CFPC: Florida Summer Camps

clipart: kids at camp

Florida Summer Camps for Kids with Special Needs

The camps listed on this page are for the most part "sleep-over" camps. Day camps and recreational activities are listed by county in Information by Location.

1st Choice Behavior Solutions (Seminole County)

For children with language delays, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and ADHD. A formal diagnosis is NOT needed to attend camp. Early June through Mid-August. Camp activities include one-on-one time with a behavior analyst, group games, group play, arts and crafts, physical play, imagination-building activities, language encouragement sessions, circle time activities, social and play skill building sessions. Each week, a special community helper attends camp as a come-to-us field trip. Community helpers include police, firefighters, zookeepers and others.

Cost is between $135 and $270 per week. Website: www.1CBSolutions.com

Click here for flyer.

Camp Able (Manatee County)

Christian camp for children with special needs ages 12-21 operated by the Diocese of SW Florida and St. Mark's Episcopal Church at Dayspring Episcopal Conference Center in Ellenton.

Rev. Katherine Tate or Tana Sembiante at (800) 992-7699 tsembiante@dioceseswfla.org

or Rev. Kyle Bennett (239) 394-7242 kyle@stmarksmarco.org

Camp Boggy Creek (Lake County)

Camp Boggy Creek is a permanent, year-round facility where children between the ages of 7-16 with chronic or life-threatening illnesses can come at no charge to them or their families. Camp Boggy Creek provides a safe and exciting camp experience for children with: Asthma, Cancer and blood-related disorders, Craniofacial disorders, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Heart disease, Hemophilia, Immunology, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kidney disease, Rheumatic disease, Sickle cell anemia, Spina Bifida, Transplants, Disorders requiring ventilator assistance.

Website: www.boggycreek.org

Camp Thunderbird (Orange County)

Since 1969, Quest’s Camp Thunderbird has been dedicated to providing a real summer camp experience for people with special needs. Each summer, nearly 400 campers of all ages have the time of their lives participating in Camp Thunderbird’s variety of fun activities. From camping, swimming, nature studies and arts & crafts, to canoeing, fishing, evening socials and sports & games, Camp Thunderbird offers the same adventures available at other camp programs - but in a fully-accessible environment tailored to meet the diverse needs of the campers. See link for full pricing information: http://www.questinc.org/camp4.htm

Camp Two-Can (Orange County)

One-week summer camp programs, Monday-Friday 9am-3pm, for children ages 5-15, with and without autism spectrum disorders, from Orange and Seminole Counties. Specific dates for weekly sessions, and program details, available at www.ucf-card.org, beginning in April. Call

Ph: 407-823-6011 or 888-558-1908, or email: ucfcard@.ucf.edu

Cedarkirk Christian Camp & Conference Center (Hillsborough County)

Reach Out is a unique experience for adults (18 and older) with developmental disabilities. Campers have the chance to be part of a supportive community while having the time of their lives swimming, creating crafts, singing, and showing off at the talent show. A high ratio of staff and volunteers help ensure a safe and rewarding experience. Reach Out campers stay in air-conditioned lodges. See website for more information:

http://cedarkirk.org/summer/Reach%20Out.html

DOSA Camps (Flagler County)

DOSA Camps, a Division of the Ministry for Persons with Disabilities of the Diocese of St. Augustine sponsors Camp I Am Special, Camp Promise, and Camp Care which are five-day recreational and residential summer camps for children, teenagers, and young adults with disabilities. Website: www.dosacamps.com

Dream Oaks Camp (Sarasota County)

Dream Oaks Camp provides an exceptional camping experience for children with special needs and chronic illnesses ages 7-17. Dream Oaks Camp is unique, as we are the only camp in the Tampa Bay Area providing year round residential and day sessions for children with varying ability levels (both physical and developmental) and chronic/terminal medical conditions including: (but not limited to) autism, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, developmental delays and cancer patients.

Foundation for Dreams, Inc. www.foundationfordreams.org

Easter Seals Camp Challenge (Lake County)

Camp Challenge is a fully accessible, residential camp for children and adults, aged 6 - 106 with any physical, developmental or cognitive disability. We serve the entire state of Florida. See website for fees. Financial assistance may be available. Download 2013 flyer [pdf]

Web: http://fl.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=FLDR_campchallenge

Florida Diabetes Camps (Alachua County)

Our mission is to provide a fun, safe, educational, and diabetes friendly camp environment for Children with type 1 diabetes and their families where they can gain the confidence, skills and knowledge to achieve their full potential. Web: www.floridadiabetescamp.org

Florida Lions Camp (Polk County)

Private, nonprofit camp established and dedicated to serving the needs of youth and adults with visual impairments and other challenging disabilities. All individuals, five years of age or older, are eligible to attend. A variety of traditional summer camp activities abound; swimming, canoeing, fishing, hiking, camping out and cooking over a fire , games, arts & crafts, singing & dancing, hay-wagon rides, challenge course and much more. Activities are adapted to the age and ability of each camper to ensure maximum participation, safety and fun. Fee is $500, however amount is reduced if parent is willing to be involved in fundraising efforts.

2819 Tiger Lake Road, Lake Wales, FL 33898

863-696-1948 www.lionscampfl.org

Florida School for the Deaf & Blind (St. Johns County)

Offering four different programs this summer (2013) for students and families – Summer Quest, Family Weekend, Leadership Camp, and Summer Day Camp. All four programs are free of cost. Summer Quest - June 16-21, 2013: This overnight camp is open to students, age 8-14 who are deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visually impaired and reside in the state of Florida (non-FSDB students). This program offers a wide array of recreational and social experiences. A typical day includes activities such as: Swimming, Arts/Crafts, Sports/Recreation, Performing Arts, and much more! Web: http://www.fsdb.k12.fl.us/?p=3144

Operation Military Kids (OMK)

the U.S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support the children and youth impacted by deployment. OMK has partnered with National 4-H Clubs, state universities, Boys and Girls Clubs, Cooperative Extension Services, YMCA, Boy Scouts, and many more to offer free summer camps to military kids across the nation. In many locations, Operation Purple camps are hosted by Camp Easter Seals whose mission is to create solutions that change the lives of children and adults with disabilities or other special needs and their families. Check with the camp you are considering to see if they can accommodate your child's specific needs.

www.operationmilitarykids.org Operation Purple

Play Works Therapies Summer Camp (Jacksonville - Duval County)

Program for typical developing children and children with many different exceptionalities from 18 months to 6 years old. The program is taught by Infant Toddler Development Specialists and Speech Language Pathologists. Nine week program beginning June 16th, where you can pick which weeks you want your child to attend. Each week has a theme such as, "Mad Scientists Week" or "Bugs and Blooms Week." Registration Fee: $30.00. Cost for Camp: 2 days/ $60 per week, 3 days/ $90 per week, 4 days/ $120 per week, 5 days/ $140 per week. Before and after care available. Contact: Jill Motsett 904-288-8910

Power Me Kids! (Orange County)

Academic preparatory summer program for 4-5 year olds. Enhance your child's sensory integration and neuromuscular development to support age appropriate engagement in self-care tasks, pre-reading/writing/math, athletic activities, social routines, art and music. Camp is in Maitland. http://www.alltherapyconnection.com/PowerMeKids.html

Very Special Camps

Very Special Camps is an online resource for individuals - with one or more of a wide range of special needs - to effectively obtain information about related summer camp programs and special needs camps. www.veryspecialcamps.com

If you know of a Summer Camp not listed here, please e-mail candace@cflparents.org to have this page updated.

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