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.”
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 veg out? How does your child sleep? Do they need a quiet place or 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.
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.
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
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New York Family 2012 Ultimate Guide To Summer Camp
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 campakeela.com Resident camp for children with Asperger’s Syndrome and Non-Verbal Learning Differences, coed, ages 9-17 Camp Nejeda Stillwater, NJ 973-383-2611 campnejeda.org Resident Camp for children with diabetes, coed, ages 7-15 Camp Northwood Remsen, NY 315-831-3621 nwood.com 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 campoakhurst.com 732-531-0215 Resident Camp for children with physical disabilities, coed, ages 8 to adult. Clearpool (a Program of Green Chimneys) Carmel, NY 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 nj.easterseals.com 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 happinessiscamping.org Resident camp for children with cancer, coed, ages 6-15 Frost Valley YMCA Camps and YAI Claryville, NY frostvalley.org yai.org 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. Ramapo for Children Rhinebeck, NY 845-876-8403 ramapoforchildren.org 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 roundlakecamp.org 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 sfah.org 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 summitcamp.com 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.