Summer Camp: Late Talkers, Children with Autism (Ages 2-5) June 17-20, 2024

Summer Camp for Late Talkers and Children with Autism or Suspected Autism (Ages 2-5)

Hosted by A by G Therapyand Consulting Services - www.abygtherapy.com

Summer Camp for Late Talkers or Children with Autism or Suspected Autism Birmingham, AL

Join us for a fantastic four-day (Monday- Thursday) Summer Camp dedicated to children age 2-5 who are late talkers and children with autism or those showing suspected signs of autism. Camp is for 4 weeks with the option to attend weekly or your child can attend the entire camp. Each week will have a different theme.

Week 3 is from June 17 to June 20, 2024, let's come together for a fun and engaging experience designed to support and empower these incredible kids! Embrace new activities, make new friends, and create lasting memories.

WEEK 3's Theme: ANIMALS!

Each day we will target a different animal group, such as pet/farm, sea animals, zoo animals, and insects of course! This week's theme presents a unique opportunity for these children to explore, themed animal activities which can have a positive impact on language acquisition and communication skills.

A summer camp week with an animal theme provides a rich and engaging environment for children to enhance their language development in various ways:

1. Vocabulary Expansion: An animal-themed camp exposes children to a wide range of vocabulary related to different animals, their habitats, behaviors, and characteristics. Through interactive activities such as animal encounters, storytelling, and arts and crafts, children can learn and practice new words, expanding their vocabulary repertoire.
2. Conceptual Learning: Exploring the animal kingdom offers opportunities for children to learn and understand abstract concepts such as size, color, patterns, and spatial relationships. Hands-on activities like sorting animals by size or identifying animals by their unique features can reinforce these concepts in a meaningful way.
3. Narrative Skills: Animal-themed storytelling and role-playing activities encourage children to use their imagination and creativity. These activities promote language comprehension and expression.
4. Social Interaction: Engaging in animal-themed games, group activities, and cooperative projects fosters social interaction and communication with peers. Children can practice turn-taking, sharing ideas, and collaborating on tasks, enhancing their social skills and pragmatic language abilities.
5. Speech Sound Production: Some animal sounds mimic speech sounds, providing opportunities for children to practice speech sound production in a playful context. Encouraging children to imitate animal sounds or engage in animal-themed tongue twisters can support articulation and phonological development.
6. Literacy Skills: Animal-themed books and songs offer opportunities for literacy development, including print awareness, phonemic awareness, and comprehension skills.

Overall, a summer camp week with an animal theme provides a stimulating and enriching environment for children to enhance their language development through hands-on experiences, social interaction, and creative expression. By immersing themselves in the fascinating world of animals, children can strengthen their language skills while having fun and building lasting memories.

The camp will also feature our Play It Super Safe Program! The Play It Super Safe program, www.abygtherapy.com/autism, is a service offered through our speech therapy clinic. It is a comprehensive initiative designed to support children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)and children with decreased auditory, speech, and language skills in general. This program works well in various social and recreational settings. It focuses on helping the child inclusively respond to their environment helping them thrive, learn, and interact comfortably with their peers. It is a musical intervention that the campers will benefit from simply by listening to the therapeutic music. For a detailed description of the program, visit: www.abygtherapy.com/autism.

Implemented within our summer camp, the Play It Super Safe program will involve several key components:

1. Specialized Intervention: On top of speech, language, and fine motor intervention, campers will also participate in a musical intervention evidenced to help with regulation of the central nervous system in turn helping with speech and language skills and much more!
2. Specialized Training: Camp staff are certified speech-language pathologists or occupational therapists with experience and training to understand the unique needs of children who are late talkers and/or children with ASD.
3. Structured Activities: The program will offer a variety of structured activities designed to promote social interaction, communication skills, and sensory exploration. These activities will be carefully planned to accommodate the diverse interests and abilities of all campers.
4. Visual Supports and Schedules: Visual supports such as visual schedules, picture cards, and social stories will be used to help children navigate daily camp routines and activities, reducing anxiety and promoting independence.
5. Positive Reinforcement and Encouragement: Camp counselors will use positive reinforcement and encouragement to motivate children, building their confidence and self-esteem throughout the camp experience.
6. Community Support: Selected community leaders will visit with the children based on the week's theme to allow real-life learning and exposure.
7. Collaboration with Parents/Guardians: Open communication and collaboration with parents/guardians will be emphasized to ensure continuity of support between home and camp. Feedback will be solicited and incorporated to continually improve the program.

Overall, the Play It Super Safe program aims to create a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment where children who are late talkers and children with ASD can participate fully in the summer camp experience, build friendships, and create lasting memories.