April 2011: Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Child

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eInsights - April 2011

Choosing a Summer Camp for Your Child

Hot fun in the summer sun is just around the corner. Every kid deserves an opportunity to create summer memories at camp, and our kids are no exception. Accessible camps offer a variety of activities, and the experience can be life changing.. As summer camps across the nation gear up for the fun, now is a good time to see if there is one suited to your child's needs.

Learning the culture of a summer camp comes through research. Not every camp is a good fit for every child. If you want to find out which is best for your child, ask for a quick telephone interview with the camp's director. Remember that lasting memories and friends are made at summer camp so doing a little homework goes a long way.

Learning the culture of a summer camp comes through research. Not every camp is a good fit for every child. If you want to find out which is best for your child, ask for a quick telephone interview with the camp’s director. Remember that lasting memories and friends are made at summer camp so doing a little homework goes a long way.

Questions to ask

How did the camp get started?
What is the camp's philosophy?
What is the director's background?
How are the staff chosen and trained?
What type of medical professionals are on staff?
What type of certification is required to run a camp for children with disabilities?
Are there precautions for allergies, particularly latex allergies?
Do you have references?

Click here to find an accessible camp near you.

SBA’s Kids!Camp
SBA's Conference (June 26-29) has a place for children of all ages with and without Spina Bifida at Kids!Camp. This is the only national camp specifically designed for children with this birth defect. It offers programming for kids with Spina Bifida and their siblings. Every camper learns valuable skills while having fun.

Kids!Camp teaches self-reliance, confidence, socialization skills, and independence. It helps attendees to feel empowered as individuals and become valuable team players while engaging in activities such as swimming, rock climbing (walls), and more.

The feedback from previous attendees is always positive and repeat attendance remains at a consistent high. All year long, children with Spina Bifida from all over the country and the world, look forward to that one week when they won't be "the kid with Spina Bifida...the kid in the wheelchair...the kid who is different." They know at Kids!Camp they will just be a kid.

Kids!Camp offers programming for kids with Spina Bifida and their siblings. All of the participants in the program learn valuable skills while having fun. Attendees are placed in the program by age group and are lead through activities by trained counselors. Nurses are available to help with cathing throughout the day and parents may stop in at any time to check on children. A parent orientation meeting is held prior to the start of Kids!Camp and counselors are available during that time to answer questions and help parents become comfortable with the program.

We promise that once your kid has experienced Kids!Camp, his life and yours will be changed forever.