Summer camp for children with special needs – What happens when you take a tour of Camp Lee Mar?
Summer Camps for children with special needs are an amazing experience for children! It is a great way for children to experience independence away from home, learn new skills and make amazing friends in a supported environment. We understand that looking into a residential Summer Camp for children with special needs can be overwhelming for parents, so we invite you to come and take a tour of our amazing program.
REVIEWING YOUR CHILD’S I.E.P.
Prior to taking a tour we would review your child’s I.E.P. and talk about their current needs. After a detailed discussion regarding social skills, daily living skills, and potential age appropriate group openings, we would schedule a tour. We suggest that you have your child accompany you on the tour so we can meet them, and they can ask any questions they may have at that time. This also allows us to get to know your child a little better and place them with a suitable peer group (many of our campers are returning so we have a good grasp of current cabin dynamics and friendships within those cabins.)
DURING THE TOUR
We can visit all the areas you would expect to find at summer camps for children with special needs; music, art, drama, sports, the pool and much more. We can also walk through our specialty areas, such as our speech and academic departments. These programs are coordinated by professionals in their fields, and run by current teachers, speech therapists, and students studying each subject. As our campers move into the senior program, we begin working on skills that will assist them in transitioning into their adult life. Our older campers take part in vocational training and job skills activities, with many senior campers holding a job at camp. Due to these programs, many of our campers are at Lee Mar as part of their Extended School Year (ESY).
WHY OUR PROGRAM IS SO SUCCESSFUL?
Whether our campers are in the pool, playing kickball, fishing, painting, dancing, or participating in one of the many other activities at camp, we make sure our campers are having the time of their lives! Our goal is to give the campers an amazing summer experience while working on all their skills related to independent living. Our teachers and therapists are not only found in the classrooms but also at activities, helping to generalize IEP goals during the day-to-day activities at camp. Our campers learn to fold their clothing, make their beds, shower independently, and work on dining-room skills. A seven-week camp for special needs kids is the perfect length of time to have great fun while learning and mastering new skills.
There are many summer camps for children with special needs. What makes Camp Lee Mar different is that we are an extension of the school year with all the fun of camp built in!
Contact us to learn more about our fun-filled summer camp for children with special needs!
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!
