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It's summer and there are virtually endless possibilities for play, leisure, recreation, sport, camping, and aquatics activities. Increasingly, community recreation and camping organizations are providing the opportunity for individuals with, and without, disabilities to participate together. It is particularly heartening that many programs now serve individuals with disabilities and their families.
Carol Huettig, Ph.D.
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Kristi Roth
Section Editors
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A comprehensive list of camps designed to provide therapy and to provide respite for families is included at wizard.ucr.edu. This thorough directory of camps is divided by geographic region.
One of the most progressive and exciting of the camp experiences for individuals with disabilities and their families is offered by Wilderness Inquiry. Wilderness Inquiry (WI) provides outdoor adventure for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. WI
travels to over 35 destinations by canoe, sea kayak, dog sled, horse pack, and back pack. Join the community of Wilderness Inquirers. All you need is a sense of adventure.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association offers a wonderful summer camp program. MDA-sponsored summer camps offer a wide range of programs for young people ages 6 to 21. Activities are geared to the abilities of campers, and may include outdoor sports such as fishing, swimming, horseback riding, and boating. Less physically demanding activities include arts and crafts, talent shows, cook-outs, and entertainment.
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Adaptive Aerobics
This site provides advice on modifications for seated, or standing, adaptive aerobics participants.
C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation
C.A.S.T. stands for "Catch A Special Thrill." This non-profit foundation was created in 1993 in support of this extraordinary outdoor event which teams volunteers with area youngsters for a day of fishing on the water. Disabled and disadvantaged children experience the joy of fishing with sponsors and community volunteers.
Boundless Playgrounds
This organization seeks to increase public awareness of the tremendous need for fully integrated, universally accessible and developmentally appropriate playgrounds, and to demonstrate how all children benefit from them.
Of equal importance, the Boundless Playgrounds team provides direct services to people, groups, and corporations who want to design and develop universally accessible playgrounds so that every child in the United States will be able to ultimately reach one within an hour's drive - a minimum goal of 1,000 playgrounds.
Fishing Has No Boundaries
The goal or this organization is simply to open the great outdoors for people with disabilities through the world of fishing...a sport most of us take for granted.
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The primary resource on the world wide web regarding camping opportunities for children and adults with disabilities, and their families, is sponsored by NICHCY.
This comprehensive web site includes a brief description of the camp, the range and type of activities offered, the sponsoring organization, and individual web sites and email contact addresses. The list includes camps which serve individuals with, and without disabilities, and those that are more specific to individuals with disabilities.
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Reality Check
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back...every one of them.
One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.
People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.
"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle"
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Increasingly, our children are threatened with the loss of play opportunities because of:
Misguided administrators who want all of a child's time at school to be spent on "academic tasks."
Decreasing "green" space, replaced by strip malls and huge parking lots.
Unsafe neighborhoods where children, literally, are not safe to "go out and play".
The International Association for the Child's Right to Play is trying to refocus the attention on the critical right of children to play.
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If you have ideas, comments, letters to share, or questions about particular topics, please email one of the following Adapted PE Section Editors:
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Help to support quality physical education and health education by contributing to this site.
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Summer provides a wonderful opportunity to involve children with, and without, disabilities in play opportunities not typically available during the rest of the year.
Pretend to be at Camp
Make a tent by putting a blanket or sheet over a suspended rope in the living room, or in the back yard. Make a "fire" by wadding up pieces of red cellophane over a flashlight. Go fishing by tying a magnet on the end of a string, tied to a pole...and reel in the metal "fish" at the bottom of a bucket. Eat the "fish" after cooking over the fire. Cheddar or pretzel Goldfish work great.
Sponge Play
Cut small kitchen sponges into small squares. Throw the wet sponges into a bucket or plastic bowl full of water.
Body Painting
Make pudding. Paint a friend's leg, or arm, or hand, or foot with the pudding. Rinse off with water.
Water Balloon Play
Fill balloons partially with water and play "catch" with the balloons. [Note: this activity shouldn't be done around little ones who are still putting things in their mouths.]
Slip and Slide
Make your own "slip and slide" using a hose/bucket and a plastic tablecloth.
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Camp Abilities: A Developmental Sports Camp for Children Who are Blind, Deaf blind, and Have Multiple Disabilities
Dr. Lauren J. Lieberman
SUNY Brockport
Camp Abilities is a one-week developmental sports camp for children who are blind, deaf/blind, and have multiple disabilities. Activities include: swimming, track and field, gymnastics, tandem bicycling, judo, archery, beep baseball, goal ball, canoeing, horseback riding, bowling, dancing, camping, a talent show, and guest speakers (musicians, athletes, and professionals who are blind).
KidsCamps.com
Find the section on "Special Needs Camps" and click on the child's disability. Another click will take you to a neat searchable database, where you can identify pertinent camps by location, gender, religion, etc. and retrieve additional information about each camp. Listings are free to camp owners, but there is no state criteria for inclusion. Check out the companion site for Grown-Up Camps, too.
Easter Seals - Camping & Recreation
As a veteran service-provider for children and adults with disabilities, Easter Seals addresses the need for accessible camping with 140 camping and recreation facilities across the country. Serving more than 76,000 people each year, Easter Seals camping and recreation facilities offer individuals of all ages and abilities the opportunity to experience the joys and challenges of summer camp in a fully-accessible setting.
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Fibromyalgia
Find out more about this life debilitating disease. This site offers information, support, and great resource links for those who suffer with the condition, and for family/friends of those who have the condition.
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