10 Best Summer Camps in New York For Children With Special Needs

If you’re planning to send your kid off to camp this morning and they need specialized attention, you should take a look at the best summer camps in New York for children with special needs.

I never did the whole summer camp thing when I was a kid. Mostly during the summers it was my opportunity to catch up on a lot of sleep, which to be fair I don’t think I missed much of as a youngster, and also watch a lot of TV. I think I watched more TV back then than I do now, which is wild considering I fall asleep to Netflix every single night. I can imagine that summer camp is stressful for the counselors since kids have all sorts of different wants and needs, and all camps aren’t suited for everyone.

It’s important to note that special needs is an umbrella term that encompasses many mental and physical challenges like autism, social anxiety, learning disabilities, ADHD, and more. Some of them make social situations like summer camp a little more challenging since they require more individualized attention. Fortunately, there are camps designed for children with special needs that have counselors who are trained to deal with specific situations and are able to attend to each camper with care. It’d be interesting to check out whether or not any of the Countries with the Highest Rates of Autism have camps like these.

In order to create our list, we took a look at some suggestions from DNAinfo, Mommy Poppins, and Very Special Camps. From their recommendations, we took the average and then created our rankings for our very own list. Of course, your location within New York, price points, and time of summer will help determine which camp is best for your child’s needs, but these are some helpful suggestions and could provide a starting point in your search.

Roll up your sleeping bags for the best summer camps in New York for children with special needs!

10. Big Apple Day Program at Solomon Schechter School

Location: Solomon Schechter School of Manhattan @ 805 Columbus Ave., Upper West Side, Manhattan

Aside from popular summer camp activities like art and swimming, your child will get assistance from trained professionals. Parents get daily reports from camp authority and regular phone check-ins. On Fridays, the kids go on a field trip and select a peer match to spend time with. It’s a very comprehensive program.

9. Marvin’s Camp

Location: JCC of Staten Island @ 1466 Manor Rd., Staten Island

We are continuing our list of best summer camps in New York for children with special needs with Marvin’s Camp that is a six-week long day camp that is well-equipped for children of all needs. There are three Olympic-sized swimming pools with two huge lakes. There’s about one staffer for every three campers, which means your child will never be left unsupervised. They’re all trained to work with children who have special needs and there’s a large variety of activities.

8. The Quad Summer Program

Location: Spruce Street School @ 12 Spruce St., Downtown Manhattan

This camp has programs that suit children of all needs and the activities primarily focus on kindling your child’s creative side. They can participate in improv theater, learn about filmmaking, make animations, learn web development, and try photographer. There’s one staffer for every three campers, which ensures individualized attention.

7. Kicking the Spectrum

Location: The McCarton Center @ 350 E 82nd St., Upper East Side, Manhattan

Kicking the Spectrum, the next one in our list of best summer camps in New York for children with special needs focuses primarily on physical activity and the main attraction is the karate lessons. The program also includes yoga, soccer, music, and arts. It revolves around teaching the importance of fitness in life.

 

6. Camp Tova

Location: 92nd Street Y @ 1395 Lexington Ave., Upper East Side, Manhattan

Camp Tova specializes in small group activities, which will make children with special needs feel more comfortable as they are provided with ample opportunity to make friends and get involved. There’s a small zoo on the grounds that is used for educational and recreational purposes. Camp counselors are well versed in special education and very committed.

 

5. Watch Me Grow

Location: 162 West 72nd Street (between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues), Upper West Side, Manhattan

This camp was created by an occupational therapist and is designed specifically for children with special needs. It is, however, only for preschoolers. There are weekly themes that inspire and motivate preschoolers to learn independence, develop motor skills, and coping mechanisms in different environments.

4. Speak, Learn, and Play

Location: 540 President Street (between Third and Fourth Avenues)

Speak, Learn, and Play is a year-long therapeutic program that also features a week-long summertime program for children with special needs. It’s designed for children ages five to 10 and incorporates small group learning to teach life skills and the classes are led by professional therapists.

 

3. New Country Day Camp

Location: 1131 Manor Road

The main attraction of New Country Day Camp that ranks 3rd in our list of best summer camps in New York for children with special needs is that it’s completely outdoors at the Henry Kaufman Campground. It allows children with special needs to mingle with others and offers extra monitoring and care by the counselors and staff.

 

2. Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation Summer Camps

Location: Various locations in and outside of NYC

This is another traditional summer camp program that functions like New Country Day Camp in that it isn’t just for children with special needs. Of course, there are trained professionals who provide extra care to those who need it. It’s for children living in the New York metropolitan area and there are various locations.

1. Extreme Kids & Crew

Location: 71 Sullivan Street (between Van Brunt and Richards Streets)

This camp provides highly individualized experiences for each camper since there are only a handful of slots open for each session. The crew is full of highly trained professionals who are skilled and passionate about caring for children with special needs.

If you need a camp for your child this summer, hopefully, our list of the best summer camps in New York for children with special needs helped you find one or gave you a good idea of what’s out there! Pack your bags and have a great summer!