Camps and everyday life
Special Needs Summer Camps in Los Angeles
Day camps and sleepaway camps in and near LA for kids with autism, ADHD and other disabilities, and how to choose one, when to sign up and how to pay for it.
A special needs summer camp in Los Angeles can be an inclusive day camp, where kids with and without disabilities spend the day together, or a camp built for one group: autistic kids who need more support, kids working on social skills, kids who are blind. Some sleepaway camps in the mountains have a nurse on duty day and night. On this list, day camps charged about $425 to $1,150 a week in 2026, and sleepaway weeks $1,599 to $2,300. Regional centers can help pay.
On this page
15 special needs summer camps in and near Los Angeles
Day camps first, from the Valley to the Long Beach area, then sleepaway camps. Dates and prices are from summer 2026 unless they say 2027, so check each camp’s page before you plan around them.
Kids Like Me Summer Camp (The Help Group)
13164 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401
Good for Autistic kids, from high support to independent
The Help Group runs two day camps for autistic and neurodivergent kids 6 to 17. Camp Sunshine is for kids who need more support and has its lowest staff-to-camper ratio; Village Glen Camp is for kids who manage well in a group, with adventure, STEM and sports tracks. Siblings are welcome. In 2026 the camps ran five weeks in June and early August, 9 to 2:30.
- Ages 6–17
- 2026: $725–$875 a week
- Regional center vendor; takes SDP funds
- Teen CIT program, ages 13–17
kidslikemela.org (opens their site)818-778-7171On Summerground
Camp Kelly (New Growth)
755 N Whitnall Hwy, Burbank, CA 91505
Good for Inclusive day camp, with your own aide if needed
An inclusive day camp for kids 5 to 18 of all abilities, including autism, ADHD, Down syndrome and emotional or behavioral challenges. Groups are led by behavior-trained counselors, and most campers do well at about four campers per counselor. The camp’s own 1:1 support is very limited, and kids with behavioral or safety needs must bring an outside 1:1, such as an ABA therapist, respite worker or nanny. Camp Kelly 2027 will be at StarBright Learning Center in Burbank.
- Ages 5–18
- 2027 registration opens late January
- 2026: four weeks in July, 9–2:30
- Regional center, SDP: ask for a coupon code
Buddy Building Camp (Dr. Lesli Preuss)
6001 Chesebro Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Good for Twice-exceptional kids working on friendships
A four-week social skills day camp on a licensed clinical psychologist’s ranch, for twice-exceptional (2e) kids 8 to 15: highly gifted kids with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, or emotional or behavioral challenges. Kids practice teamwork, sportsmanship and working out conflicts through sports, art, nature, caring for the ranch animals and field trips, earning Buddy Bucks for prizes. New families need a consultation first.
- Ages 8–15
- 2026: June 15–July 10, 9–3:30
- Consultation required for new campers
Adventure Weeks VIPs (Calvary Westlake)
Westlake Village
Good for A church day camp with individualized support
A church-run summer day camp that includes campers with special needs, whom it calls VIPs, with individualized support. Adventure Weeks is for kids entering kindergarten through 6th grade; Adventure Weeks Plus is for teens and young adults 14 to 22. Days include worship and small groups, games, pool time and field trips on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It says it isn’t a therapy center but aims to hire staff with special needs experience.
- Ages 5–13 and 14–22
- 2026: nine weeks, 9–4, no extended care
- Regional center vendored
- Start with your regional center or SDP
Friendship Island Camp (Compass Clinic)
West LA
Good for Kids who need hands-on social skills coaching
Week-long social skills camps run by therapists, with three campers per counselor, for kids from kindergarten through middle school, grouped by age. Each child works on three social goals that are tracked daily, through role-play, sports coaching, building projects and mindfulness. A teen camp for ages 12 to 15 pairs each teen with a younger buddy to mentor. In 2026, sessions met at churches in West LA and Brentwood and at a school in Culver City.
- Ages 5 through middle school
- 2026: $1,150 a week
- 3 campers per counselor
- Superbills for PPO reimbursement
The Miracle Project Music, Theater & Comedy Camp
9390 N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Good for Kids who love to perform, or want to try
A fully inclusive five-day performing arts camp where neurodivergent, disabled and nondisabled kids act, sing, dance and do improv, and end the week with an informal showcase for family. Teaching artists trained in The Miracle Project’s method lead it, and no theater experience is needed. In 2026 the week for ages 5 to 17 was July 6 to 10, 10 to 2, at the Wallis in Beverly Hills.
- Ages 5–17 (a separate week for 18+)
- Some regional centers pay (vendor HW0828)
- SDP or private pay
themiracleproject.org (opens their site)213-793-5495On Summerground
Momentum Academy
Elysian Valley · 2431 Eads St, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Good for Active kids who learn best by moving
A gymnastics-based day camp that is inclusive by design: activities are adapted for different abilities, learning styles and support needs, with three campers per instructor. Days mix gymnastics stations, obstacle courses and team challenges with warm-ups, cool-downs and regulation breaks. It’s open to the whole community, beginners included, and also runs spring and fall camps.
