Special Equipment for Special Kids!

The Cause

CP Kids and Families offers a new summer camp for kids with physical challenges.

Summer camp is a special place for kids to learn and grow!

Children living with physical disabilities often face numerous obstacles in searching out safe, appropriate activities to keep them physically active and socially engaged. Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families is offering a great unique summer experience for kids living with cerebral palsy and similar neuromotor disabilities. Summer camp will incorporate a variety of therapeutic activities combined with fun recreational outings for children 3-7 and 7-12 years of age. Camps will run from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm beginning in July.

Activities each week will vary but will include stretching, gross and fine motor skills, movies and music, biking, bowling, outdoor activities, and apple device workshops. Our goal is to incorporate the noted activities with emphasis on song, movement and biking. Movement is one of the most important aspects of a young child’s life and most early interactions involve movement. Physical activity enhances children’s cognitive function, improves visual awareness, and improves lung function and circulation. In regards to biking in can benefit a child’s life both socially and physically. Physical benefits of bike riding include strengthening core muscles, stretching of the lower extremities as well as promoting bilateral coordination. Bike riding gives these children an opportunity to engage in the community with siblings and peers with the opportunity to gain confidence and independence. Music is a language in itself, and often times these children don’t have the words to express themselves and we want to provide them with a supportive open environment to be able to positively release their emotions.

Within each camp, we want to incorporate different sensory stations for children to engage in. Sensory stimulation and exploring can open a whole new world for children with cognitive and physical impairments. Providing a stimulating environment can: increase concentration, heighten awareness, and improve alertness, improve coordination and motor development, promote cognitive development by increased brain function and most of all it can provide children with a sense of security when feeling overwhelmed.
Our goal is to purchase equipment for this summer camp, but will also be utilized on a year round basis, for kids attending our center, and utilizing our bike clinics and other programs.

Who Will it Benefit?

It is recommended by physicians that children living with neuromotor disorders maintain a daily active lifestyle. CP Kids Camp wants the opportunity to provide these children with age appropriate activities that will allow them to engage and explore their environments in ways they have never experienced before. With this grant, we want to be able to provide children with a well-rounded fun experience. In order for our camp to include our goals of a learning environment that promote physical activities, we will utilize equipment that will service not only this camp, but all children who come through our community centre on an annual basis.

We estimate that over 300 kids with physical disabilities, coming through our community centre will benefit from this equipment.