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TRIAD Summer Camp is an intensive social skills program designed specifically for children with autism spectrum disorders who are between the ages of 6 and 12, and who have language and reading skills. The children attend Monday thru Friday from 9 AM - 3 PM for three weeks.
The typical daily schedule consists of large group activities, small group activities, outside activities, board games, and craft activities. Each day a specific skill is presented in the morning. Some of the daily skills are greetings, compliments, emotions, appropriate play, and choosing a topic for a conversation. During small groups, counselors present activities related to the skill of the day. The outside activities focus on team cooperation in games such as a relay or Red Light/Green Light. In order to promote success during these games, visual directions and scripts are provided for the children to use.
Special events are also planned for camp (i.e., animal show and ice cream truck). On the days of each of these events, activities are designed throughout that day of camp to prepare the children for the special event (e.g., How to act when a presenter comes, How to order ice cream from the ice cream person). Visual supports are also provided for some of the children to enable them to fully participate in each event.
Peers are encouraged to participate and are an essential part of the success of the camp. They are involved in all camp activities and assist as models of appropriate social skills. Peer training is held prior to the first day of camp as well as throughout the three weeks to teach the peers how to interact with the children with autism.
