West Metro Learning Connections, Inc. A Center for Social Skills Development in Minneapolis, St. Paul MN metro area

Therapeutic Recreation >>Camping

Goals: Summer Day Camp 2008

All Day Camp activities are designed to:

Increase social communication, interaction skills, and friendship behaviors
Develop social cognition v Facilitate self-awareness, self-management, and self expression
Increase overall independence and cognitive skills

The following goals and objectives apply to specific activities:

Swimming and Water Activities*:

Goal: Increase physical coordination and independence

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate basic swimming skills (i.e. blowing bubbles, floating, freestyle, back stroke, and diving)

Objective: Demonstrate knowledge of water and fishing safety skills

Objective: Demonstrate self-awareness and practice fine motor skills while fishing

Goal: Increase cooperative play skills, flexibility of thought, and self-expression

Objective: Participants will engage in water games and activities in pairs or small groups

Objective: Participants will explore new ways to enjoy the water (i.e. try a different waterslide, attempt a new water sport, etc.)

Objective: Participants will offer appropriate verbal support and encouragement for peers during water sports and activities

*Swimming refers to fishing, swimming at local beaches, boating, and excursions to indoor and outdoor water parks

Active Sports, Board/Card Games, and Outdoor Games***:

Goal: Increase physical fitness, and motor coordination

Objective: Participants will increase endurance, flexibility, strength and coordination through a variety of games and activities

Goal: Learn and demonstrate cooperative play skills and sportsmanlike conduct

Objective: Participants will express appropriate verbal support to their peers

Objective: Participants will learn that games can be won or lost and will learn and demonstrate appropriate ways of handing wins and losses

Objective: Participates will improve the ability to follow rules, take turns, share, and teach others how to play

***Includes activities such as board & card games, kickball, tennis, water balloon games, bowling, mini golf, etc.

“The Works” Technology & Discovery Center:

Goal: Increase social cognition

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate appropriate community etiquette during an interactive tour of exhibits and an interactive workshop

Objective: Participants will practice discriminating between when to ask questions and interact and when to watch and listen

Objective: Participants will practice asking relevant questions at appropriate times

Goal: Develop fine motor skills, self-expression, and cognitive skills

Objective: Participants will follow verbal instructions and demonstrations to create a kaleidoscope (The Works) and/or a stuffed animal

Museums:

Goals: Increase knowledge of art and science through hands-on experiences

Goal: Increase social skills and interactions

Objective: Participants will practice waiting in lines, taking turns when making choices, and engaging in reciprocal conversations about exhibits.

Goal: Practice self-management and demonstrate knowledge of appropriate behaviors in social and community environments

Objective: Participants will practice recognizing if and when they need a break and telling a group leader

Learning Lunches:

Goal: Increase independence and daily living skills

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate the correct way to set a table

Objective: Participants will learn how to wash dishes and utensils, wipe tables, and put away dishes, pots, and pans

Goal: Increase social skills

Objective: Increase reciprocal conversation skills (i.e. discussing interests, appropriately expressing emotions, choosing appropriate topics, including everyone, changing topics, staying on topic, etc.)

Music Games and Activities:

Goal: Increase self-expression, self-confidence, and self-esteem through songs and music

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate rhythms and tempos through singing and playing musical instruments

Objective: Participants will recognize the emotions they feel when they listen to different styles of music (i.e. calm, excited, happy, etc.)

IMAX and Omnitheater:

Goal: Increase knowledge of educational topics and facilitate sensory integration

Objective: Participants will learn about educational topics through educational films and follow-up activities

Objective: Participants will integrate lights, colors, sounds, and movements on and off the screen

Goal: Develop and demonstrate appropriate audience skills

Objective: Participants will practice respectful audience behaviors, including quietly observing, clapping, and other appropriate responses

Cooking Activities:

Goal: Increase independence, learn daily living skills, and increase cognitive skills

Objective: Learn how to prepare food by following recipe directions

Objective: Demonstrate knowledge of healthy eating habits

Objective: Practice self-management and community etiquette in the grocery store

Objective: Demonstrate knowledge of kitchen and food safety rules

Goal: Increase social interactions

Objective: Work in pairs or small groups to prepare an item for their peers

Horseback Riding:

Goal: Increase self-confidence and interaction skills

Objective: Participants will learn new or improve existing horseback riding skills

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate knowledge of horseback riding safety

Objective: Participants will develop interaction skills through communication with horse, guide, and other riders

Arts and Crafts:

Goal: Increase self-expression and improve fine motor skills

Objective: Participants will manipulate crayons, markers, photos, scissors, paintbrushes, and other tools to improve fine motor dexterity and creatively express feelings and ideas

Goal: Increase cooperative social skills and teamwork

Objective: Participants will share arts & crafts materials

Objective: Participants will work together on some activities to create murals or other large projects

Goal: Increase social interactions and cognitive skills

Objectives: Participants will follow verbal instructions and demonstrations to create their own art or craft project

Dramatic Games and Activities****:

Goal: Increase repertoire of positive ways to express emotions and personal interests

Objective: Participants will use body movements, facial expressions, and voice inflection to express emotions, thoughts, and ideas

Goal: Develop cooperative group skills

Objective: Participants will work in small groups to create and perform friendship scenes for peers

Goal: Develop and demonstrate appropriate audience skills

Objective: Participants will practice providing support and encouragement to peers

Objective: Participants will practice respectful audience behaviors, including quietly observing, clapping, and other appropriate responses

Goal: Practice reciprocal conversation skills and storytelling skills

Objective: Participants will practice reciprocal conversation skills using puppets

Objective: Participants will practice telling stories in an interesting way and in a sequential order

****Includes charades, miming, puppets, and other dramatic play

Community Tours: Animal Humane Society, Metrodome & Lake Minnetonka Cruise:

Goal: Increase social cognition

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate appropriate community etiquette during an interactive tour

Objective: Participants will practice discriminating between when to ask questions and interact and when to watch and listen

Objective: Participants will practice asking relevant questions at appropriate times

Goal: Increase knowledge of specific topics and boating or animal safety

Objective: Participants will learn new information through tours and follow-up activities

Objective: Participants will learn and demonstrate knowledge of rules related to boating and animal safety

Popular Attractions: Valleyfair, Minnesota Zoo, and Como Zoo:

Goal: Practice self-management and demonstrate knowledge of appropriate behaviors in social and community environments.

Objective: Participants will practice recognizing if and when they need a break and telling a group leader

Goal: Increase social skills and interactions

Objective: Participants will practice waiting in lines, taking turns when making choices, and engaging in reciprocal conversations about sights and sounds.

Entertainment Centers: Grand Slam, U.S.A. and Brunswick Zone:

Goal: Practice self-management and demonstrate knowledge of appropriate behaviors in social and community environments.

Objective: Participants will practice recognizing if and when they need a break and telling a group leader

Goal: Increase social skills and interactions

Objective: Participants will practice waiting in lines, taking turns when making choices, and engaging in reciprocal conversations about sights and sounds.

Goal: Increase physical fitness, and motor coordination

Objective: Participants will increase endurance, flexibility, strength and coordination through a variety of games and activities

Goal: Learn and demonstrate cooperative play skills and sportsmanlike conduct

Objective: Participants will express appropriate verbal support to their peers

Objective: Participants will learn that games can be won or lost and will learn and demonstrate appropriate ways of handing wins and losses

Objective: Participates will improve the ability to follow rules, take turns, share, and teach others how to play

Goal: Increase self-confidence and interaction skills

Objective: Participants will engage in reciprocal communication with peers in order to learn and/or teach unfamiliar games (i.e. laser tag, arcade games, etc.