Social and Recreational Opportunities

Here is a list of camps The Northern Regional Center does not endorse any of these camps and this information is provided only as a resource. When considering camps there can be many options depending on your child’s needs and interests. You can talk to camps to see if they can accommodate your child or other parents who may have already had their children participate. 

Overnight Camps

  • Easter Seals Camp Wawbeek in Wisconsin Dells. Several camp options at different times of the year including transition, respite, autism, and adults.
  • Several camps are offered at Wisconsin Lions Camp  in Rosholt near Stevens Point. Week long camps for different types of disabilities including Blind/Low Vision, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Autism/Intellectual Disabilities, Epilepsy Diabetes. There is a $25 fee which is then used as a credit at the camp store and is a lottery for admission.
  • Timbertop Camp: summer camp for youth with specific learning disabilities/ special needs including AD/HD, SLD, Title 1, OHI that is held at the Wisconsin Lions Camp in Rosholt near Stevens Point. 
  • Variety Chatter Matters Camp at UW Whitewater is available to children ages 5-15 who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication and their families.
  • Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum– occurs yearly in the summer at Edgewood College in Madison. Become a part of the youth that lead us! This week-long forum is for high school students with disabilities who want to learn more about leadership, self-advocacy skills, and career awareness.
  • Camp LuWiSoMo Joyful Hearts ministry is designed for individuals with developmental disabilities, providing a quality camping experience in a safe, Christian environment. All campers take part in the usual camp activities, but each activity is modified based on the needs of the camper. Located in Wild Rose, WI (south of Stevens Point)
  • Camp Daniel is an organization dedicated to providing people with disabilities opportunities for personal, social, and spiritual growth. Camp Daniel is rooted in its summer camping program that offers people with disabilities access to safe and fun Northwoods camping experiences, where the physical, social, and spiritual needs, that each person’s disability requires, are lovingly met. In Marinette County. 
  • Contact your county 4-H for information on your local camp opportunities. You can hear more about how Camp Susan has accommodated campers in the past with this video: youtu.be/IK4PcchE2es
  • Fort Wilderness camp near Rhinelander is another camp that parents have said their children with disabilities/ special health care needs have enjoyed
  • Bayfield County 4-H Summer Camp is available to youth not involved in 4-H as well as members. 

Our partners at Family Voices of Wisconsin created this list of camps across the state a few years ago if you are looking outside the area: familyvoiceswi.org/resource-library/1304/.

Cost of camps: Camps are funded in a variety of ways and the costs can vary greatly. Child care subsidies or a sliding fee scale may assist with camp. Some camps have scholarships available or you may be able to utilize CLTS funds for camp as respite. Give us a call, 715-261-1906, if you need help navigating all these options or want more information.

Local Summer Day Camps
• Discovery Education Station in Marshfield has day camps in the summer as well as other STEAM events.
• YMCA Camp Sturtevant in Wausau offers day camps for the entire summer as well as other opportunities. They do accept the child care subsidy and have camper scholarships.
• Rainbow’s End Day Camp for children 5-21 typically in July in Wausau. Two sessions are being held this year- July 17-21 and July 24-28.

Camps outside of area
• Badger Camp: have many options for campers ages 3-21 with intellectual disabilities. 1-2 week sessions near Prairie Du Chein. For older kids they have travel and primitive camp options too.
• Camp Daniel is an organization dedicated to providing people with disabilities opportunities for personal, social, and spiritual growth. Camp Daniel is rooted in its summer camping program that offers people with disabilities access to safe and fun Northwoods camping experiences, where the physical, social, and spiritual needs, that each person’s disability requires, are lovingly met. In Marinette County
• Camp Chi is located in southern Wisconsin and has several options for week long and multi-week camps that can extend to their day camps.
• Numerous camps affiliated with the Paul Newman Foundation like Hole in the Wall Gang and Painted Turtle host weeks for specific disability groups.
• For siblings of children with disabilities, WisconSibs has opportunities in different locations and age groups in Appleton and Door County.

Recreational Opportunities
• Fishing has no boundaries: first started in Hayward, now has chapters in several other locations across the country. Provides fishing events as well as information on adaptive equipment. The largest event in Hayward takes place May 19-20, 2023.
• Empowered Dream Hunts is based in Mosinee (Wausau) and offers hunting trips to veterans, youth, and others with access barriers.
• F.I.S.H is a non-profit in Wood County that provides fishing opportunities.

Leadership Opportunities
• Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum– occurs every summer at Edgewood College in Madison. This week-long forum is for high school students with disabilities who want to learn more about leadership, self-advocacy skills, and career awareness.
• Crossways Self-Determination Camp at Pine Lake Camp in Waupaca is for those 18 and older with intellectual disabilities www.crosswayscamps.org/selfdetermination

Other Information
Cost of camps: Camps are funded in a variety of ways and the costs can vary greatly. Child care subsidies may assist with day camps that are taking the place of child care. Scholarships or sliding fee scales may be available for different activities. You may be able to utilize CLTS funds for camp as respite. Give us a call, 715-261-1906, if you need help navigating options or want more information.

• Youth summer employment can also be an option for older teens looking to get away for skill building. Contact your local Job Center or DVR Counselor to learn about local opportunities.