Special Needs Resource Directory

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Recreation and Camps

Summer Programs / Camps

It is important to start planning early for summer programs, as many have limited availability. The Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center offers resources to patients and families to help in the planning process.

When searching for a summer program for your child, it is important to find a program that focuses on your child's interests and can meet your child's developmental and medical needs. Specialty programming that serves children with specific medical conditions or diagnoses and traditional programming with integration are both available.

The following organizations provide comprehensive local summer program information each year:

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center provides information on camps that provide opportunities for children with different disabilities.
Family Resource Center at Cincinnati Children's maintains a listing of local camping opportunities for children with special needs.
Abilities First, located in Middletown, Ohio, has a summer therapy program.
ADHD / LD Camp Directory, provided by ADDitude Magazine, is a comprehensive list of summer camps, programs and helpful articles.
American Camping Association provides information on camps for children with special needs. You can search by disability, age group and location.
The American Diabetes Association offers camps for children with diabetes, including Camp Korelitz and Camp Tokumto in the local area.
Camp Courageous, located in Whitehouse, Ohio, offers residential, day and respite weekend camps throughout the summer and fall.
Camp Hendon is a week long camp for children with diabetes in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.
Camp KYSOC, with several locations in Kentucky, is operated by Easter Seals. They provide both day camp and residential summer camp programs, as well as respite weekends and retreat opportunities throughout the year.
Camp Sunshine, located in Casco, Maine, is a retreat for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Programs are available for children under active treatment for cancer, kidney disease, lupus and juvenile diabetes. 24-hour, on-site medical and professional support.
Center for Possibilities Adult Learning Center, located at Cerebral Palsy of NW Indiana, offers a summer program for students with developmental disabilities, ages 18 to 22. They also offer day camps for preschoolers and school age children. Camp sessions are held in Hobart, Indiana. Call 219-962-5751 for more information.
Center for Courageous Kids, located in Scottsville, Kentucky, is a medical camping facility for seriously ill and disabled children and their families.
Cincinnati Enquirer Summer Camp Guide provides information on hundreds of local camps. The online guide can be searched by special interests, including special needs.
Cincinnati Family Magazine publishes an annual guide to local camps and summer programs.
Cincinnati Recreation Commission has summer camp opportunities at different locations throughout Cincinnati.
Dramakinetics offers performing arts classes and activities for all individuals, regardless of ability. Classes are available for toddlers through adults in the Cincinnati area. Continuing education opportunities for family members, teachers and therapists on using Dramakinetics methodology are also provided. A list of classes and a registration form are on their web site.
Hole in the Wall Camps have worldwide locations that provide year round programming opportunities for children with serious medical conditions.
Kids Camps has information on day camps and specialty camps as well as those that provide opportunities for children with special needs.
Leap Beyond Therapy, located in Cincinnati, has a variety of summer mini-camp options.
National ABILITY Center, located in Utah, offers a wide variety of year-round activities, which include alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, swimming, cycling, waterskiing, horseback riding, rafting and camping trips, challenge course activities and leadership development training.
MySummerCamps.com is a comprehensive, easy-to-use directory and guide of summer camps, and summer experiences for kids, teens and youth, featuring a special section on special needs camps.
Recreation Unlimited, located in Ashley, Ohio, provides summer residential and day camps, as well as year-round respite weekend camps for youth and adults ages 8 and older.
Stepping Stones and Camp Allyn provides day camp and overnight camp opportunities.
Surfers Healing: Changing the World One Child At A Time offers annual summer surfing camps for individuals with autism.
YMCA Camp Campbell Gard, located just north of Cincinnati, offers week-long summer camp experiences for children with special needs. The camp provides specially trained counselors, flexible age guidelines, universally accessible facilities and a fully inclusive program.

Sports

Children's TherAplay Foundation, located in Carmel, Indiana, is an outpatient rehabilitation facility that offers Hippotherapy (horse-riding therapy) for children with special health care needs.
Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding and Horsemanship has a comprehensive horseback riding program for children and adults with disabilities. They also have a Hippotherapy (horse-riding therapy) program that combines speech, physical and occupational therapy.
Cincinnati TOP Soccer is part of a national soccer program created to train young people (ages 5 through high school) with disabilities in a caring coaching environment. TOP Soccer allows a child to participate in the same type of community sports programs as their non-disabled peers, including uniforms, awards banquets, and when appropriate the opportunity to play on a non-disabled team. They have indoor and outdoor soccer, depending on the season. They also welcome wheelchairs.
Fishing Has No Boundaries is a non-profit organization dedicated to opening the world of fishing to physically and mentally challenged individuals of all ages. Their central event is traditionally held on the third weekend of May each year.
Milestone's Equestrian Achievement Program, located in Independence, Kentucky, is a therapeutic horseback riding program.
Miracle League Baseball, sponsored by the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, offers athletes with or without disabilities an opportunity to have fun and participate in an organized and competitive league.
Special Olympics: Hamilton County Ohio provides year-round training and competition in various sports areas for children ages 5 years and older who are identified to have mental or developmental disabilities.

Swim Lessons

Cincinnati Recreation Commission offers Adapted Aquatics Programs in their year round warm water swimming pool located at the Mt. Auburn Community Center. Several water entries and exits are available, including a pool chair lift and “easy ladder” with hand railings. The programs are designed to include all ability levels, including the “Dolan Method” for individuals with autism.
Stepping Stones offers adapted swim classes. Certified instructors provide activities that promote water adjustment, swimming skills, and development of gross and fine motor skills.
YMCA of Greater Cincinnati offers adaptive swimming lessons and also provides training sessions for Special Olympics athletes.

