Summer programs for special needs kids – How to help your child process their summer experience.
Although it is tempting to question your child about their summer at Camp Lee Mar the minute they arrive home, the reality is that it can take a little while for a child to truly process the effects and experience of summer camp. Enjoy having your child back and try not to overwhelm them with too many camp questions. All too soon you will be hearing daily stories about camp and see first-hand the independence and new skills your child has gained at camp.
Give your child the space they need to show you their skills and tell you about their experiences. Here are some signs that your child had an amazing summer at Camp Lee Mar.
You may catch your child
- Humming or singing camp songs on repeat! By October you will probably know our favorite camp songs as well as your camper does.
- Drawing or painting pictures of camp, friends, or nature and wildlife.
- Wanting help to write to or reach out to camp friends.
- Telling you stories of their camp accomplishments; their cabin winning the Camp Lee Mar Lion or winning a race during our Lee Mar Olympics!
- Making their own bed in the morning and getting dressed independently.
- Being excited to try new things.
- Having a new sense of self-confidence and self-assurance.
Summer programs for special needs kids are unique because the campers get to have their own camp experience, an experience that is truly theirs that you, as a parent, get to see through your child’s point of view. And though their camp experience may be incredibly personal to them, they will want to share their skills and accomplishments with you. As your child starts to share their camp experience with you this is your opportunity to let them know how proud you are of them. You can look at camp photos to promote conversations about friends and watch camp YouTube videos.
Enjoy all the fun stories and songs your child has to share as they start to unwind from their summer experience at Camp Lee Mar. There is nothing better than watching your child gain new skills, while gaining a home-away-from-home at camp!
Written by Lynsey Trohoske
My name is Lynsey Trohoske, I am the assistant director at Camp Lee Mar. I have three amazing children, my middle child happens to be on the autism spectrum and is a camper at Lee Mar.I joined camp as a counselor in 1998 and loved the campers and their families so much that Camp Lee Mar became my second home!
