Summer camp means friends, crafts, games, swimming, adventure, counselors, campfires, and fun — for all kinds of kids! If you’re looking for a summer camp with academic, sensory, or functional support for your child, we’ve gathered some options for you.

In our roundup, you’ll find day camps broken into categories of Education & Enrichment Camps and Autism, Intellectual & Functional Support Camps. Below those categories you’ll find options for Overnight Camps, which offer specialized support. All in all, these camps strive to provide enriching experiences and memory-making summers for all kinds of campers.

Day Camps

Education Support & Enrichment Camps

Benchmark School Summer Camp

2107 North Providence Road, Media

Parents love the Benchmark summer camp program because it combines academic enrichment with recreational fun! The five-week program includes Benchmark’s internationally recognized language arts program, executive function skills instruction throughout the day, design thinking activities, art, swimming, and sports. Highlighting the program is the 35-event Confidence Course, which challenges campers with a 40-foot high, 250-foot long zipline. It’s a summer camp filled with learning, confidence-building, friendships and fun.

Fick Summer Programs

Fick Educational Services, 790 E Market St # 300, West Chester

Want to help your unique learner boost their social skills, improve executive function, or brush up on math concepts? Fick Educational Services’ Summer Camp Programs provide support for children with all learning styles and needs. In addition to summer tutoring, they offer programs for social skills, study skills and executive function, and other academic support. However, the program also incorporates fun and social activities — it is summer after all! In this way, your child will build relationships, learn and be active, and meet challenges with a smile.

GrowNOW – ADHD EF Summer Camp

GrowNOW, 600 N Jackson Street, Suite 204, Media

Are you looking for a summer program with EF and ADHD support? At the GrownNow summer day camp for children with ADHD, you’ll find programs for elementary school-aged kids all the way through college-aged, young adults. For several weeks in the summer, GrownNow campers embark on local adventures, while building relationships and valuable skills along the way. Not only do campers engage in fun and enriching activities, but they are also practicing social interaction, independent decision-making, problem-solving, and more. Each day, campers are dropped off and picked up at the GrowNOW center in Media.

Phebe Anna Thorne Language Enrichment Summer Camp

1029 Wyndon Avenue, Bryn Mawr

Located on the Bryn Mawr College campus, the Phoebe Anna Thorne School offers a language enrichment preschool program throughout the school-year, as well as a summer program. Designed for children ages 3–5 with identified speech and language difficulties, their summer program embeds therapy into a fun, multi-sensory camp curriculum. Priority is given to children already enrolled or new to the school-year Language Enrichment Preschool Program.

Starfish Outdoor Sensory and Social Group

Held at Ridley Creek State Park, Media

Starfish Occupational Therapy, a Philadelphia-area provider of occupational therapy for children, also hosts nature-based OT group intensives in the summer. Led by occupational therapists, these small groups encourage real-life learning and summer fun! Children engage in outdoor activities such as fort building, hiking, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and creek play. As part of the program, therapists work with parents to set short-term goals for their kids.

Stratford Friends Summer Camp

2 Bishop Hollow Road, Newtown Square

Stratford Friends Summer Camp is a four-week academic program for students K–9 with language-based learning differences. At Stratford, the camp day is structured around morning academics and afternoon exploration. Their morning session focuses on specialized literacy and mathematics instruction, as well as a theme-based class. Afterwards, campers can enjoy their optional afternoon session featuring traditional camp activities to promote physical fitness, creativity, and social skills.

Summer Enrichment Program at AIM Academy

1200 River Road, Conshohocken

AIM Academy in Conshocken is an independent, co-ed school for students in grades 1–12 with language-based learning differences, like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. However, students do not need a diagnosed learning difference to attend their Summer Program. In fact their summer program is beneficial to a broader range of student learners and can help your child catch up on learning or build momentum for the next school year. Taught by experienced AIM teachers, the summer program provides a dynamic learning experience that integrated with fun and creative activities. 

Autism, Intellectual & Functional Support Camps

Bournelyf Special Camp 

1066 S. New Street, West Chester

Based in West Chester, Bournelyf Special Camp is an outdoor summer day camp for individuals ages 8 and up with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The mission is to promote the development of each camper’s potential through participation in an exciting variety of challenging outdoor activities. The camp features programs for three age brackets: Trailblazers for ages 8–17; Expedition for ages 18–25 and Alumni for 26 and up. Beginning with a week of Half-Day Mini Camp, the program run for five weeks.

Camp Geronimo

360 Locust Grove Rd, West Chester

Camp Geronimo is a day camp in a farm setting designed for children with disabilities from ages 6 through 12. Situated at the Barn at Spring Brook Farm, the camp focuses on animal-assisted, nature-based, and sensory experiences. The recreational program is centered around friendly farm animals in a completely accessible setting. Through interactions with the animals, counselors and other children, campers participate in unique sensory and physical activities. Later in the day, children engage in games and play like kicking around an enormous soccer ball or body bowling in the barn’s loft. Overall, the camp is dedicated to enriching social skills, promoting leadership qualities, and creating memorable experiences for all campers.

Camp Kef

45 Haverford Road, Wynnewood

Camp Kef, a Jewish day camp, welcomes campers with support needs through their inclusion program. In this program, neurodiverse campers and campers with disabilities are placed in age-appropriate groups with qualified, one-on-one trained staff. Using this approach, the program helps foster social development, peer interaction, and independence through participation in camp activities. What’s more, the camp has partnered with The Social Enrichment Center to create a social skills bootcamp for children with support needs. Children within two age groups (ages 4–7 and ages 8–11) spend the morning working on social skills with an SEC Staff member. Afterwards, their afternoon is spent as a group enjoying camp activities such as sports, games, arts and craft, archery and more.