Toys

Children with special health care needs often require specially adapted toys to help them join in interactive play. To help find a toy perfectly suited for your child, including switch-activated toys, check out the web sites listed below.

Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics Toy Library, part of the Jack Rubinstein Libraries at Cincinnati Children's, lends toys and educational software to parents and teachers at no cost.
AblePlay provides a toy rating system with comprehensive information on toys for children with special needs.
Assessment Tool Shop offers a variety of toys and technology devices for children of all ages and developmental levels.
Assistive Technology of Ohio helps Ohioans with disabilities acquire assistive technology. They also keep up with current legislative activity that affects persons with disabilities. You can also find adaptive toy libraries in Ohio.
Beyond Play specializes in early intervention products for children birth to age 5 with special needs. They offer a great selection of toys that are all appropriate for Early Intervention, including occupational, physical, speech and developmental therapies.
Dragonfly Toys offers toy and assistive technology products for children with special needs. Parents can sign up and customize the use of this web site to their child's particular diagnosis and / or developmental level. You'll also find articles and play tips.
Enabling Devices, a division of Toys for Special Children, Inc., is a company dedicated to developing affordable learning and assistive devices to help people with disabling conditions. They design electro-mechanical assistive and adaptive devices for people of all ages.
John R. Green, located in Covington, Kentucky, has toys and educational products to help children with special needs.
Special Needs Toys has a variety of toys and devices to support play, daily living, communication and sensory integration.
Toys R Us provides an online Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids. The guide can be searched by categories, including auditory, creativity, fine motor, gross motor, language, self-esteem, social skills, tactile, thinking and visual.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission keeps current information on unsafe toys that have been recalled.
U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) provides information on toy safety and recalls.

Playground Equipment

The Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs at Cincinnati Children's provides the following resources for helping plan and create a safe, accessible, integrated playground:

Accessible Playgrounds

Beech Acres Park, Anderson Township, has the All-Children's Inclusive Playground.
Mt. Airy Forest, Cincinnati, has a universally accessible treehouse and playground.
Parky's PlayBarn, Winton Woods, is an indoor, farm-themed, accessible playground.
Sawyer Point, Cincinnati Riverfront, has the Every Child's Playground designed to be accessible for all children.
Sharon Woods Adventure Station is an accessible indoor play facility designed to explore 19th century life.
Thomas P. Quinn Park, Mason, Ohio has an accessible playground.

Travel

Planning vacations for you and your special-needs child offers unique challenges, such as finding wheelchair-accessible attractions and activities. Here are some resources that provide information and articles for the disabled traveler:

Accessible Journeys is a travel agency that designs custom, wheelchair-accessible vacations and escorts groups on accessible cruises and tours exclusively for slow walkers, wheelchair travelers, their families and their friends.
MossRehab ResourceNet offers general help with making travel plans, but they are not a travel agency. The web site provides tips, checklists and other useful information.
Scootaround is a company that arranges scooter and wheelchair rentals in over 500 locations across North America and around the world. The web site also provides additional resources for special-needs travel.
Wheelchairs On the Go is Florida's only access guide for visitors and residents who use canes, walkers or wheelchairs or simply can't walk far.
Wheelchair Getaways has accessible van rentals for people with disabilities. Locations and contact information are provided for each state.
Wunago offers information about wheelchair-accessible places to visit and stay around the world.

Other Recreational Activities

To find other fun activities for your special-needs child, the Center for Infants and Children with Special Needs offers these resources:

Autism Speaks has an online directory of recreation and community activities in Ohio or you can select the state you are interested in.
Charleston Club, located in West Chester, Ohio, offers social and recreational activities for adults.
Cincinnati Center for Autism has social skills and recreational programs.
Cincinnati Kids Links provides a listing of Cincinnati-based recreational activities for kids and families.
Cincinnati Recreation Commission has recreational oppportunities throughout the year.
Dramakinetics offers performing arts classes and activities for all individuals, regardless of ability. Classes are available throughout the year for toddlers through adults in the Cincinnati area. Continuing education opportunities for family members, teachers and therapists on using Dramakinetics methodology are also provided. Find a list of classes on their web site.
Freedom Concepts, Inc. has mobility devices and bicycles for children and adults with disabilities.
Island Dolphin Care, located in Florida, is a non-profit organization offering "dolphin therapy" to critically ill, disabled, and children with special needs.
Leap Beyond Therapy, located in Cincinnati, offers free assessments to find the right adapatations for your child to ride a bike. They also have a variety of fitness classes, karate, yoga and camp sessions.
National Center on Physical Activity and Disability has information on exercise and recreational activities.
Palaestra: Forum of Sport, Physical Education and Recreation for Those with Disabilities, is a quarterly, online publication and premier resource on adapted physical activity.
Rising Star Studios, located in Covington, Kentucky, provides an art studio and community center for youth with Autism, ADHD, Asperger's, PDD and other communication challenges.
Starfire Council of Greater Cincinnati has recreational and community service outings for teens through adults.
Visionaries & Voices is a studio / gallery created specifically for artists with disabilities to grow both personally and professionally.

General Information

The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability offers discussion groups for adaptive fitness or recreational equipment, information and resources on summer camps and other recreational activities, and general exercise guidelines for people with disabilities.