If your kiddo loves music, making art, dancing, or performing, these camps and classes are for them! Check them out here and watch the recording of our Facebook Live event, where we give you the lowdown on many of these awesome options! Be sure to also check out our lists of recreational camps and classes, visual and performing arts camps and classes, social skills camps and classes, therapeutic day camps, and education and STEM programs.
We've put together a guide for how to find the best camp for your child: questions to ask, funding options, and what camps legally have to provide.
And don’t forget that since Regional Center restored social and recreational funding, they can now help pay for summer programs (and support in accessing them). Our Public Benefits Specialist, Lisa Concoff Kronbeck, tells us, “Although funding was restored last summer for social recreation and camping, many regional centers are not adequately prepared to fulfill these funding requests, largely due to a lack of vendored providers. Every Regional Center should have a list of vendors on its website. If you know which program you want your child to attend and it’s not on the list, now is a good time to reach out and find out if they are willing to go through the vendorization process. Another option is to look at vendor lists for other nearby Regional Centers and see if anyone on their list is local to you.” You can read more in our article, Regional Center’s Social-Recreational Funding Is Back!
While we are here to help you navigate the system, save you time, bring you clarity and confidence, and connect you with the best available information and resources, please be aware that Undivided does not officially endorse or represent any of the resources, providers, services, schools, or clinics we reference or suggest. For more information, please refer to the disclaimer at the conclusion of this report.
385 Fairview Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(310) 476-8571
Contact: Gaby Natelson
For more information about any of the Tikvah programs, contact Elana Naftalin Kelman, Tikvah Director.
Type of Camp: Family Camp and Summer Sleepaway Camp
Camp Ramah, located in the Ojai Valley on 450 acres of land near Los Padres National Forest, allows for campers to enjoy the beaches and mountains of Southern California in a kosher and Jewish atmosphere. Camp activities include swimming, sports, musicals, art, cooking, and more. Ramah offers a family camp for those who have children with disabilities and their siblings as well as summer camps for young adults with disabilities. The Tikvah programs are created to support campers and staff members of all abilities. The staff provides support systems, modified schedules, and programs to make sure everyone's needs are met.
Camps and Dates:
Age Range: Varies based on program selection
Cost: The rates for summer 2022 are available on their website, including information about access to financial assistance. Spring discounts are available if you register before March 1, 2022.
Registration: Families are able to enroll for Summer Camp at this time; for family camp, you may reach out to Camp Ramah directly for more information.
Office: 9272 Madison Ave.
Orangevale, CA 95662
Campsite: Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake Gallatin Rd
Susanville, CA 96130
(916) 988-6835
Type of Camp: Sleepaway Camp in Northern California
Camp ReCreation, under the patronage of the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento, has a mission to increase the awareness and acceptance of those with developmental disabilities throughout the community. Accredited by the American Camp Association, they have been serving people with developmental disabilities since 1983. Each year, Camp ReCreation “provides a residential summer camp program as well as engaging year-round activities for its participants to inspire fun, friendship, social interaction, and spiritual growth.” During summer, they host three week-long camp sessions at Camp Ronald McDonald in Eagle Lake, CA. They charge a fee to campers, but that fee only covers a portion of the direct cost, with Camp ReCreation absorbing the difference for every camper. Camp includes such activities as arts and crafts, drama activities like singing and dancing, sports and games, hikes, swimming, canoeing, Bible story activities, and daily Mass.
Camp and Dates: Camp ReCreation offers three summer sessions. Counselors meet in Sacramento and take the bus to Eagle Lake on Saturday.
Age Range: Camp ReCreation accepts campers with disabilities of all ages.
Cost: The fee is $595 per camper, with an optional $70 charge for a return bus ride. They will never turn a camper away because they are unable to afford the cost and will cover part or all of the cost if needed.
Registration: Registration begins by applying on the registration page of their website.
22988 Ferretti Road
Groveland, CA 95321
(209) 962-7534
Program Director: Jacqui Montero
Type of Camp: Family Camp and Summer Sleepaway Camp
Camp Tuolumne Trails in Groveland, CA, is dedicated to providing an enriching and fun camp experience in a facility especially designed and built for children, teens, and adults with disabilities. They offer a traditional camp experience, and all of their activities are fully accessible. The camp staff members are trained to ensure that activities are accessible at multiple ability levels and age ranges. In addition to their ADA-accessible pool, campers enjoy activities including arts and crafts, archery, gold-panning, naturalist walks, scavenger hunts, campfires, sing-alongs, and much more. The camp facilities are also fully ADA-accessible.
