every child with special needs. However, if parents do their research, they are certain to find a summer camp that will provide their child with a successful summer camp experience.
First, it is important for you to consider what you want your child to take away from the camp experience and what your child wants out of his or her camp experience. Do you want your child to gain independence and learn daily living skills without your assistance? Improve social interactions? Make new friends? Decide what your must haves are and what is on your wish list. When speaking to the camp director, make sure the camp has the must haves and this will help you narrow down your summer camp choices when speaking with camp directors.
Next, you want to talk to the camp director at the camp you are interested in sending your child to and ask questions about their program and also tell the director about your child. “Parents really want to dig down and understand what population the camp services and who the camp is really trained to work with,” says Eric Sasson, Camp Director at Camp Akeela, a resident camp for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities in Thetford Center, VT. “When speaking to a camp director, parents want to describe their child and the challenges he or she has and you want to ask if the camp has had kids like this in the past. If so, ask the director to tell you about those kids. If they had melt downs at camp because they don’t do well with transitions, how does the staff handle it? Parents want to know that a camp director and staff are going to be able to handle these challenges and behaviors when they aren’t there.” It is important for parents to have honest conversations with the camp director about their child and share specifics, whether you are looking into a mainstream camp or a special needs camp. Tell the camp director about your child’s most challenging days. You want to be assured that the camp you are choosing can handle the issues that may come up during the summer.
Families are also encouraged to choose a summer camp where the director is interested in meeting your child and family. Families want to know that the camp isn’t just taking your child but that the camp has determined that the camp is the right fit for your child. “After speaking with a family, we meet with the parents and the child to make another level of determination if this will be a good fit. It gives us insight into the child’s family life and child and to see if we have the services that can provide the right camp experience for this child,” says Lisa Tobin, Director of Round Lake, a resident camp for children with learning differences and social communication disorders in Lakewood, PA. Families should feel that the camp director is doing as much questioning about your child as you are questioning the camp director.
When deciding between a mainstream camp and a special needs camp, you also have to consider what will work best for your child. Many mainstream camps can often accommodate children with special needs but it’s important to have honest conversations with the camp director about your child and find out whether the camp is equipped to handle the challenges that your child may have. They may or may not have the extra supervision your child may need or the experience in dealing with your child’s needs. Special Needs camps focus on specific challenges your child may have and structure their program around those needs with extra staffing, shorter and more structured activity periods and can be better prepared to handle issues that may arise. “Parents need to consider if their child can travel with a group. Do they tend to wander off? Do they get distracted? Do they need extra attention? If so, a mainstream camp may not be able to give your child the attention he or she needs,” says Lisa Tobin. “Also, at a typical camp, children are in sports and challenging activities that may be difficult for your child to keep up with. It may be better to be with kids at the same level with the same challenges.” Parents should also consider what is going to be the best experience for him or her and where they are going to fit in? “For children who have mainstreaming in the rest of their life, a special needs camp community can understand and specialize in their needs,” explains Eric Sasson. “Often times, children with special needs have to work so hard to fit in at public school. But for our kids, camp is an amazing sense of relief that they are around children just like them. They make friends and go back to school feeling good about themselves. It’s nice for them to be the best athlete at camp.”
Other important questions and considerations:
*Look beyond the website and don’t wait until the last minute to choose a summer camp. One of the best determinations when choosing a camp can be to tour the camp the summer before. See the camp in action so you can get a good feel for the camp program.
*Talk to other parents of children with special needs. Ask the camp director if there is a family you can talk to with a child similar to your child. Ask the parent how their child did at camp and how the camp handles issues.
* For overnight camp, parents shouldn’t let their own anxieties get in the way of sending their child to camp. Independence from you can be good for your child’s development. However, parents should consider how their child does at the end of a day when they get home from school. Do they need time to vege out? How does your child sleep? Do they need a quiet place and can they share a room at home? Are they more intolerable at night? Some kids have difficulty with this so when they are in camp environment, these things can manifest themselves. Talk to the director about these habits to see if your child is the right fit for their program.
*Ask about the staff-to camper ratio. What does that ratio mean? How much staff is walking around with your child activity to activity? What does it look like in the bunk at night? Ratios can mean something different at each camp so you want the director to spell it out for you.
*What activities will your child be participating in and how will your child be encouraged to try new things if he or she is showing resistance?
*How will the camp communicate with you about your child during the camp session?
Remember, no matter what your child’s special needs are, there is a day or resident camp program that will provide your child with a memorable summer. For assistance in finding a summer camp for your child, you may contact the American Camp Association, NY and NJ’s Camper Placement Specialist Renee Flax at 212.391.5208 or register for a free, personalized list of camps that meet your child’s needs at www.searchforacamp.org. Another good resource in finding a camp for your child with special needs is calling Resources for Children with Special Needs at 212.677.4650 ext. 20 or 34.
Here is a selection of day and resident camps for children with a variety of special needs
Camp Akeela
Thetford Center, VT
866-680-4744
Resident camp for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and Non-Verbal Learning Differences, coed, ages 9-17
Camp Nejeda
Stillwater, NJ
973-383-2611
Resident Camp for children with diabetes, coed, ages 7-15
Camp Northwood
Remsen, NY
315-831-3621
Focuses on a providing a great camp experience to a coed population of immature, learning challenged children in need of structure and individualized attention.
Camp Oakhurst
Oakhurst, NJ
732-531-0215
Resident Camp for children with physical disabilities, coed, ages 8 to adult.
Clearpool (a Program of Green Chimneys)
Carmel, NY
www.clearpool.org
845-225-8226
With a focus on both academic and social support, this coed residential camp welcomes children with special needs, ages 10 -18, experiencing, emotional, behavioral, social, and/or learning challenges.
Easter Seals Camp Merry Heart
Hackettstown, NJ
908-852-3898
Resident camp for children with Attention Deficit Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Diabetes, Mental Retardation, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, coed, ages mixed
Happiness is Camping
Hardwich, NJ
718-295-3100
Resident camp for children with cancer, coed, ages 6-15
Frost Valley YMCA Camps and YAI
Claryville, NY
212-273-6298
Resident camp through Frost Valley YMCA and YAI, the National Institute for People with Disabilities. Mainstreaming at Camp (MAC) is designed to serve children with developmental disabilities and to promote inclusion into the broader camp community.
Happiness is Camping
Hardwich, NJ
718-295-3100
Resident camp for children with cancer, coed, ages 6-15
Ramapo for Children
Rhinebeck, NY
845-876-8403
Resident camp for children with special needs with a wide range of emotional, social and developmental challenges, coed, ages 6-16
Round Lake Camp
Lakewood, PA
973-575-3333
Resident camp for children with Aspergers, PDD/NOS, High Functioning Autism, ADD/ADHD, coed, ages 7-19
Southhampton Fesh Air Home
Southampton, NY
631-283-1594
Resident camp for physically challenged campers with Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Muscular Dystrophy, and other physical disabilities, coed, ages 8-18.
Summit Camp & Travel
Honesdale, PA
800-323-9908
Resident camp for children with attention issue including ADD/ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome, awkward social skills, verbal or non-verbal learning disabilities, and/or mild social or emotional concerns. Some campers also have Tourette’s syndrome, O.C.D and/or mild mood issues, Ages 7-17. Summit Travel works with older children, coed, ages 15-19 with similar issues.
