Children's summer camp brings back joy to kids living with autism

EDMONTON -

After summer camps were forced to cancel in 2020, the Children’s Autism Summer camp has returned with expanded programs across Alberta's capital city.

Children’s Autism Services of Edmonton is growing its Nature Camp programs in a variety of ways.

“Each camp is very individual and we really look to the needs of the camper. For some kids, being in a big crowd is not a positive environment and for other kids, that is what they are searching for. All of the campers have one-to-one support,” said Scott Wilson, CAS family liaison

The Nature Camps are designed to help children develop a wide range of skills and soak in the benefits of outdoor learning.

Naomi Goonewardene says her son has attended the summer camp every year since he was diagnosed with autism at the age of three.

“It is a really awesome camp to come to. It is great that we have an opportunity to come here. It is a safe space where kids can be themselves and be happy. I know that I can drop him off here and come back later and he is going to be doing fine,” said the mother.

“If we didn’t have a safe space like this I don’t know what the other options would be,” she added.

While COVID-19 restrictions were in place, the mother said her son missed playing games and making friends. Without the camps, her son was no longer able to attend field trips – an important summer activity for Gabriel.

“He asks every year to come back to this camp. He wants to have dates and know exactly how long he is going to be here and he looks forward to it,” she said.

She says her son thriving in a camp brings joy to her life – a feeling shared by other parents.

Nadine Noseworthy’s daughter, Dhalia, was diagnosed with autism and has excess cerebral spinal fluid.

“It is really only the parents going through the same thing that really get it. It is really difficult explaining why you are so tired, why we have to leave, and when we are meeting our kids' needs to a parent who doesn’t understand when they don’t face those same challenges,” she said.

When the camp was announced this summer, Noseworthy said it was a “sigh of relief” for both the parents and children.

“A big part of what the kids were lacking during COVID-19 was more opportunity for pair to pair interactions and just a safe space where they can play,” said Noseworthy.

The camp has four different sites: Maier Centre West Campus, Rundle Park Outdoor Nature Exploration Camps, Kinsmen Park Outdoor Nature Exploration Camps, and Capilano Community League Camps. CAS also offers pre-teen and teen camps for those ages 11 and up. 

Campers will spend the day doing activities to promote engagement with nature and building trusting relationships with peers.

The children will be supported with one-on-one staff and the camp will run five days a week for five weeks.​

With files from CTV Edmonton’s Dan Grummett