Specialized Recreation Camps

Sensory Friendly & Specialized activities and camps are meant for individuals with any kind of intellectual, developmental, and/or sensory processing disability that may affect their ability to successfully engage in general camps and programs. If you are unsure if you or your child qualify, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Camps are highly structured and integrated with opportunities for participant choice wherever possible. Camp locations are selected to be secure and fully fenced/contained, staff are familiar with supporting individuals with disability and receive specialized training, and staff ratios are higher than in general camps and activities. Supports such as visual schedules and timers, transition warnings, sensory tools, and quiet room are already planned into the curriculum.

While we cannot provide 1:1 support, our staffing ratio is much higher than in general camps. However, if your child requires 1:1 supervision, they are welcome to attend with a caregiver with advance notice via our Accommodation Request Form. Please note that even with an accommodation request, site staff are not able to perform hands on help in the bathroom, any behavioral response that entails putting hands on a camper in any way, and/or medical support including medication administration or management.

Please submit an Accommodation Request form detailing any extra supports your child may need in addition to those already listed in this FAQ for our team to review at least 2 weeks before the start of the program. Accommodation requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and decisions will be communicated within 10 days of request submission. Please note that even if an accommodation is granted, all participant are expected to present safe behavior during camp. Those who exhibit behavior that poses a safety risk to themselves or others may be withdrawn from the camp. Please note that even with an accommodation request, site staff are not able to perform hands on help in the bathroom, any behavioral response that entails putting hands on a camper in any way, and/or medical support including medication administration or management.

Participants can be dropped off and picked up at the cafeteria door of Mary Lyon Elementary School, which is a side door at the top of the ramp in the front wall of the building. Please have an ID ready for pick up and ensure all who pick up your participant are on our approved pick up and/or emergency contact list. To add people to this list, please reach out to [email protected]. Late pick ups may be subject to extra fees.

Please send your child with a packed lunch (no peanuts, please) and any highly preferred snacks for the day, as well as a reusable bottle of water. If your child would benefit from any specific sensory tools such as headphones or chewies you are welcome to send those as well, but please do not send anything of great personal or financial value as we cannot guarantee items sent may not become lost or broken while at camp. Please keep electronic devices such as tablets and phones as home.

Parents can register for camps by selecting one the upcoming activities above and clicking the “register” button to sign up via the ActiveNet portal.

• If you are not able to register please contact our please contact the Adaptive & Specialized Recreation team at (253) 404-3955 or contact Recreation Coordinator Katt Merilo at [email protected] for assistance.
• If the session is full, please sign on to the waitlist; we may be able to open up more spots depending on staffing.

For questions about our Specialized & Sensory Friendly camps, please reach out to our team at [email protected].

Please complete the Accommodation Request Form for any sensory, behavioral, health (including any epi pens), structural, or other needs you anticipate your camper needing in camp.

Allergy information can be emailed to [email protected]. Please note that in general, camp staff is unable to administer medications.

If you have questions about whether or not we would be able to accommodate your request, please still submit a request form and we will be in touch. You are also welcome to email pdfs of any IEPs, BIPs, or other documentation to [email protected]. Emailing of any documents is entirely optional and information provided will be treated as confidential and only used to support the creation of supports for your camper.

Please apply sunscreen and/or any desired bug spray for your camper before camp and ensure they are wearing clothing appropriate for spending the full camp time outdoors and in constant movement in the varied environments of camp. Please also send:

• a change of clothes
• any desired headwear to protect against the sun
• a bottle of water
• any sensory, communication, or other tools that will help your camper be successful during the day.

For questions about our Specialized & Sensory Friendly camps, please reach out to our team at [email protected].