Camps and Dates:
Sleep Away Camps: Week-long sessions from June through August
Family Camp: July 30 to August 1, 2022
Age Range: All ages
Cost: The cost of the camps varies by session length.
Registration: For more information about the 2022 camp program, you may visit their website, including a link to their registration partner, Active. Registration is now open.
45895 California Hwy 49
Ahwahnee, CA 93601
(510) 222-6662
Type of Camp: Sleepaway Camp
Camping Unlimited provides recreational activities in a sleepaway camp setting for campers of all ages and abilities. Originally located in Boulder Creek, Camp Krem has relocated to Awahanee, CA, while their original property undergoes restoration following last year’s wildfires. Their main camp offers a traditional program with small groups of campers sharing a cabin with their counselors. Campers are free to choose activities that interest them from a selection of swimming, hiking, arts and crafts, music, drama, animal care, nature study, talent shows, sport, dance, and much more. Activities and facilities are wheelchair accessible in most areas of the property. For their first summer season at their new location in Ahwahnee, the general supervision ratio is 1:3, with 1:1 supervision available at extra cost; however, their 1:1 spaces will be very limited this summer. Priority will go to returning 1:1 campers, and then new campers will be enrolled from a waitlist, space permitting. The supervision ratio will be determined prior to camp after the conclusion of the intake and application process.
Dates: Dates for the summer camp are still being determined, but the information will be posted on their website as soon as it’s finalized. During the month of May, Camp Krem will invite families to their open house, where they will have opportunities to tour the facility and meet the staff.
Age Range: Campers range in age from eight to older adults, depending on the length and type of sessions. Generally, all ages attend the same sessions, but cabins will be assigned to similar age groups as closely as possible.
Cost: Fees are still being determined but will be posted on their website as soon as they are finalized. Camping Unlimited: Camp Krem is vendored by San Andreas Regional Center. According to Administrative Assistant/Registrar Gail Zigenis, in the past, if a camper was approved for out-of-home respite services, Regional Center would often cover a portion of the fees, but parents would be responsible for a share of the cost.
Registration: Registration for camp can be done online.
255 Cal Road
Soda Springs, CA 95728
(619) 227-4125
Assistant Camp Director for Camp Wamp: Ale Bruyere
Type of Camp: Summer Sleepaway Camp
Camp Wamp, located near North Lake Tahoe in the High Sierras, offers “children with physical challenges the opportunity to have a week of their life in the great outdoors.” At Camp Wamp, children enjoy a sleep-away week of camping and experience everything the outdoors has to offer. Campers enjoy a variety of activities including fishing, canoeing, singing around the campfire, hiking, making new friends, participating in survival challenges, and much more. The camp does have experience working with non-speaking children; many of their campers are non-speaking. They have a 1:1 camper-counselor ratio, so each camper will have their own counselor to aid them in anything and everything 24/7. This includes feeding, toileting, dressing, bathing, transferring in and out of their wheelchair, etc. You may be interested in a film based on the founder of Camp Wamp, Wampler's Ascent, featuring Stephen Wampler as he scales "El Capitan" in Yosemite National Park. Stephen has a severe form of cerebral palsy and overcomes adversity and physical challenges in the film.
Camps and Dates:
Age Range: All ages. Camp sessions are divided into two categories:
Cost: They raise money year-round to send kids to camp cost-free to families. They know it can be expensive to raise a child with a disability, so they never want money to be a worry. Some parents do donate money if they can, but other than that, the cost is on the camp!
Registration: Summer 2022 registration is open at Camper Registration.
P.O. Box 7275, #1 Minaret Road
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
(760) 934-0791
Program Director: Maggie Palcha
Type of Camp: Family Overnight Camps and Daily Activities Sessions
Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra is a non-profit organization offering year-round adaptive sports opportunities to individuals of all ages with any disability. Their instructors are skilled in dealing with individuals with a variety of abilities and disabilities, skill levels, and communication needs. In the winter, they offer Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, and snowboarding. In the summer, they offer cycling (both road and mountain), flat water paddling, rock climbing, hiking, and more. Depending on each individual’s intellectual, cognitive, and physical ability level as well as their goals, most of these sports can be adapted to accommodate any individual. The staff shared that it is best to provide them with your child’s individual needs so that they can discuss specific sports, and they are happy to chat with you by phone. They assess each athlete both through their online information form and through telephone and in-person assessments to get the best picture of their abilities, so the staff can adapt and set the child up for success. Activities and facilities are wheelchair accessible. The camp is not paved, but they provide accessible restrooms and have had a good number of individuals in wheelchairs participate.