Camp Kinney

376 N Latches Lane, Merion Station

The Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support at St. Joseph’s University offers Camp Kinney, a summer camp for children ages 5 to 21 with autism. Run by a dedicated team of professionals who provide one-to-one support, Camp Kinney gives kids unparalleled support and attention. Campers have the time of their lives in an immersive and recreational based traditional summer camp while also receiving a naturalistic application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Moreover, with its staff of behavior management experts, the program gives parents peace of mind that their child will progress in a less structured environment.

Camp Pegasus 2024

Art of Friendship/Child and Family Art Therapy Center, 600 Haverford Road, Haverford, PA

Although the original Camp Pegasus closed after 11 summers, a new, Mini-Pegasus for 4–8 year olds is launching in the summer of 2024. This half-day program will be a structured creative arts and social skills intensive called called “Mini-Pegasus – Art of Friendship”. Specifically, the camp will use an ultra-positive social skills training approach centered around art and music therapy, and free play with coaching. Running for six weeks, the program will be geared for “well-regulated behaviorally independent neurodiverse children”.

ESY at the Pathway School

162 Egypt Road, Jeffersonville, PA

The Extended School Year (ESY) program at the Pathway School is designed to prevent regression between school years for neurodivergent students. Created for individuals who thrive with consistent support, ESY is a celebration of growth during the summer months. Students get a summer filled with academic enrichment, hands-on learning adventures, exciting field trips, team building activities, and more. The program welcomes students ages 5–22 with mild to moderate Autism Spectrum Disorder, intellectual and learning disabilities, emotional challenges, and neurological conditions such as ADHD and ADD.

Hill Top Summer Adventures

737 S Ithan Ave, Bryn Mawr

An extension of the Hill Top Preparatory School, Summer Adventures provides several programs to support social and life skills development for students entering Grades 2–12. Camp takes place on their beautiful 25-acre campus in Rosemont and some of their campers have various diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, and other differences. Like the school, the Summer Adventures is a small program where everyone knows everyone else’s name. What’s more, for Summer 2024, Hill Top is offering a PEERS® Summer Bootcamp. This evidence-based social skills program helps children and young adults with relationship-building. These two-week sessions will run Monday through Friday from 4–5 pm throughout the summer.

Valley Forge Educational Services @ Camp Kweebec

157 Game Farm Rd, Schwenksville, PA

Camp Kweebec is is a day and overnight camp for youth and young adults with autism, speech-language disorders, developmental disabilities, learning differences or social-emotional challenges. located on 200 acres, Camp Kweebec offers one-week or two-week options run by Valley Forge Educational Services (VFES). The VFES program fosters independence and cultivates friendships through traditional camp activities like GaGa Ball, arts & crafts, cooking, and much more. Additionally, Camp Kweebec offers experienced staff and behavior support, as well as low camper-to-staff ratio to help kids build skills and have fun.

Variety Summer Day Camp

2950 Potshop Road, P.O. Box 609, Worcester, PA

Variety, the Children’s Charity is a nonprofit organization that helps children with disabilities throughout the Delaware Valley. Their summer day camp is a fun-filled educational experience for children ages 5–21, with varying levels of disabilities. With an on-site nurse and experienced staff, Variety can accommodate campers whose needs range from minimal assistance to those who require more extensive care. Campers are grouped in teams by age to promote strong peer relationships and activities focus on improving social skills through natural play in an inclusive and accepting environment. Variety also hosts an overnight camp.

Overnight Camps

Camp Achieve

249 Camp Green Lane Road, Green Lane, PA

Camp Achieve is a sleepaway summer camp program tailored to the unique needs of youth, ages 8–17 living with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern PA founded the camp on the belief that no child should feel excluded or unsafe because of their epilepsy. With the support of trained medical staff and experienced counselors, campers can safely enjoy the outdoors, sports, games, and more. Equally important, campers build lasting bonds with children who share similar challenges and experiences.

Dragonfly Forest Summer Camp

143 Nichecronk Road, Dingmans Ferry, PA

The Dragonfly Forest specialty YMCA camp is a traditional overnight camp for kids with autism, 22q, sickle cell disease, and other conditions. Part of the larger YMCA Camp Speers, Dragonfly Forest provides two inclusive communities for kids ages, 7–17 and young adults, ages 18–28. Groups feature low camper to counselor ratios of 1:3 or 1:4. Additionally, the camp partners with parents and experts in the medical field to provide necessary accommodations for campers. Following this individualized partnership model, all kinds of kids can enjoy the camp experience!

Camp Lee Mar

450 Route 590, Lackawaxen, PA

At Camp Lee Mar, kids get all the fun of a traditional overnight summer camp, while also participating in academic and speech enrichment. It’s a seven-week program designed for kids ages 7-21 who need additional support. In partnership with parents and their child, the Camp Lee Mar team creates the best programming for a successful summer. Through recreational and social activities, campers build skills in independent living, communication, and self advocacy, as well as academics.

Variety Summer Overnight Camp

2950 Potshop Road, P.O. Box 609, Worcester, PA

In addition to their summer day camp, Variety, the Children’s Charity, also hosts an overnight camp program for children with disabilities. Both fun-filled and educational, their overnight camp creates an atmosphere of warm acceptance and guidance. Open to children and young adults ages 7–21 with an intellectual and/or physical disabilities, Variety Overnight Camp encourages participation at whatever level the camper is able.

Summer Camps For All Kinds of Kids is part of the Main Line Parent Summer Camp Guide.

Lead photo courtesy of Camp Lee Mar.