This is a list where parents can share personal recommendations and reviews for the best special needs summer camps around Los Angeles and Orange County.
If you're looking for the right camps for autism, ADHD or other developmental, learning or physical special needs, we hope you'll find the perfect fit for your family on this list. These favorites offer fun for kids with all abilities while building independence, social skills and friendships.
Do you have experience with any special needs camps near LA and OC? Please share your reviews below to help fellow parents!
Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times
Kids who have experienced childhood cancer have a unique set of needs, and this Ronald McDonald camp caters to them and their families. Traditional camp activities supervised by medically competent staff keep kids safe but allow them to enjoy the same camp experience as their peers. Siblings are also welcome, and parent too, during Family Camp.
Camp Conrad Chinnock
Camp programs cater to kids with diabetes, and include arts and crafts, swimming, canoeing, archery, campfires, hiking, rock climbing, and camping. Camp Conrad Chinnock also helps kids develop the skills they need to manage their diabetes care independently- and they offer busing to camp.
Camp Paivika
This fully accessible camp caters to kids with mild to severe developmental and physical abilities. Kids with autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other conditions can get together for outdoor fun and peer participation. Adapted warm-water swimming, horseback riding, nature studies, sports activities, and evening campfires get kids and teens outdoors, while arts and crafts and performing arts round out the program.
Spectrum Speak Up
Part of Chance Theater’s award-winning Speak Up program, Spectrum Speak Up is an entirely free summer theater program for young people on the autism spectrum. The six-week program focuses on empowering youth by helping them find their voice, and culminates in a live performance of a play created and performed by students.
Camp James
Camp James' inclusive policies make it easy for kids with mild special needs to participate with same-age peers. Traditional day camp activities like archery, arts and crafts, dance, drama, laser tag, martial arts, miniature golf, rock climbing, swimming, and a lot more keep kids entertained, and a rotating schedule ensures plenty of time to try everything.
The Painted Turtle
The Painted Turtle caters to kids with severe medical conditions, and each session serves a specific group's needs. Even children requiring round-the-clock medical care can attend, and campers can enjoy swimming, fishing, horseback riding, a wheelchair-accessible ropes course, organic farm, and more. They also offer family camp weekends where the whole camp can have fun in a supportive environment. *See website for additional requirements.
LA Speech & Language Therapy Center - Say N’ Play Summer Day Camp
Whether your child is reaching speech targets in school-year programs or needs intensive support over summer, this LA-area speech center combines therapy with traditional camp activities for an immersive and language-rich experience. Camps expose kids dramatic arts, chess, cooking, sign language, tennis and more.
Kids Like Me: Summer Camps
Kids Like Me’s camps are a safe and enriching environment for neurodiverse 6-17-year-olds across the autism spectrum and other special needs to engage, experience, and explore. Campers will be matched to ensure an appropriate peer group for learning and fun and participate in a wide range of social skills and fun activities such as fun & fitness, engaging games, science experiments, arts & crafts, and so much more! Siblings are welcome.
Primary photo: Janko Ferlič on Unsplash
Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.
