Summer Camp: Late Talkers, Children with Autism (Ages 2-5) June 24-27, 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 4 is from June 24 to June 27, 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 4's Theme: TRANSPORTATION!

Each day we will target a different transportation group, such as water, land, air, and emergency vehicles of course! This week's theme presents a unique opportunity for these children to explore, themed transportation activities which can have a positive impact on language acquisition and communication skills. We may even have a few special uniformed visitors this week!

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

1. Vocabulary Enrichment: An transportation-themed camp introduces children to a diverse range of transportation modes, including cars, trains, planes, boats, and more. Through interactive activities such as pretend play, storytelling, and exploration of transportation-related objects, children can learn and practice new vocabulary associated with different vehicles, their parts, and their functions.
2. Conceptual Understanding: Exploring the world of transportation allows children to grasp play language such as speed and movement. Hands-on activities such as building paper airplanes and racing toy cars, creating transportation-themed crafts, and navigating obstacle courses can reinforce these concepts in a tangible and engaging way.
3. Language Expression: Engaging in transportation-themed activities encourages children to express themselves verbally related to various modes of transportation. Through role-playing, children will be exposed to and practice using descriptive language, spatial concepts, and action verbs to communicate their ideas effectively.
4. Social Interaction: Children can practice turn-taking and sharing enhancing their social skills and pragmatic language abilities in a supportive environment.
5. Problem-Solving Skills: Many transportation-themed activities involve problem-solving and critical thinking, such as planning routes, solving puzzles, and troubleshooting "mechanical" problems. Engaging in these activities fosters cognitive skills and language development as children articulate their strategies, analyze challenges, and communicate solutions with their peers.
6. Literacy Integration: Transportation-themed books, songs, and rhymes offer opportunities for literacy development, including print awareness, phonological awareness, and comprehension skills. Reading and discussing transportation-related literature can enhance language comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and storytelling abilities.

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.