• •
Can the camp meet special needs requirements i.e. diet, accessibility, supervision etc? What provisions do they have for medical emergencies?
• Camp Activities As we have mentioned there are many camps offering many different activities, these include the following examples, although there are many more. Team Sports: Hockey, basketball, baseball, martial arts, football, volleyball etc. Individual Sports: Golf, biking, skateboarding, archery, go-karts, track and field, horse riding etc. Water Sports: Canoeing, diving, windsurfing, jet skiing, swimming, sailing, kayaking, water-skiing, rafting etc. Adventure: Rock climbing, orienteering, mountaineering, dog sledding, backpacking, bungee jumping, hiking, biking, driving range, wilderness camps etc. Performing Arts: Acting, writing, costuming, dance, music, circus arts, makeup etc Creative Arts: Drawing, crafts, painting, photography, cooking, stained glass, sculpture, woodwork, sewing, ceramics etc. Academics: reading, languages, journalism, computing, science etc. Other: This can include any number of activities such as gardening, archaeology, astronomy, farming, geology, marine biology etc. Basically if you can think of a subject, you will more than likely find a camp to fit. Overseas Camps Although most children choose to attend camps in in their area there are options to choose camps overseas or in North America. There may be age restrictions for this type of camp, but you might find yourself in China, Mexico, United States or any other location in the world. Obviously the cost of these camps are much higher than Canadian camps so this must be taken into consideration when choosing a foreign camp.
Special Needs Just because you have a special need doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun. There are lots of camps that can accommodate children with special needs and many more who specialize in such needs. It doesn't matter if you have a chronic illness, a disability or any other physical or mental limitation there will be a camp suitable for you. Some camps specialize in providing activities for the deaf, blind or wheelchair bound children. They still offer all the major activities such as canoeing, swimming, gymnastics, performing arts etc. They of course also offer specially trained staff and 24 hour medical facilities and specialist equipment.Other camps specialize in helping people with learning difficulties such as dyslexia, so there really is no need to feel left out whatever your needs and requirements. Resources There are a number of ways to find out about summer camps including: Internet: Lots of websites are available these days giving lots of information about summer camps. Some are search sites in which you can find different camps in different provinces. Others are the websites of the actual camps giving you full details of their activities, costs etc. Camp Fairs: There are a number of camp fairs held all over. They are held in large halls and lots of different camp organizers attend so you can visit with your parents to see which might be the best one for you. You will be able to pick up lots of advice and information and can sign up there and then or take away leaflets, brochures and quite often gifts so you can decide later. Summary Summer camps are a great way to get away and experience exciting new activities or expand on the ones you already enjoy. They also give you a chance to do things without your parents being around (parents also get a break from you!)
Written by Jane Toombes. Courtesy of Articlesbase.com