Recreational Activities and Therapy Facility
1808 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
(310) 581-8101
Info@AdriansPlaceSM.com
Format: In-person programs
Adrian’s Place is a community hub located in Santa Monica offering recreational, social, and academic programs for individuals of all abilities. The facility is designed for program directors, activity instructors, tutors, and therapists to use as a convenient location to grow their programs.
Their Summer Enrichment Camp will include classes on life skills, social skills, collaborative thinking, self-expression, peer interaction, and problem-solving. Activities will include cooking, music, sports, photography, field trips, and community outreach.
Dates and times: June 12–August 4, 2023, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Adrian’s Place requires campers to attend for the whole week or for two to three days. If you would like to register for one day only and there is space available for a single day, they will notify you a minimum of one week in advance to confirm your attendance.
Location: Santa Monica
Register: To begin the process, fill out the registration form here.
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 13–17 and 18+. All abilities are welcome.
1:1 aide: If an aide is helpful for your child, contact the camp team to discuss your needs. Any participants who are not self-sufficient in the bathroom or require personal care will need to have a caregiver or support person present.
6001 Chesebro Rd.
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
(917) 697-2227
Licensed Clinical Psychologist: Dr. Lesli Preuss
Format: In-person day camp
Buddy-Building Camp is a summer day program developed by Dr. Lesli Preuss, a licensed child psychologist with nearly 20 years of experience. The camp is designed for families with young children who struggle in more mainstream camp programs. The philosophy of the program is “to use sports, arts, and nature to help children with social and emotional delays overcome some of their difficulties.” Buddy Camp helps participants learn the basic skills required to participate in typical sports (e.g., soccer, kickball, football) as well as team-building skills, sportsmanship, conflict resolution, and cooperative play. Camp activities include visiting many of the museums in the city, exploring the outdoors, enjoying nature, playing at the playgrounds, and exercising.
Dates and times:
June 19–23, June 26–30, July 3–7, and July 10–14, 2023
8:30 a.m.–3:45 p.m.
Location: Agoura Hills
Register: Contact Dr. Lesli Preuss to register and get additional information. Call (917) 697-2227 or email Lpreuss33@gmail.com. Consultation with Dr. Preuss is required before new campers can be accepted into the summer program.
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 8–13, but the age range is flexible. The majority of campers are kids with autism, ADHD, emotional disabilities, learning disabilities, speech/language disabilities, and emotional disabilities.
1:1 aide: Campers don’t have 1:1 aides, but Preuss purposefully keeps the number of campers small to ensure kids receive individualized attention from her and the counselors.
1523 Wellesley Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 494-6889
info@bloompediatrics.com
Format: In-person morning or day camp
This summer, Bloom Pediatrics is hosting an in-person camp designed with the principles of occupational therapy in mind. Their team will lead small groups in a peaceful, home-based setting as kids participate in music, obstacle courses, circle time, games, and more. Camp Bloom supports children’s sensory exploration, fine and gross motor development, social thinking abilities, communication skills, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. Planned activities are interspersed with opportunities for free play within a structured setting.
Dates and times:
June 5–September 1, 2023
Half-day program: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Full-day program: Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Camps are offered in one-week increments.
Location: Los Angeles
Register: You may register for camp and view more information online here.
Cost: $875 to $1,325 per week
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 2.5–6, but they’re flexible. Children do not need to be receiving occupational therapy to participate and do not need to be toilet trained to attend.
1:1 aide: Campers don’t have 1:1 aides but are placed in small groups based on their age, abilities, areas of strength, and areas of stretch. There are no more than four children per group, so all the kids get individualized attention.
(510) 951-1889 Short-Term Programs Coordinator: Erica Hogle Format: In-person or online course
California School for the Blind’s Summer Academy programs offer students a chance to try out new technology and build social skills while having fun. Kids and teens can choose from a variety of themed camp weeks based on their interests. Participants can attend only one course per week but frequently participate in more than one week throughout the summer.
Dates:
Location: Fremont or online
Register: To express interest in a course, fill out this CSB Summer Academy Interest Form.
