For our campers with autism

Approximately 20% of our campers have autism. Autism often interferes with a person's ability to put together the clues of another person’s gestures, words, and tone of voice, etc.

This may make new situations, even fun ones like camp, challenging. Social narratives give information in a way that reduces anxiety about new situations.

Our aim is to help campers with autism spend more time having fun at camp and less time in transition.

Reading the social narratives with a caring adult before camp will help campers with autism have a shorter, easier transition at camp. They'll have more time to have fun, learning new skills and independence along the way.

The social narratives use mostly stick figures. They will help autistic campers understand the situations described in the stories and that the people in the photographs are not the only people who do the activities.

Credits

Social Narratives for the main camp were initially developed by Carol Gray.   The stick figures stories below were written by Jaime Wilkerson as part of her graduate work at Portland State University Speech and Hearing Department.

Heather Schwartz created the Oral Hull Social Narratives.

We are also grateful to Mayer Johnson, Inc. for their permission to use The Picture Communication Symbols® © 1981/4. All rights reserved worldwide.

Read our social narratives for our Main Camp and our program at Oral Hull

Click on each of the social narratives below.  Read them with your camper.  Each one is a short presentation about a specific topic. The social narratives will enable the camper to transition into the camp experience more easily.

Main Camp Social Narratives:

Animals in the forest            

Being kind to others            

Breaks at camp                   

Campfire                             

Campout schedule              

Canoe safety rules               

Canoers                              

Choices at camp                  

Eating healthy at camp     
    
Feeling safe in bed at night    

Flag                                     

Fun activities at camp            

Health                                   

Mealtime   

Morning routine

My group at camp

Nighttime routine

Personal space

Quiet time at camp

Riding horses at camp

Rocks stay on the ground

Setting the table for mealtime

Staying with my counselor

Staying with my group

Time to go home

Touching appropriately

Waiting for my turn

Ways to show my friends I like them        

Program for individuals with Autism Camp Social Narratives:     

Arts & Crafts

Field Games 

Going Hiking

Mealtime

Music

The Dance

Waking up