Very Special Camps: The Experience Made Accessible

Summer is officially here and with summer comes… summer camps! Perhaps you remember your summer camp days of hiking, swimming, canoeing, playing sports, doing crafts, sitting and singing around campfires, and participating in many other recreational activities. Oh, and we can’t forget eating the camp food!

Summer camps offer people many different opportunities, as well as a chance to establish new friendships and try new things. Special needs summer camps offer both kids and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the full camp experience. They have traditional camp activities, but can also offer speech and language therapy, daily living skills, and social skills just to name a few. Camps are staffed with highly trained and specialized staff.

Looking for a special needs summer camp? Look no more. Very Special Camps.com is a website that lists summer camps and programs for those with special needs. Locate a camp or program based on your search criteria like special need or location. Categories to search include: neurodiversity & learning, chronic health conditions, mobility and physical support, sensory and communication, emotional wellbeing and social support, and more. Consider support level and accommodations needed, as well as if you want day or overnight.

Each camp is different so you will need to contact the specific camp to find out more. Most include the official camp website. For those who want a full camp experience, but are hesitant or can’t go in-person, the website has a list of online/virtual camps. These camps allow you to participate from the comfort of your home.