Social skills—the skills we use to communicate and interact with other people—are something all kids need to work on and develop. But for neurodiverse children, attaining social skills can often be a challenge. Enter day and overnight camps that have staff specifically trained to help kids with autism and other developmental disabilities learn to communicate with their peers and develop friendships.
A Nurturing Environment
At Inclusion Sports Performance Training, a day camp in Ewing and Hopewell for neurodiverse kids and young adults who may require additional support or an alternative approach to recreational, social and fundamental movement learning, Owner/Director Shannon Schaefer has created a safe and loving environment where children can thrive.
“We pair our groups on similar age and needs so that we can focus on giving each student what they need to succeed and have a great experience,” she says. Staff work on helping campers learn how to communicate with others appropriately, how to share toys and space and how to help others.
“Growing up and developing social, physical and emotional skills can be so hard and for our kids and young adults who have various learning differences and needs, it can be an even greater challenge,” she says. “Being able to provide the extra help, support, guidance and structure for our neurodiverse population is so important because it gives them an opportunity to thrive, grow, develop friendships and navigate social settings with confidence as they go through life.”
Social Success Stories
Over eight weeks of the summer, Schaefer says she sees success in just about every student. “We always encourage parents to look for and appreciate the little nuggets of progress instead of looking too far down the road because it’s so important to stay in tuned with all those little pieces of success that lead up to the big milestones,” she says. Many kids come to camp having meltdowns but progress to walking through the doors with big smiles, looking forward to camp, Schaefer says. “There are kids who have challenging behaviors who warrant one-on-one support. They go to being able to handle a small group of four other students with very minimal support,” she says. Other kids who are uneasy about making friends are able to schedule playdates for the first time by the end of the summer. “We embrace and celebrate success stories almost daily,” she says.
Making Camp Connections
At Harbor Haven Day Camp in Scotch Plains, Co-Owner/Co- Director Kristie Thomas says campers work on social skills in a number of explicit and implicit ways. “We offer social skills programming three times a week. Campers participate in ‘Connections,’ which helps them practice communicating verbally and non-verbally with adults and peers, participate in collaborative activities, communicate effectively, identify and respond to non-verbal facial expressions, identify personal emotions, engage in back-and-forth (or ‘ping-pong’) conversations, express themselves effectively and manage big emotions when they arise.” The camp also has a games-based program called Challenge Sector where campers practice social skills in a more real-world setting.
Real World Skills for All
It’s important to remember that social skills are important for all kids to work on, not just those who are neurodiverse, Thomas stresses. “Increased social skills can help campers form friendships and connections with peers, adults and classmates, better regulate emotions, feel more comfortable in social situations and learn from and engage with the world around them,” she says.
Success is often seen in the little things, such as campers forming and developing friendships, she says. “We have a group of older campers who met at camp and have continued to spend time together during the school year, attending parties and social events together.”
Overnight Opportunities
At overnight camp, opportunities to practice social skills abound. Dani Robbins, camp director for Dragonfly Forest, part of Camp Speers YMCA in Dingmans Ferry, PA, says the American Camp Association has published research that shows an increase in social skills as a direct benefit of attending sleepaway camp. “They conducted a five-year camp impact study and found that kids who attended a high-quality camp program experience an increase in social awareness, or how well youth consider the perspectives of others and empathize with them.”
Dragonfly Forest campers are ages 7 to 28 and have developmental and cognitive disabilities, the most common being ASD/autism, ADHD, Down syndrome and 22q Deletion syndrome. “As with all people, our campers are diverse in their interests, abilities and development, and our staff works hard to support each camper’s needs, including social skills development,” says Robbins. “Oftentimes, parents and caregivers share that their kiddos are working on social skills like making friends, communicating with peers to solve problems, following directions, being engaged in a group setting and improving conversation skills.”
Summer camp is a place where social skills are naturally and intentionally fostered, Robbins says. “Our campers live in a cabin with six to eight other kids and two to four staff members. They eat meals together, enjoy camp activities as a group and have downtime where they have the freedom to play cards or games, talk and just be kids. Our staff works hard to encourage kids to engage in all camp activities and the community-based parts of camp.”
Camp staff are trained to get to know kids and make a connection with them. “Our staff completes two weeks of training where they learn about youth development, how to work with kids with disabilities and their different needs, and how to adapt camp activities and routines to help campers be successful.”
Once a foundation of trust is built, they encourage kids to step out of their comfort zones. “Maybe that’s participating in a music activity, sharing a thought during our nightly reflection time or making a new friend,” Robbins says.
Fun on the Waterfront
At Dragonfly Forest, the waterfront is a place campers love. “Kids can swim, paddleboard or play in the sand on the beach. Many of our campers wear life jackets in the lake, so having a high swim level is not required to participate,” says Robbins. “We find that the lake is an equalizer: all kids can participate on the same level and just have fun. Staff will introduce games they can play or they’ll invent their own. … Kids are constantly talking with each other, playing and scheming about what they want to do next while they’re there—it’s just awesome.”
The Magic of Camp
Throughout her career, Robbins has seen that camp provides a safe environment for kids to be more social than they might be at school or at home. “They are surrounded by camp counselors— this rare breed of person who is neither parent nor friend, but something in between—who care for them and encourage them to be themselves. And when all campers are valued and encouraged in this way, an environment of support and acceptance is created and sustained.” She says this intentional environment creates a space where kids can talk about their likes and dislikes, make connections with others, and fully be themselves. “That is the true magic of camp. Kids who are able to realize the possibilities of their full potential will go forth and make the world a brighter place, no matter what diagnosis or background they might have.”
— Ronnie Koenig is a freelance writer and mother of two kids. She lives in Princeton.
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