Youth Programs and Summer Camps for Military Kids

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Operation: Military Kids (OMK) is the U.S. Army's collaborative effortwith America's communities to support the children and youth impacted by deployment.  This initiative was officially launched in April 2005.  Since its inception OMK has touched 88,000 military youth and provided information to 21,009 community members across the United States.

Operation Military Kids has partnered with National 4-H Clubs, state universities, Boys and Girls Clubs, Cooperative Extension Services, YMCA, Boy Scouts, and many more to offer free summer camps to military kids across the nation. Go to Operation Military Kids and click on your state to find programs available in your area.

NEW! 2009 Registration Extended for Some Operation Purple Summer Camps

Some camp locations have extended registration for a short period of time. Each child may register for ONE summer camp. Check to see if there is a camp near you.

Operation Purple Camps, a program of the National Military Family Assocation, offer a free week of summer fun for military kids with parents who have been, are currently, or will be deployed.

Campers from all service branches will gather together to experience a week of fun and adventure at overnight camp, with a focus on learning coping skills to better deal with a parent's deployment.

Camps are free to all eligible children thanks to a partnership with the Sierra Club Foundation and support from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, as well as local community support.

In many locations, Operation Purple camps are hosted by Camp Easter Seals whose mission is to create solutions that change the lives of children and adults with disabilities or other special needs and their families. Contact the Operation Purple camp in your state to find out what programs are available and to arrange for accommodations for children with special needs.

Nellis AFB in Nevada, MacDill AFB in Florida and Fort Lewis in Washington state also offer free computer camps for military kids called Cybercamps, in partnership with a company called Giant Campus. These courses teach game design, robotics, animation, Web design and more. And the kids don’t spend all day in front of a computer, they have fun outdoor activities as well. Giant Campus also offers free computer classes for adults on those bases, and they’re open to active duty and retired soldiers, military personnel, and their families.

Contact your local Child,Youth and Family Services Office for information on summer camps and programs.

Finding the Right Camp

Not all camps are for military children. Not all camps are free. Not all camps are specifically for children with special needs. Decide early in the process what type of program you want for your child. Camp should be fun, relaxing, and healthy. Camp should offer positive and rewarding experiences that foster independence and self-esteem.

Making Camp Work for Your Child. This article,from the National Resource Center on AD/HD, a program of CHADD, describes how proper planning can make most summer camps work for children with AD/HD. The first step is to find a camp that works. The NRC offers some guidance on this in the FAQ Can You Help Me Find a Summer Camp for my Child?

Summer Planning from MilitaryOneSource*

Summer Planning for Children with Special Needs

Choosing a Summer Day Camp

Choosing and Preparing for Summer Overnight Camp

Planning Your School-Age Child's Summer

Summer Opportunities for Teenagers

*You must first register and login to http://www.militaryonesource.com before being able to access this premium, free content from Military One Source Online.

Tips for Finding a Summer Camp for Your LD Child. How do you find a camp that will best nurture your child? Ann Cathcart, founder of The Learning Camp and the mother of a child with a learning disability, suggests that you take the time to talk with the camp director at length, ask for references, and talk to other parents who have sent their children there.

Resources and Directories

CHADD Summer Camp Award Fund 2009. Open to children of CHADD members only. Awards of up to $8,000 each designed to help parents or guardians afford the expenses associated with attendance at eligible specialty summer camps. Applications are due Wednesday, March 4, 2009.

Looking for Special Needs Camps? Summer Camps Directory

National Directory of Day and Residential Camps, Camp Easter Seals.

American Camp Association - Accreditation Resources. Camperships Make Camp Affordable for Military Families.

The American Camp Association (ACA; 765-342-8456), one of the largest camping organizations in the U.S., also operates a "find a camp" service at CAMP-a Resource for Families.

SOAR, Inc. is a non-profit wilderness adventure program for AD/HD and LD youth.

Selecting a camp is a big problem for military families because of frequent moves, says Jeff Solomon, Executive Director of the National Camp Association, Inc (NCA). He fields scores of inquiries from military families every year through CampQuest, a free online referral service that helps families locate camps based on various search criteria. Advisors also are available by phone (800-966-CAMP).

National Camp Association - Guidance and referrals. This free public service from a recognized authority on summer camps provides you with personalized guidance and referrals to the finest summer camps for children worldwide.

Bob Kobielush, President of Christian Camping International (CCCA), agrees. "Parents want to feel safe in sending their children to camp, but military families don't always have local connections to know how good a particular camp may be." He urges parents to contact camps and ask questions. His organization operates a free online search service of religious camps.

My Summer Camps.com includes a listing for Special Needs Camps.

KidsCamps.com includes a directory listing for Special Needs Camps and Military Camps.

CampSpecialists.com - summer camp referral program.

 

Updated 05/21/09