Camp Munroe always is a big part of summer at the Munroe-Meyer Institute.
But the institute now offers other summer camp experiences, as well, specifically and occupational therapy camp and a physical therapy camp.
The three camps are not competitors, said Anne Woodruff-Jameson, DPT, director of the PT camp.
The PT and OT camps are one-hour blocks two days a week, while the recreational therapy camps are weeklong over seven weeks, going from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“So if someone is in rec therapy camp that week, we let the family of the camper choose — do they want to stay in RT or come to our camp? Because if they’re going to miss swimming, for example, nobody wants to miss swimming,” Dr. Woodruff-Jameson said. “We work with rec therapy and OT to get kids picked up and dropped off between the camps. We have worked together to make sure the camps complement each other.”
Since families often take advantage of both the OT and PT camps, Dr. Woodruff Jameson said, the two departments try to work their scheduling so campers can go from one camp to the other – and they work around the recreational therapy camp, as well.
The MMI Occupational Therapy camp is in its fourth year, said organizer Jennifer Konieczny. Activities in the camp are targeted – this year, there is a handwriting camp and a shoe-tying camp for younger campers.
Occupational and physical therapy 2025 camp spots are still open. See more information.
“We’ve expanded on some of our other options, too, including social skills/board games or Lego camps,” she said. “This is fun but with occupational therapy built in.”
Arts and crafts, for example, strengthens fine motor skills by cutting, gluing and coloring.
“Occupational therapy is looking at the activities somebody might be doing during their day, and we are helping the person, child or family to become the most independent that they can,” Konieczny said.
Of course, camp is for fun, so therapies are adjusted to make them more enjoyable. Handwriting camp will include fun games that help strengthen fingers, as well as provide writing breaks.
These camps are fun not only for the kids but the staff as well, Konieczny said.
“In summer camp, we get a larger group of kids, and it’s fun for us to see them enjoying the activities, making the activities their own and then forming friendships, too. Families will exchange numbers with each other, and now they’ll be friends outside of camp time, which is a great thing for our kids.”
The PT camp started in 2023. This year, it will run the first week of June through the first week of July, with sessions for different groups on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Campers range from kindergarten age to 21 years old. (Sessions for older campers include weightlifting and cooking classes.)
“We wanted to give kids an opportunity to do something fun with friends that still worked on the skills that they’re trying to achieve while they are out of school,” Dr. Woodruff Jameson said. “The camp capitalizes on that time so campers can work on these skills in a fun way. It allows us to do some different things without cutting into their regular therapy plans of care.”
Therapists use the principles of motor learning and integrate them into a play-based activity.
“We always try to do this during our sessions, but in a structured camp with other kids there, peers are such a huge motivator,” she said. “Having peer modeling and peer motivation is huge, and it’s fun to see people encouraging each other. All the campers come with different strengths.
“It’s really rewarding to see the interactions, and we’ve found it’s easier to motivate them when they’re in a group of friends.”
Of course, the 600-pound gorilla of the MMI summer season is Camp Munroe, which this year will see about 270 participants. Rachael Serena, an adaptive therapy specialist, will be taking part in her eighth camp this year.
“A lot has changed in the years that I’ve been here in, in many positive ways,” she said. “We’re blessed to have many staff and volunteers, and so getting to see campers thrive in the one-to-one ratio, to see them excited to see their ‘buddy’ every day, that’s a really exciting piece.
“Just working here for eight years, I can already see the relationships that have built up.”
While there are aspects of OT and PT activities in the recreational therapy camp, Serena said, the social aspect is a big priority, particularly building camper-to-camper friendships and peer relationships.
“We have six different activities throughout the day — cooking, art, swimming, for example – and we let campers explore different avenues they might not know that they enjoy.”
Camp Munroe communicates with the OT and PT camps, Serena said, to move campers from one to another as requested.
“There’s a lot of collaboration,” she said. “It’s exciting to see them get to do other things, as well – OT has a Lego camp.”
For Serena, summers at MMI will only get brighter as more options become available.
“There’s a fine balance of serving as many families as we can but maintaining the safety and as close to one-to-one ratio as we can with volunteers and staff at Camp Munroe,” she said.
“But everybody is very excited for it, which puts a fire in our belly,” she said. “By the latter half of May and that first week in June, when we have staff training, the excitement ramps up again, and we’re ready to rock and roll.”