Summer Sensory-Social Intensive

2024 Schedule

Week 1 (ages 5-7): June 17-21st, 2024

Week 2 (ages 8-11) June 24-28th, 2024

Monday through Friday, 9AM-12PM

$930 per week

The camp is run by Christy Kennedy, OTR/L and Tinsley Curry, OTR/L. 

*Please email Tinsley if you want to sign up for camp at tinsleycurryot@gmail.com

Our Focus

Children with sensory processing challenges often struggle when the activity itself becomes too hard, their emotional responses interfere with physical or social success and/or group activities feel overwhelming or uninviting. This occurs because sensory signals do not get transmitted and/or interpreted as they should, resulting in high or low arousal states which further compounds the issue.


Our  Summer Sensory-Social Intensive each summer provides a week of therapy that supports self-reflection along with a heightened awareness of others. Sensory rich activities are tailored to meet all levels of skills and assure your child experiences the excitement and thrills of summer. Our micromanagement of "arousal states" enables opportunities for children to successfully navigate uncomfortable feelings and to share in more complex group activities with their peers. Supporting a child's arousal state, in-the-moment, helps the child to be more available to process “what just happened?!” and to then learn how to more appropriately respond “next time”. We strive to notice and support your child for ANY effort they make to manage their emotions and control their responses, whether or not they get it completely right or not. To ensure positive support for challenging moments, we incorporate therapeutic principles from  "How Does Your Engine Run?”® and  DIRFloortime® . 


What Children Are Eligible

Children appropriate for this summer group program may have a diagnosis of a Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), or be described as clumsy or slow to learn physical skills, bossy during interactive games, very messy or extremely clean, poor listeners, very disorganized or as having difficulty with peer relationship skills. 


All children will need to have enough receptive and expressive language skills to participate in brief group discussions. Children vary. Some need to work on motor skill development. Others need to learn how to recognize when the physical intensity they are seeking is organizing versus disorganizing. Some need both! 


Assessments Provided

Information about your child’s sensory processing and developmental concerns will be taken over the phone prior to the first day.  We will be happy to read any report that you may have or talk with a therapist who is currently working with your child in an effort to support carryover of goals and/or to better understand your child’s specific needs. Children enrolling for SS Intensive may already be receiving therapy services or may simply be struggling at home and or school.  The group to which your child is assigned will be determined by his or her compatibility with the strengths and challenges to other children within the group.  Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a formal evaluation or give a written report at the end of this summer program.


How Children Will Benefit 

This active play-group setting offers "controlled complexity" and the opportunity for children to practice how to appropriately and effectively express their feelings. In-the-moment reactions to various sensory stimuli will be used to help children understand what helps them feel comfortable and successful and also what makes them feel irritated or overwhelmed. Behavioral responses (both favorable and unfavorable) will serve as a catalyst to help participants better understand their own feelings and behavior as well as those of others. This in-the-moment support offers the information and tools children need to develop strategies which in turn will increase successful social interaction and boost their feeling of self-worth.


What Parents Can Do

To reinforce at home what is being learned during the child’s sessions, parents are encouraged to participate in a brief parent group review to discuss what activities the children participated in, how they responded and suggest activities that can be done at home to support the learning process.  This parent review is scheduled each day just before pick-up at 11:40 a.m. General “homework assignments” will also be given to the parents to help practice what is being taught in the group setting.  To maximize the benefits of this program, parents will need to know how to recognize and support their child’s attempt to practice what they have learned. Familiarity with concepts and terminology will also help parents more fully benefit from the daily discussions that are held. To this end, parents are asked to attend, prior to SS Intensive, our Parents First series. Please see the series schedule for upcoming dates. 


Structure of each Day 

A group of  8 to 10 campers will gather at-large 3 times during each day's session. At the first, the overall plan for the day is reviewed and the main principles of self-regulation are discussed. The group meets again during snack and at the end of the day's session to review the how the day went and celebrate successes and practice playing in the larger, more complex group. Between large-group meetings, two smaller groups of 4 to 5 children will be created, offering less complexity and increased success during two separate physical activities or games.

Children will be supported as they tackle problems that may be difficult for them, such as sharing; listening to other points of view; exhibiting clingy or demanding behavior; wanting their own way all the time; and/or feeling anxious about interacting with others or trying new things. Parents will be provided feedback and problem-solving strategies during the parent review to assist in  further developing these new skills. 


Home Grown Activities 

Activities that do not involve screens and involve routine cardio-vascular response are both very important during children’s developmental, formative years of life. To help inspire parents and motivate children to engage in more physically and socially interactive activities at home, we intentionally incorporate “home grown” games and activities as a part of your child’s experience.

Guided opportunities will be included for children to: 

The bigger picture goal will be to help children:


Gross Motor Activities

The use of swings, obstacle courses, climbing walls, zip lines, crash cushions, stump walking and a resistance swimming pool will  be incorporated into this summer experience!  Skills requiring balance, coordination, core strength, problem solving, sequencing and body-in-space awareness will be factored in to help those with challenges to feel successful and those with strengths to excel to their heart’s content!


Fine Motor and Visual  Motor Activities

Eye-hand activities will be mixed in during the week offering an opportunity to build on skills already achieved as well as to fine tune or enhance new skills in these areas.


Healthy Snacks 

Our snacks are designed to encourage exploration through taste, texture and oral motor control. Peer support, games around food and the motivation to guess the flavor (Mystery Pops!) can often help children overcome strong tendencies to resist non-preferred foods.  Please do not send in your own snacks as this takes away any incentive to try. Our healthy snacks are largely organic and free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, artificial flavors/additives and are minimally processed, if at all. Please let us know if accommodations are needed for other allergies/sensitivities.