The first few hours at summer camp tend to be the most electric. Kids and teens are shaking off daily routines, memories of homework and school are in the past, and everyone is soaking up the positive energy that comes with new adventures. This experience can be had by all sorts of kids and teens, but it comes down to choosing the right camp for your child’s needs and your preferences. With neurodivergent summer camps on the rise – there are a wide variety of choices to ensure your child fits in and has fun.
Exploring Neurodivergent Summer Camps
Summer camps for primarily neurodivergent kids and teens maintain the same core principles that traditional summer camps do, which is: Creating a safe, fun, and inclusive space that allows for the development of a healthy sense of self through participation in challenging activities, overcoming limitations, and sparking new friendships.
Summer camps are offered as either day camps or overnight camps. Depending on where you live – there may be options for wilderness/nature camps or camps that utilize parks and schools. The duration, location, religious or spirituality focus, activity schedule, and size will all depend on your budget, availability, and child’s needs. Most camps that cater to neurodivergent groups of kids and families will have built in medication times, and there may be a higher camp counselor to camper ratio depending on the needs.
When you begin searching for summer camps be aware that search terms can include (but are not limited to):
Special Needs Summer Camps
ADHD Summer Camps
Autism Spectrum Summer Camps
Neurodiverse Summer Camps
Sensory-Friendly Summer Camps
Autism Overnight/Day Camp
Readiness for Camp
You know your child the best – do you think they are ready for an overnight camp? Would a structured 1-2 week day camp be more beneficial? Have they been curious about new hobbies? What type of challenges do you think they are ready to take on? Answering these questions, while also factoring in your child’s age, communication skills, social experience and temperament, and medication needs will help you make your determination. In evaluating whether your child or teen is ready – it’s important to evaluate your child’s situation honestly because summer camp is meant to be safe and enjoyable for everyone. If your child or teen has been displaying violent or aggressive behavior, acting out sexually, or tends to become highly disruptive or destructive when overstimulated – summer camp may not be the right fit at this moment.
As you begin to search for and contact camps it’s advisable to be transparent about your child’s needs and abilities. Most camps will be honest about what they can and cannot accommodate. You want to set your child or teen up for a positive experience that they will want to repeat.
Below are just a few questions that may be helpful in filtering out choices for summer camps:
- How many campers are participating at any given time and what are the age ranges?
- What is the counselor to camper ratio?
- How many adults are on site (given that some counselors are under the age of 18)?
- How is each day structured and what activities are available?
- How is medication handled and is there a nurse on site?
- How can my child communicate with me and vice versa?
- Screen time policy?
- How are refusals to participate handled?
Summer camp is not the place for kids and teens to strictly follow an IEP or complete homework – this is time for them to face new and exciting challenges, let loose, and find their own way to communicate and make friends to laugh with. Summer camps are not led by teachers or highly trained social workers or therapists. They are designed and structured to be semi-led by younger adults (camp counselors, some under the age of 18) who know the camp well and who lead with passion and patience. Kids bond well with camp counselors because they aren’t seen as authoritative adults but kids tend to follow their lead naturally.
Making the Choice
Once you’ve settled on a few options – it’s important to communicate to your child or teen the importance of trying new things and making new friends. Maintain positivity and encourage them to look at what the camp offers. Summer camps offer a unique blend of summer fun, self-exploration, social experimentation, and skill building that leaves kids with memories, friends, and hobbies for a lifetime.
Helpful Links