Cost: Free
Ages and disabilities Served: Ages 9 and up. Students attending CSB courses have varying types and degrees of visual impairments—they do not need to be legally blind to participate.
1:1 aide: Students don’t have access to 1:1 aides.
Momentum: Pediatric Therapy Network
1815 213th Street, Suite 100
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 328-0276
Occupational Therapist: Karen Rodriguez, MS, OTR/L, (310) 328-0276 ext. 364
Format: In-person day camp
Camp Escapades is a summer camp for children with disabilities and their siblings, which gives kids a chance to experience greater neurodiversity. Camp groups are run by occupational, physical, or speech therapists along with paraprofessional educators and teen volunteers. Campers will be invited to participate in sensory experiences, dance, sports, fine motor skill development, music, games, yoga, cooking, and special events.
Dates and times: August 2023 (check the website later this spring for specific dates) Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Location: Palos Verdes Peninsula
Register: Registration will open up later this spring. Keep checking the website for updates as to when registration will open.
Cost: The cost has been approximately $500 per week in the past. They are also vendored with Harbor Regional Center.
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 5–14. Activities and facilities are wheelchair-accessible.
1:1 aides: Camp Escapades has experience helping campers with significant support needs. They have also had many campers who are accompanied by a nurse or 1:1 aide provided by their family. Campers who need additional support or who do not meet the eligibility requirements might have a behavioral therapist, family member, or nurse attend with them. In addition to outside support, each camper is paired with a 1:1 buddy, typically a high school student or college student who is exploring occupations working with children with disabilities. The buddies aren’t formal aides, but they encourage their campers to participate in camp activities.
1952 S. Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 280-0955
Program Director: Miriam Rav-Noy
Format: In-person day camp
Friendship Circle of Los Angeles serves Jewish youth with disabilities by connecting them with their peers through workshops and social events, including a summer day camp. Jewish teens from the community work as volunteer counselors for the FCLA summer camp. While at camp, kids and teens socialize and participate in games, sports, activities, and field trips
Dates and times:
July 24–August 11, 2023
Monday–Thursday 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., and Fridays 9:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
Hours may be extended slightly on field trip days, but parents will be notified in advance should this be the case.
Location: Los Angeles
Register: Prospective campers and their parents can register for FCLA on their website’s registration page. After this general registration, campers will have an intake meeting with the Program Director Miriam Rav-Noy, and an additional application process specifically for the summer camp can begin after that. Parents can email Miriam Rav-Noy for more information about beginning the process.
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 5–18. FCLA welcomes kids with a range of disabilities. While FCLA does not currently have any campers who are wheelchair users, they will do their best to secure transportation and facilities that are wheelchair accessible with advance notice. Due to COVID, their usual camp locations have been unavailable, and they have had to use other facilities, so they are unable to guarantee wheelchair accessibility at this time.
1:1 aide: Campers aren't given 1:1 aides, but they are each partnered with a teen volunteer or buddy. They’re also welcome to attend camp with their own aide present.
2108 Vail Avenue
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
(310) 214-6677
info@friendshipfoundation.com
Format: In-person day camp and field trips
The Friendship Foundation provides families who have children and young adults with disabilities a “safe, accepting, and inclusive environment where they can enjoy sports, art, music, and many other social programs with their peers.” Their staff and volunteers work to create a fun experience for all. During Friendship Camp, kids can participate in games, art, science activities, cooking, sports, and field trips.
In addition to Friendship Camp, families can register to participate in other summer activities including the Dogwood Camping Trip, a weeklong Beach Camp, hiking and swimming at the Camp Conrad Retreat, and Fun Friday field trips to Catalina Island and Knott’s Soak City.
Dates and times:
Late June through early August 2023
Times TBD
Camp will be off the week of July 4.
Location: Manhattan Beach
Register: Keep checking the website for updates on 2023 registration; dates should be up in late March or early April. Once camp dates are live, you can register through the website.
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Age varies based on program. The Friendship Foundation serves campers with a range of disabilities. Facilities at Pacific Elementary School are wheelchair-accessible.
