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Friendship Sessions at Camp ClapHans Prove Socially
Stimulating for Campers
Thirty campers
ranging in ages from seven to 12 from the Oklahoma
City metro focused on social interaction between
individuals and groups of people during the
third and fourth sessions of Camp ClapHans summer
day camp held at the J. D. McCarty Center in
Norman.
Called Camp Friendship, this two week camp session
focused on making friends, manners, teamwork,
self-esteem and emotion. "To have productive
and satisfying relationships, we all need to
use appropriate social skills," said Chrissy
Hancock, McCarty Center speech-language pathologist
and Camp Friendship director.
Many of the children attending the friendship
session of Camp ClapHans have Aspergers Syndrome,
which is a form of autism. This syndrome manifests
itself in social behavior that ranges from very
shy to talkative, but socially inappropriate.
Other children attending the camp were those
whose parents felt that they could use some
social coaching.
Children often have difficulties learning the
subtle rules that govern our interpersonal communication
and relationships. Some children learn these
social skills easily while others, for whatever
reason, need to be taught. Camp Friendship provides
a variety of activities based in small and large
groups to teach children how to get along with
others.
"Some of the topics we covered during camp
included greeting others, making new friends,
initiating and maintaining conversation, taking
turns, maintaining appropriate personal space,
learning how to give compliments, learning how
to interrupt appropriately, learning how to
complain appropriately, accepting and giving
gifts, manners and how to win or lose graciously,"
Hancock added.
For children to master these skills, they must
be given specific instruction and repeated practice.
This is accomplished through demonstration of
the skill, role-play, use of interactive games,
art and music activities, as well as drama.
Each camper finds a way to participate at his
or her comfort level.
"The biggest changes we see are with children
who will not interact at all with others,"
Hancock said. "Often, by the end of the
week, they are spontaneously interacting with
others. Some of these children arrive at camp
and they won't even smile. By the end of the
week they're smiling and having fun."
Eleven-year old Josh Sharp of McCloud is one
of these campers. "This is Josh's second
year at Camp Friendship," said Debbie Sharp,
Josh's mom. "Last year he was reluctant
to go to camp. This year he was very excited.
I've seen improvement in his social interaction
with people. Josh has a difficult time with
it. He was sad to see camp come to an end,"
she added.
Chase Hoover, a ten-year old camper from Midwest
City, was a first year camper. "Chase is
very shy," said Chase's mom, Stephanie
Hoover. "It is difficult for him to deal
with people one-on-one, but he wants to so very
much. He was nervous about going to camp and
I was nervous for him," she added.
"We wanted Chase to gain confidence in
talking with people," Hoover explained,
and this camp exceeded our expectation."
The camp was wonderful, well organized and we've
never been around such experienced people. The
camp staff was very sensitive to the kids needs,
Hoover concluded.
Camp ClapHans summer day camp program is in
its third year. For more information about Camp
ClapHans visit www.jdmccc.com.
The J. D. McCarty Center is Oklahoma's center
of excellence in the care and treatment of children
with developmental disabilities from birth to
21. Founded in 1946, the McCarty Center only
treated one diagnosis…cerebral palsy. Today,
the McCarty Center has treated more than 70
different diagnoses in the developmental disabilities
category.
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| Singing karaoke
was one activity used to build confidence
and self-esteem among campers who attended
the friendship session of Camp ClapHans
summer day camp at the J. D. McCarty Center.
Singing a duet is (left) Chrissy Hancock,
McCarty Center speech-language pathologist
and friendship camp session director, and
camper Ginney Webb of Lexington. Listening
in the background is camper Chase Hoover
from Midwest City. |
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