Camps and Dates:
Age Range: All ages
Cost: Daily lessons are $105 per session, so a full day would be $210. Camp fees vary. They work with Kern Regional Center. Scholarships are available on request.
Registration: While they are not taking reservations for summer yet, they would be happy to add your name to their list of those interested in their summer camps. Please call if you have any further questions. You may connect with Program Director Maggie Palchak by phone Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at (760) 793-3023 or at their office on Wednesdays.
17000 Elizabeth Lake Rd.
PO Box 455
Lake Hughes, CA 93532
(661) 724-1550 Ext. 203
Camp Admissions Manager: Carlie Green
Type of Camp: Sleepaway Camp, Overnight Family Weekends, and Virtual Camp Sessions
Founded by Paul Newman in 1999, the mission of The Painted Turtle is to provide an opportunity for kids with medical conditions to just be kids. Located just outside of Los Angeles in Lake Hughes, California, The Painted Turtle has served tens of thousands of children and families since opening in 2004. Their mission is to provide a year-round, life-changing environment for children and their families by allowing children to participate in an authentic camp experience, supporting their medical needs, and offering their families care, education, and respite. As a Medical Specialty Camp, they support campers with a wide range of diagnoses, including cerebral palsy.
Camps and Dates:
The Cabin Chat Series is a popular event for campers and siblings ages six to eighteen to connect with other Painted Turtle Friends. Every Tuesday evening February 8–March 15, Camp at Home: Family Weekend provides camp from the comfort of your home. There’s a three-day program for connecting children and families online where everyone receives a Camp in a Box full of activities and supplies.
The Painted Turtle invites families who are living with medical challenges to experience a weekend of camp in spring, winter, or fall. Families will enjoy such activities as campfires, carnivals, woodshop experience, fishing, arts and crafts, and more. The Painted Turtle says, “Fall and Spring Family Weekends include parents and siblings in the enjoyment of an authentic camp experience and offer much-needed respite, recreation, and family time. For many families, their weekend at camp is their annual vacation, one they are only able to take because of our onsite medical support."
The Painted Turtle welcomes children ages seven to sixteen for one of their five-day Summer Camp Sessions in 2022. In each session, campers will have an opportunity to participate in horseback rides and evening campfires; children can become artists, swimmers, athletes, canoe paddlers, stargazers, actors on stage, adventurers, and, most importantly, friends. The campers form a unique community, living in cabins alongside other kids with similar medical conditions. With the support of peers, counselors, and onsite medical staff, campers are free to be themselves. Each session focuses on serving children with one of the medical conditions found most in need of camp opportunities.
Age Range: Varies depending on program
Cost: All programs at The Painted Turtle are free of charge!
Registration: Applications are now open with availability for all sessions. They hold some spaces until camp gets closer for new campers, but they encourage applying ASAP! To join the fun, please check The Painted Turtle’s website for the 2022 Calendar and camper eligibility to determine the best program and session for your family. All programs require an application on CampSite, The Painted Turtle’s Camper Database. They encourage families to apply as soon as possible.
43101 Goldmine Drive
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
(909) 584-0269
Administrative Assistant: Shelly L Egerer
Type of Camp: Family Overnight Camps and Single-Day Participation Camp
The United States Adaptive Recreation Center (USARC) offers an adaptive outdoor activity experience for everyone to enjoy as a family. USARC opens summer day camps in July and August, located in Serrano Campground in Big Bear Lake. There are single-day sessions and two-day, two-night overnight camp sessions. Single-day participation includes water skiing, paddle sports, fishing, and nature walks. USARC shares that for “water contact sports, swimming ability is not necessary, but all participants must wear a flotation vest and be able to hold their breath and right themselves from a face-down position in ten seconds.” They will require you to confirm this at the time you make your reservation. For safety reasons, participation may be limited or prevented due to certain disabilities or other factors.
Camps and Dates: July and August
The USARC offers single-day sessions on Tuesdays “focusing on paddle sports and fishing or a nature walk along beautiful Big Bear Lake.” Day sessions begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break (lunch is not provided during day sessions). This takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays, dates TBD.
The USARC offers single-day sessions on Wednesdays and Thursdays “focusing on water skiing and paddle sports. A group booking an entire session may substitute activities.”
