The purpose of this camp is to provide therapeutic group programming to kids with complex medical needs. We hope to help patients progress towards their therapy goals with interaction with peers and new, fun group interventions.

Children with complex medical needs, both patients of Ranken Jordan and children in the community, are invited to attend camp! Please see the different groups below for requirements for participation in each group.

Please follow the links on this website to register for each individual camp. Note that some camps have age and language or mobility level guidelines for optimal participation.

The cost of camp has been funded by some of Ranken Jordan’s generous donors. There will be no cost for participants this year!

Each group is staffed with Outpatient Therapy team members at a level to ensure safety of the children as well as optimal participation in the therapeutic activities offered in each group.

This camp will be staffed by Outpatient Therapy team members including therapists and techs. Each group may have a different staff to camper ratio to ensure optimal participation and safety of the kids.

Yes! Participation of caregiver/parent varies based on the group. We welcome a parent or caregiver observing and learning from the new skills practiced. Each child will be paired with an outpatient therapy team member, and parents can provide assistance as needed. The therapy team members will communicate needs for assistance throughout each session.

Yes! If the camp schedule and your schedule allows, we encourage kids to participate in as many of the camps as needed. Please note that some groups have specific requirements (language level, feeding ability, mobility level, age, etc.) that may impact scheduling.

We ask that you inform us of your planned attendance prior to the week of camp so that we can staff appropriately and plan the best groups for the kids attending. If you are sick, please contact Erica or Mary to cancel for that day.

If your child requires assistance with toileting, diaper changes, or medical procedures, we ask that a parent or caregiver stays nearby to assist as needed.

Sensory feeders: work toward expanding tolerance to the various sensory aspects of food to then increase the variety of foods in the child’s diet, learn to have positive experiences with food, learn mealtime routines and increase the amount of food your child will eat by mouth.  This group will also help educate caregivers of expectations during mealtimes for successful mealtimes at home.

Self-feeders: to encourage independence using utensils, cups, straws throughout snacks and meals.

The sensory feeding group is for children who are currently having challenges with increasing the variety of foods they eat at mealtimes due to texture, smell, and/or visual presentation of the food. The child may lack the oral-motor skills to eat certain textures or may have the ability to eat a variety of food but does not due to the sensory aspects of the food.

Ranken Jordan will provide the food for feeding therapy.  A survey will be sent out prior to the beginning of the group so you can let us know foods that are familiar to your child to increase their success.  If your child has dietary restrictions, please let the therapists know to assure safety throughout the group session.

There will be a set routine each day. The group will begin with either a calming sensory activity or activity to alert the child in preparation for the group session.   The children enter the feeding area and wash their hands and sit for their snack.  Your child will be help serve themselves.  The therapists will meet the child where they are along with continuum of their tolerance to various food.  The therapists will guide the children to explore food in various ways-with the last exploration being to eat the food provided.  This may take time.  Positive reinforcement is provided for all levels of food interaction.  Your child will never be forced to eat food.  The children will participate in cleaning up their snacks.  The session will end with a good-bye song and a handout for caregivers outlining the session’s goals and home suggestions.

The goal of the social group is to provide children an opportunity to interact with peers and practice crucial skills such as communication skills, turn-taking skills, and social-emotional skills.

This group is for kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder or social-emotional symptoms similar to Autism Spectrum Disorder. There will be 2 groups, divided by age level. Children should have an established method of communication prior to participation in this camp.

• Group 1: 10:00AM-12:00PM: Younger children, ages 3-6
• Group 2: 2:00PM-4:00PM: Children ages 6 years and older

Members of the outpatient therapy team will guide the children through games, conversations, and activities that combine play and opportunities to improve communication, social-emotional, and play skills.

The goal is to increase the variety of ways children use AAC to interact with peers and adults.

Your child should be able to tolerate the sensory aspects of a ‘classroom’ environment –noise, movement-and follow adult direction play (with guidance if needed). Your child should be beginning to actively access AAC or use AAC to communicate.  If your child has a tablet, please bring it to each session.

The session begins with circle time followed by centers where communication and mobility are encouraged. Crafts and books will be incorporated into the theme of the day. The therapists will guide the children to use AAC to greet and say farewells, request and comment during play, and ask/answer questions.  The therapists will use available equipment or physical assistance to encourage mobility throughout the session.

The goal of the aquatic setting is to provide kids with complex medical needs the opportunity to progress their mobility, flexibility, balance, and strength in a new, fun environment alongside peers.

At this time, we will not be able to include children with tracheostomies to participate in aquatic group. Children with diarrhea/GI upset will not be able to attend.

• Group 1: 9:30AM-10:30AM: Ages 10 months through 5 years
  • Goals for this group will be related to early developmental skills including sitting, kneeling, transitional movements, etc.
• Group 2: 11:30AM-12:30PM: Ages 4 through 8 years old with moderate to severe physical limitations
  • Goals for this group will be related to gross motor skills including balance and mobility as well as flexibility and strength.
• Group 3: 1:30PM -2:30PM: Ages 10 years and older with physical limitations
  • Goals for this group will be related to gross motor skills including balance and mobiltiy as well as flexibility and strength

Yes, the child’s caregiver or parent should bring the child to the pool with a swimsuit and swim diaper on so that this group can start on time for all kids!

The parent or caregiver should stay on site, preferably in the observation room or on the chairs and couches outside of the pool.

We will be staffed to have 1:1 assistance for each child provided by an aquatic trained therapist. Parents and caregivers are not required to get into the pool but are welcome to sit poolside and observe!

Each day, the outpatient therapy team in the pool will have a “lesson plan” that includes games and activities that they will direct and assist the children through. Each session will last 1 hour. The locker rooms will be available to children and caregivers following camp for the children to change out of their swim gear!

The goal of the arts and crafts group is to use arts and crafts projects as a way to target fine motor skills and cognitive skills.

To participate, children must have upper extremity function that allows for participation, with assistance as needed, in art projects. Children must be able to sit in a busier area without sensory modifications for optimal participation.

An occupational therapist and art teacher will partner to develop arts and crafts projects for each day of camp. The children, with the support of the outpatient therapy team members, will complete these projects. All projects will be able to be brought home at the end of the week!