1:1 aide: The Friendship Foundation has experience working with campers who need additional support from an aide or caregiver. While they do not provide aide services, they permit families to bring aides as needed to any of their programs, and they do provide a 1:1 volunteer for each camper.
1137 S. Point View Street
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(323) 641-3662
Pediatric occupational therapist: Leah Hiller
Format: In-person and virtual classes
Leah Hiller specializes in working with children with autism and other sensory processing disorders. Hiller Therapy was designed to meet the needs of each individual child and family through play-based occupational therapy in a natural outdoor setting. Hiller Therapy offers several group programs kids of various ages can get involved in over the summer, including Social Club, Handwriting Club, and Executive C.H.E.F.S. We have highlighted two of their programs below.
This camp is designed as a cooking game show where kids will “build executive functions, sensory strategies for self-regulation, and social skills.” From their kitchens at home, kids will cook for their families while solving brain teasers and working collaboratively. Recipes and shopping lists are provided before the session begins so that you can purchase ingredients.
Dates and times: Each session meets on six consecutive Mondays and Wednesdays.
Location: At home over Zoom
Register: To register for this group, contact leah@hillertherapy.com, call (323) 641-3662, or schedule a consultation online.
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 7–12. Kids don’t have to be in occupational therapy to benefit from participating in Executive C.H.E.F.S.
1:1 aides: Groups are run by Leah Hiller and master’s level occupational therapy students, and there is a 2:1 student-to-therapist ratio. Since the classes are held over Zoom, parents can be nearby to help too.
Kids in the Handwriting Club are taught using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum, a multisensory approach to writing. Camp takes place at Hiller Therapy, an indoor/outdoor OT therapy studio. Activities will take place both indoors and outdoors, so children are encouraged to wear clothes that are okay to get dirty, closed-toed shoes, socks, and sunscreen. (Shoes may be removed inside.)
Dates and times:
A parent workshop is offered via Zoom prior to the start of the group.
Location: Los Angeles
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 5–8. Kids don’t have to be in OT to participate.
Cost:
Registration: Register online here.
1:1 aides: Participants don’t have a 1:1 aide, but groups are capped at eight participants to make sure there is a 2:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Fountain Valley Sports Complex
16400 Brookhurst St.
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 490-3428
Director: Dr. Jodie Knott
Format: In-person day camp
For summer 2023, Quest Therapeutic Camps is offering four themed weeks for their summer camp program. This year’s themes are drama and movie week, video games and social media week, STEAM week, and Olympics week. The Quest therapeutic model incorporates cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and social skills development. The skills kids practice at camp are transferable to everyday life.
Dates and times:
June 26–July 21, 2023
Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.
Campers must attend all four weeks.
Register: Create an account to begin the registration process.
Location: Fountain Valley
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 6–18. Services are specifically designed for children with mild to moderate behavioral, emotional, and/or social difficulties. Campers don’t need a specific diagnosis to participate, but many previous participants have been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, anxiety, learning disabilities, and difficulties with sensory processing.
1:1 aides: Participants don’t have a 1:1 aide, but the program has a purposefully low camper-to-staff ratio so that campers get plenty of personal attention.
31641 La Novia Ave.
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 661-0108 ext. 1226
Executive Director: Lindsay Eres
Format: In-person day camp
Special Camp provides week-long sessions consisting of daily activities and local field trips. Previous years have included visits to the OC Zoo, Knott’s Berry Farm, and regional beaches and pools. Each camper is provided with their own counselor in an effort to form personal relationships and serve campers with a wide range of abilities.
Dates and times:
Register: You can apply by using the registration page on their website.
Location: San Juan Capistrano (plus other locations for field trips)
Cost:
Ages and disabilities served: Ages 6–21. Camp staff has experience working with campers with a range of disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, and epilepsy. Special Camp generally has a number of wheelchair users attending, so the staff is committed to wheelchair accessibility as much as possible.
1:1 aides: Although campers don’t technically have 1:1 aides, Special Camp has a 1:1 ratio of campers to counselors.
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