News From Green Cove
The Vision for Green Cove Day Camp: Inspired by the Hearts and Minds of our Neurodivergent Children
Have you heard the poem, Welcome to Holland? by Emily Perl Kingsley? It compares the experience of having a neurodivergent child to traveling to Holland. The poem explains that when you are first having a baby, it’s like planning and preparing for a trip to Italy. However, when most arrive in Italy, you find yourself in Holland. It takes some time to adjust to the fact that you are not in Italy. However, you learn to appreciate the beauty of Holland and all the new experiences and new people you meet there. As Emily writes…
It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
How Green Cove is Designed with Our Children in Mind
In many ways, Green Cove Day Camp is, figuratively, just like Holland. It’s a place that’s not as flashy as a typical day camp environment, but also won’t be overstimulating, frenetic, and bustling with lots of transitions. It’s going to provide our children with a summer camp experience where they can grow and be nurtured, stretched and supported, and become the best version of themselves!
When my son, Nate, was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at the age of 2, it was a journey to learn to celebrate his gifts, embrace his challenges, and find the tools and strategies that would help him be successful. When it came to summer time, a less predictable schedule and more open-ended days, it was important for us to find him a structured camp environment that would help him thrive. Every time I sent him off to camp, I hoped there was at least 1 counselor who would “get” him, at least 1 counselor who would understand him, or at least one counselor who would have enough patience to support him throughout the day. If we got lucky, he found that special adult who would give him that extra support and comfort. But, the traditional camp environment was not always forgiving and navigating the complex, fast-paced social world of camp was not easy for him.
Providing A Space for Neurodivergent Children to Thrive
Here’s where Green Cove Day Camp comes in. Green Cove is a place where every counselor “gets your kid.” Green Cove is a place where the design of the camp has your child’s needs in mind. From goal setting before camp, to intentional facilitation of social interactions within a small group setting, to engaging activities and community building, Green Cove is set up to help your child thrive and be part of a community! Green Cove will provide your child with that intimate, personal attention while also stretching your child’s ability to be part of a group, navigate less preferred activities, and learn to be flexible in a supportive environment. Green Cove is the place where your child can apply strategies learned in a natural, authentic camp environment. The growth made by your child this summer will set him/her up for success in navigating the larger, complex social world long after camp is over.
Being in Holland”: Embracing the Extraordinary of Neurodiversity“
When you have a child who is neurodivergent, you learn to embrace both the challenges and the beautiful gifts that come with thinking differently, just as we, as parents, adjust to “being in Holland”. We learn the strategies that work and celebrate the beautiful talents and interests of our unique and extraordinary children. Nate has surpassed my wildest expectations as he now prepares to graduate from high school and head off to college in the Fall to study animation at art school. I know that Green Cove is the camp we all need to bring joy, excitement, social skills, and community to a child’s summer experience. I only wished Green Cove had been available when Nate was younger. But, I’m so grateful to be a part of this new endeavor that will create a unique summer camp experience for so many neurodivergent children!
How Camp Plays a Vital Role in Social Development of Neurodivergent Children
Written By: Dr. Susie Cutler, MD, Pediatrician at Northwell Health on the Advisory Board of Green Cove
Children learn through play and experiences above all else. While many children naturally develop social skills by observing their peers and the adults around them, from trial and error, and from the positive or negative feedback (intentional or unintentional) that they receive from different behaviors, children with autism typically do not internalize these skills as naturally.
Fostering Inclusion and Community for Neurodiverse Children
Although children on the autism spectrum have difficulty engaging in reciprocal social interactions and reading social cues, they desire inclusion and acceptance by their peers. And while it is important to celebrate every child for who they are, their strengths, weaknesses, and quirks, it is okay to encourage social growth and stretch children in ways that will improve their quality of life. Developing social skills is not only important for developing meaningful relationships with others, but it also helps us to navigate the world around us as adolescents and adults. Learning how to express one’s needs or wants and understanding people’s behaviors also enhance one’s self-esteem and confidence.
Why Social Skills Day Camps Help With Summer Routines
During the summer, when children have fewer academic demands, summer day camps provide a rich opportunity for experiential learning and critical child development. When the pace is too fast or the environmental stimulation too intense, however, a neurodivergent child can quickly become overwhelmed, overstimulated, or triggered. They may revert to “checking out” and often become observers on the sidelines rather than participants. However, with appropriate coaching, social guidance, and structure, a child who may struggle socially can have an opportunity to hone some very important life skills at camp. Practicing these skills over the summer can further support their ongoing growth during the school year, into which they can carry these skills.
Building Self-Confidence for Neurodivergent Children at Summer Camp
Understanding our social world takes practice. When this does not come naturally, skills such as making eye contact, greeting people by name, asking someone a question about their own interests, being flexible when things don’t go our way or accepting changes in routines can be challenging. But when provided a supportive environment in which shared experiences are broken down into ways that can be learned and practiced, whether it be playing an interactive game of gaga, working as a group to solve a problem or gaining enough self-confidence to try new things, e.g. learning to swim, the potential for all children to grow and thrive is unlimited… and all while having fun!