Summer camp can be a highlight of the year — or a stressful gap to fill. This guide covers how to find camps that work for autistic kids in the Des Moines metro, what to look for, and how to plan ahead.
Easterseals Iowa runs day camp (ages 5–12, 1:6 or 1:8 ratios), teen/young adult day camp (13–21), and week-long resident camp on its Des Moines campus at 401 NE 66th Ave. Easterseals is explicit that applying for multiple weeks does not guarantee all of them due to demand — applications open in early November for the following summer, and Medicaid waiver funding is accepted.
Visit siteRegional — about three hours northeast in Monticello. ACA-accredited, serves campers with autism among other disabilities across week-long sessions, respite weekends, and family camp, and offers camperships so no camper is turned away for inability to pay. Ask how they staff campers who need 1:1 support.
Visit siteNonprofit adaptive gym on 121st Street in Urbandale for kids roughly ages 2–22 who cannot go full speed due to physical, cognitive, or emotional disability, running summer camps alongside year-round leagues and open gym. Not autism-specific — ask how sessions are adapted and what the staff-to-camper ratio looks like.
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Sensory-smart, low-pressure, and actually fun. Free PDF, delivered instantly, plus one short practical email each week.
10 Amazing Activities to Do With an Autistic Child This Summer — free PDF, delivered instantly.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.