Day Sessions: July and August dates TBD
Overnight sessions at Serrano Campground in Big Bear Lake include instruction in the above water sports activities combined with an accessible camping experience at night. Serrano Campground’s “accessible toilets and showers, as well as some paved surfaces, blend some necessary conveniences with a wilderness experience, and electrical outlets are available in nearby facilities. Still, an element of rugged individualism should be expected.” They camp out in tents and have a few to loan out to those who need it. Hotels and cabins are not provided by USARC, but some participants prefer to book their own room rather than sleep in a tent (USARC does not pay for hotel stays). Meals are provided during overnight camp; the activities include water skiing, tube riding, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, and sailing when the lake levels are high enough. Overnight Session 1: July 24-26, Sunday–Tuesday Overnight Session 2: July 27-29, Wednesday–Friday Note: USARC shares that during summer programs, non-disabled family members, friends, and aides of participants with a disability are welcome to pay the fee and participate fully. Fees include a campfire snack on the first evening and all meals through lunch on the last day, camping fees, permits and licenses, instruction, and use of all water activity equipment. Among other personal items, participants must provide their own sleeping bag and a washable or disposable place setting with cup, plate, bowl, and utensils.
Age Range: All ages
Cost:
Regional Center Funding: USARC is eligible for Regional Center funds. Most students participate using the self-determination program through Regional Center.
Annual Registration Fee: Families are asked to pay an annual registration fee and to remit payment within two weeks of making reservations, payable by credit card or check. USARC’s annual registration fee is valid for the calendar year. Annual registration is $35 for individuals, $50 for families, and $100 for groups.
Lesson Fees: All lesson fees are due in full and are non-refundable one month prior to your reserved date.
Registration: You may inquire with Administrative Assistant Shelly L Egerer for more information regarding registration and when the dates of activities will be made available.
P.O. Box 3367
Crestline, CA 92325
(909) 338-1102 ext. 5003
Camp Director: Kelly Kunsek Camper Services Coordinator: Tina Fraynd
Type of Camp: Sleepaway camp in Lake Arrowhead
While they are holding in-person camp this year, they are not accepting any new camper applications as they are offering those who were registered in 2020 first option, which will result in their session being at capacity for summer 2022.
SInce 1947, AbilityFirst’s Camp Paivika has been holding camp in the San Bernardino Mountains to provide campers with disabilities a traditional camping experience in a safe and nurturing environment. In addition to summer camp, they hold winter and spring programs, a fall Outdoor Adventure camp, a Group Ski Trip in the winter, and a Mom’s Retreat in the spring. Camp Paivika offers overnight summer programs for people of all ages with mild to severe developmental and physical disabilities such as autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and Down syndrome. The Summer Camp Activities typically include swimming, horseback riding, adaptive sports and recreation, creative arts and crafts, performing arts, and nature studies in the summer. Campers develop social skills as well as independence and confidence.
199 Technology Dr. #100
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 387-5219
Program Manager for RAD Camp: Lauren Moore
Type of Camp: In-Person Overnight Camp
While they are holding in-person summer camps in 2022 at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, they are full, and the waitlist for summer camp is closed at this time. However, they recommend that interested families add their email to their newsletter list (via their website) so that they can stay up to date on all things RAD if the waitlist re-opens and for when next summer's registration goes live. This is a great camp to consider for next summer.
RAD focuses on empowering children with disabilities, and their staff and volunteers are trained to support campers with disabilities. The environment is open and accepting and recognizes that everyone has gifts. At RAD, campers develop life skills in fun and creative ways. RAD offers a series of overnight weekend and summer camp programs every year. They provide services to support individuals with more significant support; every camper gets a 1:1 aide, and there is nursing staff on site.
Camps:
A word on possibilities and limitations: Undivided is here to help you navigate the system, save you time, bring you clarity and confidence, and connect you with the best available information and resources. We do not officially endorse or represent any of the resources, providers, services, schools, or clinics we reference or suggest. It is your family’s responsibility to investigate and ensure the safety, suitability, and best practices of any activity you undertake or any company or individual you choose to work with. Regarding COVID-19, Undivided encourages its members to monitor publicly available information and to always follow federal, state, and local health organization guidance and government mandates. We are not authorized to provide legal advice. Any information, documents, or communication provided or exchanged between Undivided and users of Undivided’s services does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it covered by attorney-client privilege or confidentiality. If you need legal advice, please consult with an attorney. Ultimately, all care decisions must be made by you in concert with your child’s school district and their healthcare, insurance, and other service providers.
