With summer fast approaching, parents are eagerly searching for the best camp experiences for their children. One of the top choices remains an immersive English course, offering both fun and valuable language learning.
But what happens when children have learning difficulties? Is a summer camp for children with learning difficulties a positive thing? These are some of the questions families of children with learning difficulties arising from a neurological disorder ask themselves. And the answer is often a resounding yes. A well-designed summer program can provide a supportive and structured environment where children feel encouraged rather than overwhelmed. With specialized teaching methods, small group settings, and activities that cater to different learning styles, these camps help boost confidence, reinforce skills, and make learning more enjoyable. Moreover, the immersive nature of such programs allows children to practice English in a stress-free, interactive way, helping them develop both academically and socially.
Continuing along the lines of collecting good practices, the FOCUS project brings an example of this today: Querer Foundation´s summer camp.
To respond to the need to continue stimulating and working with these children, while facilitating the work-life balance for families, the Querer Foundation organizes an annual therapeutic summer camp which is aimed at children between the ages of 6 and 16 with learning difficulties, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), developmental delays, etc.
Throughout the month of July, children participate in recreational activities and therapies in very small groups with tailored, individualized attention. “A summer camp can be a very positive experience for children with disabilities, as it gives them the opportunity to participate in social activities and continue to stimulate the different abilities involved in their development, within an approach that prioritizes fun and leisure, a difference from how these skills are usually developed during the school year,” says Sara Herrero, neuropsychologist and head of the Multidisciplinary Practice at the Querer Foundation.
Furthermore, the neuropsychologist emphasizes, this therapeutic camp “is specifically designed to cater to and adapt activities to the different abilities of the children who attend it, so that everyone can enjoy a positive experience in a safe environment.”
The Querer Foundation camp develops activities to stimulate these children on cognitive, physical, and social levels. “Through recreational activities and games, they will train different cognitive abilities such as attention, concentration, and memory; language skills such as reading and writing; and communication skills,” explains Herrero. To make things a little easier, they work through storytelling, poetry, comics, jokes, riddles, and word games, among others.
Their goal is to raise awareness of these experiences and highlight their positive impact on children’s language skills and self-esteem. They aspire to see such programs become widely accessible in the future, not just as exceptional examples but as standard opportunities for all children.
