Without the right support, children can lose valuable skills over the summer. EA School’s summer camp is an alternative education program that helps students with emotional and behavioral challenges progress toward their goals all summer long!
Summer vacation is the perfect time for relaxation and fun, but it’s also a great time to keep your child’s learning and development on track.
While we all look forward to the well-deserved break from the academic year, summer can be challenging for children who need advanced emotional or behavioral support.
The lack of routine, paired with increased feelings of loneliness or anxiety during this time, can make it tough for students to maintain all the progress they made during the school year.
If your child struggles with these difficulties in the summer, enrolling them in a therapeutic summer camp can provide the structure and support they need.
At Education Alternatives in Ohio, we are committed to helping our students learn and grow, even when school is out of session.
That’s why our students can participate in a therapeutic summer camp offered through our sister organization and mental health care provider, REACH Behavioral Health.
This unique program provides a blend of therapy, learning, and fun in an alternative education environment to support your child’s development throughout the summer months.
If you’re an Ohio parent looking for a safe and supportive summer program to help your child address emotional and behavioral challenges, keep reading!
In this article, we will explore the benefits of our therapeutic summer camp and learn more about how we help your child thrive all summer long!
What is a therapeutic summer camp?
A therapeutic summer camp is designed to support children with emotional or behavioral challenges in a nurturing, alternative education environment.
At EA’s Summer Camp, we combine group therapy with fun camp activities to give students a mix of summer fun, social connection, and emotional growth.
The curriculum for EA’s camp program is similar to our Day Treatment program, which blends education and therapy to support the emotional and behavioral needs of K-12 students in Ohio.
We do this by providing daily group therapy sessions led by mental health professionals from REACH Behavioral Health.
During these sessions, campers:
- Talk about their emotional triggers
- Learn coping skills
- Practice building healthy relationships.
Like in our day treatment program, we provide students with the emotional support they need to navigate challenges and succeed in their personal and academic lives.
By combining therapy with classic camp activities, such as games, crafts, and outdoor adventures, students receive the support they need while enjoying a fun and memorable summer. Field trips add an extra layer of excitement and give campers the chance to apply their new skills in a new environment.
EA’s summer camp offers the perfect balance of fun and personal growth, ensuring students progress toward their emotional and behavioral goals.
Are you wondering if EA’s camp could be the right summer experience for your child?
Let’s find out if they are a good fit for the program and how they can benefit from our therapeutic summer camp!
Who is EA’s therapeutic summer camp for?
Ohio students between the ages of 8 and 18 who are enrolled at Education Alternatives are eligible to participate in our summer program.
Our therapeutic summer camp is a day program offered at all eight greater northeast Ohio locations.
This program is specifically designed for children and adolescents struggling with mental health disorders who require additional support. It’s especially beneficial if your child’s symptoms impact their relationships or make it hard for them to thrive at home, school, or in the community.
Through our combination of a therapeutic setting, highly trained staff, and engaging camp activities, your child will develop lifelong skills while enjoying a supportive and fun summer experience.
At our therapeutic summer camp, your child will:
- Learn to manage their emotions and build resilience through daily group therapy
- Develop their social skills through camp activities that foster positive peer interactions
- Increase their confidence through fun and challenging camp activities that boost self-esteem
In addition to the essential skills your child will gain at our summer camp, they will also benefit from learning and playing in an alternative education environment.
As an alternative school, we integrate our personalized approach into our summer camp that focuses on each child’s unique needs. This supportive and personalized setting helps students thrive in ways that may not be possible in a traditional learning environment.
The benefits of an alternative education summer camp
The alternative education elements of our therapeutic summer camp are especially beneficial for students who need more emotional and behavioral support.
Here are some key features of alternative education we’ve incorporated into our camp:
- Holistic approach: We combine fun and educational camp activities with therapy. This way, your child will keep learning all summer while working on their emotional and behavioral development.
- Safe and supportive space: We create an environment where students feel like they belong. Our core belief is to always treat each student with kindness, support, and acceptance, no matter what. This approach helps create the perfect setting for students to grow emotionally and work through their individual challenges.
- Consistent routine: Our camp also provides a consistent daily routine, giving students a sense of stability and security. This structure is essential for students who do better in a predictable environment because it helps them manage their emotions and behaviors.
- Individual support: In this setting, we can give each student personalized support based on their unique needs. By focusing on individualized care, we help students with challenges that might not get the attention they need in a traditional setting.
Now that you have a clear idea of our therapeutic approach and the key alternative education elements that make our program special, let’s get to the fun part. Camp activities!
Camp activities
All of our therapeutic summer camp activities at EA are designed to support your child’s personal growth and emotional well-being.
Camp activities are hands-on and use creativity and mindfulness to help students practice the skills they’ve learned in their daily group therapy sessions.
Some examples from this summer include:
- “Minute to Win It” games to practice emotional control and working with others
- Mindfulness walks to take time for self-reflection
- Role-playing to learn how to handle conflicts and manage emotional triggers
- Art projects that help students express their thoughts and feelings.
Like other traditional camps, students also go on field trips to community pools, parks, zoos, and museums.
On these trips, they enjoy fun activities while practicing the skills they’ve been learning at camp, like interacting with others and handling new situations. These outings help them build confidence and apply what they’ve learned in real-world settings.
Transportation to and from our program is also included in the camp rate to make things easier for your family.
We also provide students with a healthy breakfast and lunch, following the USDA child nutrition guidelines and the Ohio Department of Education’s Summer Food Service Program.
Discover the benefits of EA’s summer camp for your child
Summer is an important time to keep up the progress your child has made during the school year. This is especially important for children with emotional or behavioral challenges. Our therapeutic summer camp is an excellent way for students to keep growing in a supportive and fun setting.
We mix therapy with traditional camp activities to help your child learn essential skills while enjoying their summer. With a safe and caring environment, a regular schedule, and personalized support, your child will be ready to handle whatever the next school year throws their way and continue to succeed.
Don’t miss out on giving your child the summer they deserve!
If your child is already a student at Education Alternatives, sign them up for our therapeutic summer camp next year!
If your child isn’t an EA student but you think they’d be a great fit for our camp, consider checking out our Day Treatment Program. It offers a similar blend of education and therapy to help your child succeed during the school year.
For more information about how we can support your child’s emotional and behavioral growth, contact us today!
Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our summer camp or any of our other alternative education programs.