For working parents, we don’t always get as many days off as our kids do for school holiday and other breaks. If your child is in a year-round or balanced calendar school system, then they may have two weeks off both for fall and spring breaks. They also usually get about two weeks off for the holidays as well. So what can parents do for their autistic children if they need childcare during those times? You can consider a holiday or school break camp for your child with autism and ADHD and have your child gain the benefits from attending.
When my son J was younger, we enrolled him and his brother in holiday camps during the year-end holiday and spring breaks. It not only gave him something fun to do, but it gave my husband a much needed respite during the week since he was the stay-at-home parent. J mostly enjoyed his days at camp, and we usually enrolled him for about three days each week. He was able to play with other kids, learn something new and enjoy a day of more structured activity.
Why consider a holiday camp for your child with autism and ADHD?
Camps provide a lot of benefits for autistic and ADHD kids – as well as you the parent too. Here are some benefits to take into account as you decide whether a holiday camp would be good for your autistic child:
1. Maintain a routine schedule
Going to camp helps you to maintain a more normal routine for your autistic child and give them structure to their day. If you enroll them in the same camp for each holiday or school break, then they will learn the days’ cadence and routines and look forward to going back to the camp each year. We did this with our son J with most holiday and school breaks at our local YMCA. For summer camps, we had more to choose from, and for several years he went to the summer camp at my work that was run by the YMCA.
2. Give them a chance to practice social skills
Because they will be interacting with other children (and new children who they don’t always see like at school), it’s a great opportunity for them to socialize and practice their social skills.
3. Help them learn independence
When a child is at camp, they are away from their parents and have to learn new ways of doing things. That can be a great way to learn independence, especially as many camp counselors have older children be responsible for their own things in their room at the camp.
4. Boost their confidence
Learning new things and interacting with others is a great way for autistic children to boost their confidence by attending camp.
5. Keep them from getting bored
Attending a holiday camp can keep your autistic and ADHD child from getting bored during the day. They have lots of activities and play at camp to keep them entertained and active.
6. Increase their skills
If your child attends a specialty camp for gymnastics, soccer, drama, dance, music or other specific activities, they can learn new skills.
7. Provide childcare
Whether you have to work during your child’s school breaks or just need some time to get things done or rest, holiday camps can be a blessing for parents who need help during that time.
Finding holiday camps
So how do you find holiday camps in your area? Many camps post information online, so you can search for them in your area or check calendar of events through your community or local media. A lot of YMCAs offer camps during holidays and school breaks. Your school system or local parks department may offer them as well. Here are some other ways and listings from VeryWellHealth to find camps for autistic children.
Have you enrolled your child with autism and ADHD in holiday camps before? What was your experience? Leave a comment below so that we can share and encourage each other along this journey.
