Camp Bridge - Taking Autism To Camp

Summer can be crazy for kids with Autism, heck it is crazy for all kids. School's out, Schedules get thrown to the wind. Here on the Jersey Shore it is hot as heck and we are infiltrated by people vacationing and partying. Our gorgeous beaches become a place to only attend on weekdays and offpeak hours to avoid crowds. Traffic outright stinks. My son is lucky to attend an excellent Extended School Year program that runs for 6 weeks through the school district. But, this still leaves several weeks wide open for chaos to set in. Finding appropriate activities to fill these crazy days can be tough. Last year I searched around to find a summer camp in the vicinity for children with Autism. I found one camp that cost $4,000 for a 6 week program with no options for fewer weeks, and another camp that I could send my son to with hiring a full time 1to1 aide for him - so I would have to pay camp and pay the aide. Funding options were limited.


Then a friend steered me to Camp Bridge. We signed him up right away and had him assessed to participate. Camp Bridge is a social skills camp for children with Autism, ADHD, PDD, Aspergers. The camp is in Brick, NJ and uses the facilities of a local YMCA Camp Zehnder. The camp costs around $400 a week and DDD funding is available for those eligible. It runs from 8:30-3pm and you provide your own lunch and snacks.

This was Alex's second summer at Camp Bridge. He attended the week between school letting out and ESY starting up as well as the last week in August, after ESY was finished. During his time there he swam in the Camp pool almost daily, took field trips to places like Jenkinson's Aquarium and the Popcorn Park Zoo and a weekly trip to the Beach. The camp has an excellent ratio of staff to kids as well as some young men and ladies (college age) to help keep things afloat. My son looked forward to attending Camp Bridge every day and loved the Camp directors, the 'big kids', and the other campers. The camp provided an excellent balance between academics, therapies, and recreation as well as building up social skills. Alex loves Camp Bridge and I love it too!