A Summer Where Every Child Belongs: Creating More Accessible Summer Camps
By Linda Price-Bennett, Viali Design
As fall begins, it is a natural time to reflect on the past summer, the experiences we had and the lessons we learned. For summer camps, it is also an opportunity to look back at what worked well, where challenges arose and what could be improved to create an even more welcoming experience for every child next year.
Summer camp should be a place where children build confidence, try something new, make friendships and feel part of a community. Yet for children with disabilities, participation can sometimes be determined by details that are easy to overlook: a steep gravel path, a fixed picnic bench, an inaccessible washroom, an unexpected schedule change, a noisy dining hall or instructions delivered in only one way.
As a mother of seven children, I have experienced many different summer camps over the years. Some created environments where children with different needs could participate naturally and feel included, while others had barriers that could make participation nearly impossible for some children.
Those experiences have reinforced something I believe strongly: accessibility is not simply one feature or accommodation. It is about considering the entire experience and creating an environment where every child has the opportunity to participate, connect and belong.
Start With the Whole Journey
A camp may have an accessible entrance and still not provide an accessible experience. A child needs to be able to move through the entire day, from drop-off and entrance to washrooms, dining areas, activities, outdoor spaces and pickup. If one essential part of that journey is inaccessible, participation may become difficult or even impossible.
Before camp opens, consider walking through the entire experience from the perspective of a child using a wheelchair, walker or crutches. Look for loose gravel, steep grades, narrow clearances, heavy doors, high storage, fixed seating and clutter. Consider where a camper would turn, rest, reach materials and, just as importantly, sit alongside friends.
Many barriers can be addressed without major renovations. Furniture can be rearranged. Supplies can be lowered. A planter can be moved. An activity can be relocated from an upper floor or difficult area of terrain to a space that everyone can reach.
Create One Reliable Accessible Route
For outdoor camps, rebuilding every pathway or trail at once may not be realistic. Instead, establishing one firm, stable and clearly marked accessible route can make an immediate difference.
Ideally, that route should connect the places campers need most, including drop-off, the main building, a usable washroom, dining areas and a primary activity space.
Rest points along longer routes can also support children who use walkers or crutches or who have limited stamina.
Any ramps, grab bars or temporary pathway products need to be appropriate for the site and installed safely. Where changes affect building compliance or life safety, qualified professional advice is essential.
Make Shared Spaces Genuinely Usable
Being able to reach an activity is not the same as being able to participate in it.
At craft and dining tables, providing an open position with appropriate knee and foot clearance allows a child using a wheelchair to sit with the group. Tools and materials should be within reach, and thicker grips, lightweight equipment or a stable lap surface can be offered when helpful.
The same thinking can be applied to outdoor activities. One child might kick a ball while another rolls, throws or pushes it. During a scavenger hunt, a child could follow an accessible route, photograph items or become the team's clue reader.
Thoughtful adaptation allows children to share the experience rather than separating one child into a different activity.
Treat the Washroom as Essential Infrastructure
A usable washroom can determine whether a child is able to attend camp for an entire day.
Simple changes can make a meaningful difference. Keep accessible washrooms unlocked, remove stored items that reduce manoeuvring space, reposition soap and paper products and provide a reachable hook or shelf.
Some campers may also require a private changing area with adequate space and an appropriate surface. Families should be consulted beforehand to understand what assistance may be required, who will provide it and how the child's privacy and dignity will be protected.
Design for Sensory and Communication Access
Accessibility extends beyond physical spaces.
A child may be able to reach every area of a camp and still experience barriers because of noise, unpredictability or inaccessible communication.
Simple measures can help. Camps can provide visual schedules using words and pictures, offer consistent five-minute and two-minute warnings before transitions and pair spoken instructions with demonstrations, gestures or visual cues.
A voluntary quiet regulation space with ear protection, water, a visual timer and a few sensory tools can also provide children with somewhere to reduce sensory input before returning to the group when they are ready.
These supports are often inexpensive and may benefit many campers, including children who have not disclosed a disability.
Ask Families What Helps Their Child Succeed
A diagnosis alone does not tell camp staff everything they need to know.
A simple camper accessibility profile can help staff understand how a child communicates, which environments may create barriers, what supports are needed for mobility or personal care, what signs may indicate sensory overload and which strategies have worked successfully elsewhere.
That information can then become a practical plan that staff understand before the child's first day, while remaining confidential and focused on what is necessary for safe and equal participation.
Five Changes a Camp Can Make First
For camps wondering where to begin, five practical changes can make a meaningful difference:
Map one continuous accessible route connecting the essential places in a camper's day.
Make one position accessible at every table so a child using a mobility device can sit with peers and reach materials.
Create a simple regulation space where children can voluntarily reduce sensory input and return when they are ready.
Use visual schedules and transition warnings to make the day easier to understand and anticipate.
Complete a camper accessibility profile so planning is based on the child's individual needs rather than assumptions.
Creating a Summer Where Every Child Can Belong
Perhaps the most useful question is not, “Can this child fit into our existing program?”
Instead, we can ask, “What barrier in our program is preventing participation, and how can we remove or reduce it?”
That change in perspective matters. It moves the responsibility away from the child and toward the environment, activity and process. It also creates a better camp experience for everyone.
At Viali Design, we believe accessibility and beauty are not competing goals. Thoughtful design can create spaces that are safer, more intuitive and more welcoming while preserving their character.
Fall is an ideal time for camps to begin these conversations. Reviewing accessibility now provides valuable time to identify barriers, prioritize improvements and make thoughtful adjustments before registration opens and campers return next summer.
As part of our commitment to creating more inclusive spaces, Viali Design is offering accessibility studies for non-profit summer camps. By starting this process now, camp organizations have the time to understand what may need to be adjusted and develop a practical plan for the season ahead.
Even modest changes can make a meaningful difference. With thoughtful planning, next summer can be one where more children are able to participate, explore, build friendships and enjoy the camp experience alongside their peers.
Because every child deserves a summer where they feel they belong. Linda Price-Bennett Curator of The Good Life ™
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