Summer Camps for Kids with Special Needs
I remember when my dad began attended his first Easter Seals summer camp for adults with disabilities. He was in his mid-thirties. I was about nine, just old enough to remember Dad’s grin when we dropped him off. With the assistance of his personal counselor, Dad went swimming, danced, and flitted about like a socialite for an entire week. While he was living it up, mom took the rest of us tent camping for the first time ever.
What a treat! The experience was as good for us as it was for Dad. For years, his return trips and our week of respite was a highlight of every summer.
Camps for Kids with Special Needs
Kids with special needs and their parents need the same kind of experiences. Many such amps exist for kids and are geared for specific conditions: asthma, cancer, diabetes, ADHD, and autism, among others. The counselors are trained to deal with special needs. Medical personnel are on staff to administer meds, dress wounds, and provide nursing care.
How to Locate a Camp
To find a camp, use the camp locater at www.EasterSeals.com to search for camps. You can also contact the YMCA nearest you and ask them for information. Lots of information is available on line. Here are a few things that my google search – summer camps for kids with special needs – turned up:
- kidshealth.org had a great article about how to select a camp and numerous links to get parents started.
- A list of Wisconsin camps can be found at www.snappin,org.
- The website for Camp Korey in Washington state.
- A listing of camps around the nation at www.kidscamps.com.
- Another national listing at www.mysummercamps.com.
I’m not endorsing any of the websites or camps, just giving you a place to start looking and decide for yourself if the camp is reputable and a good fit for your child.
Start Now!
Summer camps fill up quickly, so if you’re child isn’t signed up yet, get busy today. If you have a camp to recommend, or a camp story to tell, please leave a comment.
Happy camping,
Jolene
