Summer Recreation for Kids with Autism

Back to school means back to camp! With the school year beginning in August comes the return of yellow school buses pulling up to CSS in the afternoons. Kids getting off the bus are all smiles not realizing that they are going to be learning valuable skills for the next few hours.

One of the many therapy activities in the CSS After-School Camp is art. Art Therapy gives participants the opportunity to engage in different creative outlets. Communication is often a struggle for children diagnosed with autism and art provides an alternative to traditional speech. Art is a window for the imagination and gives individuals visual tools for expression. Therapy groups are clearly structured with themes and art materials, but allow the artists to freely express themselves within the given frameworks while ensuring each child has his or her individual needs met .

Even the most affordable art supplies do come at a cost and it can really add up over the course of the school year. Fifty dollars can provide one week of art supplies for the camp. Over fifty children attend the after-school program at CSS. Each day the program ensures that every child has the chance to engage in activities and therapies designed for him or her. The difference art makes in a person’s life is evident in the smiles as children proudly show off their masterpieces at the end of the day.

Camp has been full of nonstop activity this summer! Coordinating more than forty children on a daily basis is an impressive task, but the Children's Services team is always up to the challenge. 

On a typical day the camp gathers in the CSS gymnasium. Students attending the Extended School Year program are dropped off by school buses and staff will meet campers at the curb to help everyone get off the bus safely. Camp staff keep the individuals arriving early busy on the playground and in the gym. By not idling, campers do not even realize they're waiting for others to check in and for their group to get organized. The individuals are split up into closely supervised groups that rotate activities throughout the week. Efforts are made to keep groups small, so no one feels crowded and each child is given the attention they need and deserve.

The camp schedule varies depending on school schedules, and the Children’s Services team works closely with each individual to accommodate any special planning needs. Children from more than 15 different schools attend the camp throughout the summer, and the schedules must be coordinated to accommodate everyone.  

Summer camp is a mix of play and structured activities. On any given day campers might do one of more than a dozen planned pursuits such as hiking, swimming, miniature golf, or classes at the CSS resource center such as art, dance or drumming.  These are mixed in with special community outings like boat trips at Lake Needwood or a visit to Brookside Gardens. The children are highly engaged in age appropriate activities to suit individual interests. 

When camp concludes for the day everyone goes home in a good mood, ready to relax after an afternoon of fun!

Links:

• Community Support Services, Inc.