Camp Fire believes in serving kids of all backgrounds and abilities including neurodivergence, mental health concerns, and other support needs. Learn more below to determine if Camp Fire Community Day Camps are a good fit for your camper. Learn more below to determine if Camp Fire Day Camps are a good fit for your camper.
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Camper Support Form
All campers with extra support needs are asked to complete the Community Day Camper Support Form, a confidential and detailed form to help us consider all the ways that we can make camp a good experience for your child. This form will be reviewed by our camp director team during the spring, and we may contact caregivers for more information or further clarification. We may work with caregivers to consider a different session or program if it will be a better fit for your child.
Essential Requirements for Participation
It’s important for us to be realistic and transparent about what level of support we are able to provide for campers. There are many factors that determine a child’s success at camp. Our goal is to partner with caregivers to understand your child’s needs, and together identify the supports and accommodations that will provide the best opportunities for success. Due to the nature of camp and the experience/training of our volunteers and staff these are the minimum requirements that a child must be able to meet (with some assistance, guidance, and reminders when needed).
In order to participate in our camp program, your child must be able to:
- Meet their own personal care needs (toileting, showering, dressing, and feeding)
- Self-regulate or maintain emotional regulation most of the time
- Maintain safety of their own body and others
- Follow camp rules essential for safety
- Interact respectfully with peers
We cannot support campers who need significant assistance with personal needs, continuous one-on-one attention, or who are unable to maintain safety of self and others.
Supports & Accommodations
We can provide a wide range of supports for campers, depending on needs. We can offer sensory breaks and quiet areas to regulate; and autonomy to self-select out of certain activities or do an alternate activity. Food accommodations can be made (by us or by the family) for kids with differing needs around food. Exceptions might be able to be made if the camper comes with their own one-on-one support. Let us know, through the Camper Support Form or by contacting us, what accommodations would improve your child’s camp experience.
It’s important to note we don’t have the resources schools provide. We are a (mostly) volunteer run program. We’re happy to support your camper if they bring a 1:1, but we cannot provide a 1:1 from our volunteers and staff.
Contact Us
We know all children are different and there may be more nuance to your child than is outlined above. If you are new to our camps and your child needs extra support, we encourage you to reach out to us to have a discussion so we can go over any questions or concerns prior to camp. Contact us at 206.384.5362 or by email at communitydaycamp@campfireseattle.org.