PLEASE CHECK OUT THE 2013 ARTICLE WITH EVEN MORE CAMPS ADDED TO THE LIST!
Summer camp can be a lonely place for many kids, but for those with the sensory and social challenges of Asperger’s Syndrome, camp can create many uncomfortable situations, if not a very bad experience — just the opposite of what most parents hope for their children.
Before our daughter was diagnosed, we sent her to an all-girls Christian summer camp for a week at about age 14. They had wonderful activities – the usual campfires, art, tennis, horseback riding you’d expect at summer camp, plus a tubing trip down a local river. Well, she “survived” but not without some challenges (thank goodness for a kind counselor). If we only had known about Asperger’s Syndrome then, I would have certainly looked for a camp more suited to her comfort zone.
I recently came across a listing of summer camps for children with AS and similar disabilities and thought I’d share a few. This is in no way an endorsement of any of those on the list since I have no personal experience with these camps — you’ll have to check them out for yourself. But here’s a place to start!
- Camp Kodiak, McKellar, Ontario, Canada – a unique, integrated, non-competitive program for children and teens with and without ADHD, LD, NLD and Asperger’s Syndrome
- Camp Buckskin, Ely, Minnesota – an overnight summer camp that specializes in serving boys and girls ages 6-18 who are experiencing academic and/or social skill difficulties
- Summit Camp, Honesdale, Pennsylvania – a summer sleepaway camp for boys and girls, ages 8-17, with issues of attention including ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome, NVLD, and/or mild social or emotional concerns
- Camp Nuhop, Perrysville, Ohio – a residential summer camp for all children with learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders and behavior disorders
- Talisman Programs, Zirconia, North Carolina – offers kids ages 6-14 a typical summer camp experience with the structure and social skill guidance needed for success
These are just a few of those listed — be sure to check out mysummercamps.com for SIX PAGES of listings!
Aspergers Awareness 
My 10 yr. old boy just got back from camp today – same story as your girl. I feel like a dog. They are our Christian brothers and sisters – I told everyone he was an aspie and secured their promise to go public with this info – encouraging kids to get it straight that my boy just can’t be bullied into acting like everyone else or becoming suddenly sensitive to social cues. But no, the torture from the other guys was relentless and the counselors clueless. Thank God my son is a brave kid and very secure. He toughed it out but I wish he didn’t have to. “It’s ok. I’m used to kids treating me disrespectfully. I’m over it.” He said at bed time. I went straight to the computer to look for aspie specific camps. Thank you for being the first thing to pop up. I know I’m not alone in this. Bless you. Our kids deserve to be understood and cut a break.
Camp Nuhop is amazing. The staff is very well trained and informed. My son went for a week every summer from 8 years old to 13 and actually looked forward to going the next summer (until we moved to Florida). The last day of camp is for a family picnic where each and every child there gets certificated and awards for each new social skill they experienced. He loved it, now we live in Florida and I can not find anything near by for him to do and I can not even find a group or individual with Aspergers in southwest Florida at all.
Thanks so much for this start on a list of programs. We are searching for the right experience for our teen daughter with A.S. She has enjoyed three years of 2-week experiences at Franklin Academy in Connecticut, and we have felt that it is a safe and appropriate place for her, where kids in this population are understood. It is very expensive, however, and as parents we haven’t seen the kind of skill-work and push to self-challenge that we had hoped for. At times they seem a little disorganized and not as communicative with parents as they claim to be – a lot that they promise that doesn’t seem to happen. But we have felt perfectly comfortable leaving our daughter there, and she has enjoyed it and has wanted to go back.
We are also here for those individuals and families in the AS community offering support groups, resources, conferences etc. at the Asperger’s Association of New England. Changing Perspectives -Changing Lives.