Tips for Choosing A Summer Camp Program
for Your LD Child
Ann Cathcart, Founder - The Learning Camp, written for
LD Online
Searching for a positive learning environment for her own child, Ann
Cathcart left her position as CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Colorado
and Wyoming to establish The Learning Camp.
"Choosing the appropriate summer environment for your LD child can
become one of the many challenges facing parents. It was such a challenge
for me that I started a camp myself to create EXACTLY what I wanted for
my son! (I do not recommend that others take that route!)"
... Ann Cathcart
Ann's Tips for Choosing A Summer Camp
When choosing a summer camp program for a child with learning disabilities,
the most important question to me is, "will they understand and take
good care of my child?" This can be answered by lengthy conversations
with camp personnel or the director. If a camp is too busy to return your
phone calls, or take the time to talk at length with you, will they be
too busy for your child as well?
Regardless of all that a camp may have to offer, if the director or the
staff are too busy for you now, it should be a red flag! Find a camp that
will give you and your child the time and attention that you both deserve.
Consider these factors when determining what camp program will best fit
the needs of your child:
TYPE OF PROGRAM
Decide early in the process what type of program you want for your child.
Camps are offered as day programs (campers go home at night) and residential
programs (campers board at the camp facility for the length of their stay).
Length of programs vary from as short as a few days to several weeks.
Be certain that your child is ready to cope with the length of the program
you select.
Camp programs are available in both same sex formats and co-ed. Consider
your child's social skills level and ability to cope with the demands
of mixed sex social situations when deciding which of these environments
would be best.
Program philosophy should be clearly stated in the camp literature. Your
family should be comfortable with this philosophy and confident that it
will deliver an enjoyable experience for your child. Of particular importance
is the camp's policy regarding family communication with the child. Will
the child be expected, in fact encouraged, to write to his/her family
during the camp stay? Will phone calls to/from home be allowed? Children
with learning disabilities often have differing needs for family contact
and you should be certain that the camp policy will not conflict with
those needs.
TYPE OF CAMP
There are many choices! Your child can be mainstreamed into a regular
camp setting, or be at a camp that focuses on their particular needs.
There are also camps that mix up the needs, such as Learning Disabled,
Emotionally Disabled and Physically Disabled. And then there are camps
that truly specialize. You'll need to decide which type of environment
will best address your child's needs.
SIZE
What are you ideally looking for? Camps range in size from 500 or more
children per session to as small as 30-35 per session. It is purely a
personal decision for each family. Make a point of asking the camp director
for information about the number of campers in the program.
EDUCATIONAL vs. RECREATIONAL
Many camps for LD children are purely recreational, while other programs
combine both recreational and educational activities. Some programs, while
calling themselves "camp," have a strong instructional focus.
Inquire about the percentage of camp time devoted to varying activities
and decide what mix will best serve your child's specific needs.
LOCATION and FACILITIES
Choose the type of setting that you think your child will enjoy. The Eastern
half of the country has many beautiful lake front and forest locations.
Many camps are schools that convert to camp/summer school during the summer
months. There are fewer camps in the west, but the west offers a completely
different experience because of the Rocky Mountains and the distinctive
western culture. Some camps are very luxurious and others are true camping
experiences. Ask about eating, sleeping and bathing faciliciites and be
sure that your child will feel comfortable in the particular setting offered
by the camp.
STAFF
The American Camping Association requires one counselor for each eight
children. When dealing with LD children a ratio of one to four is preferred.
For residential programs, be sure to determine the level of staff supervision
in the evening hours. You want your child to receive the attention they
need in the camp environment. In addition, it is important to determine
if the teachers and/or counselors are educated, certified, and trained
to work with children with learning disabilities.
In addition, determine the level of medical training staff has received.
If your child takes regular medication, will trained staff be on duty
each day to administer the medication?
Summer camp should
focus on enhancing your child's self- esteem and independence. The successful
camp experience should improve social skills and provide quality peer
relationships. Hopefully your camper will return feeling better about
himself than when the summer began. If I can be of any help in making
your selection, do not hesitiate to contact me!
Email Ann Cathcart
The Learning Camp
ADDITIONAL
RESOURCES:
- The Directory of Summer Camps for Children with Learning Disabilities
is available for $5.00 from the Learning Disabilities Association, 4156
Library Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15234. Ph. (412) 341-1515.
- Kids' Camps is a comprehensive directory of camps and summer experiences
on the Internet.
Happy Camping!
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