- Ages 5–18
- Weekdays 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Vendored by Lanterman Regional Center
momentumacademyla.com (opens their site)424-599-4947On Summerground
Joe Patton Academy Camp (Special Needs Network)
South LA
Good for An inclusive camp shared with siblings and friends
Special Needs Network’s summer camp brings together kids 5 to 16 with autism and other special needs and their typically developing siblings and friends; about 60 percent of campers have special needs. It’s designed for regional center clients and SNN’s own ABA clients. The 2026 camp, at CRETE Academy on Crenshaw Blvd, expected nearly 300 kids. Campers must be potty trained, and families register in person.
- Ages 5–16, plus a program for 17–24
- About 60% special needs, 40% peers
- In-person registration day required
- Send lunch and snacks daily
Camp Escapades (Momentum)
1815 W 213th St, Torrance, CA 90501
Good for Developmental disabilities, with therapists on staff
A one-week sensory day camp at Momentum’s Torrance pediatric clinic, running since 1998, for kids 5 to 14 with developmental disabilities. Occupational, physical and speech therapists, program assistants and paraprofessional educators staff it, and each camper gets a teen volunteer buddy. Campers should be able to stay with a group, move between activities with little help and not be aggressive; if not, a family member or 1:1 aide comes along.
- Ages 5–14
- 2026: July 27–31, 9:15–2:15
- 2026: $475 private pay
- Regional center or SDP funding
Advanced Pragmatics Social Camps
Rossmoor, near Long Beach · 3021 Blume Dr, Rossmoor, CA 90720
Good for Verbal kids and teens working on social skills
Half-day social camps taught by a licensed speech-language pathologist at Rush Park in Rossmoor, in Orange County just past Long Beach. Groups of about five campers per staff member practice conversation, teamwork and independence through games, crafts and, for older groups, field trips. They’re for kids with low-support-needs autism or social language challenges, typically developing kids are welcome, and campers must be fully verbal and able to stay with a group.
- Groups for ages 8–10, 11–13 and 14–18
- 2026: $425 a week, 9 a.m.–noon
- No insurance; ask your service coordinator
Jay Nolan Camp
Wrightwood
Good for Inclusive sleepaway camp for ages 8 to 13
An inclusive, ACA-accredited sleepaway camp for kids 8 to 13 of all abilities, held at Lions Camp at Teresita Pines in Wrightwood. Staff are trained for campers’ social, emotional and behavioral needs, counselors are matched with campers by interests, and a registered nurse is on the grounds 24 hours a day. Tuition covers food, lodging and transportation to and from camp, and eligible campers’ costs may be covered by their regional center.
- Ages 8–13
- 2027 dates and tuition: early 2027
- Registered nurse on site 24 hours
Camp Paivika (AbilityFirst)
Crestline, San Bernardino Mountains
Good for A fully accessible sleepaway camp
AbilityFirst’s overnight camp in the San Bernardino National Forest, one of the first fully accessible camps in the country, for children and adults with disabilities. In the children’s session, kids follow a set program with their cabin group, which may include swimming, arts and crafts, sports, nature and performing arts. In 2026 that session (ages 9 to 17) ran six days in late July for $2,000, and Friends & Family sessions let a camper come with their own adult caregiver.
- 2026 children’s session: ages 9–17
- 2026 sign-up survey opened Dec. 8, 2025
- Camperships offered
Camp Bloomfield (Wayfinder Family Services)
Wrightwood area
Good for Kids who are blind or visually impaired
A free, ACA-accredited camp, running since 1958, for children who are blind or visually impaired, including kids with multiple disabilities. The youth and teen session (ages 7 to 17) adapts traditional camp activities for safety and adds independence and life skills; in 2026 it ran June 28 to July 1 at Lions Camp near Wrightwood. A family session lets caregivers and siblings come too. Since losing its Malibu site, it has used different locations.
- Free to campers
- Youth and teen session: ages 7–17
- Family camp for kids and caregivers
PALS Los Angeles (PALS Programs)
La Verne
Good for Teens with Down syndrome ready for a week away
A week-long sleepaway camp that pairs teens and young adults with Down syndrome with peers who don’t have it, and each pair rooms together. In 2026 it was held at the University of La Verne. A licensed medical professional and two medical volunteers are on site, but it isn’t a medical specialty camp: campers with Down syndrome should handle toileting, showering and dressing on their own or with light prompts. It’s ACA-accredited.
- Ages 12–17 (and 18–30)
- 2026: $2,300 a week
- Summer 2027 applications open Jan. 1
- Waiver funding, payment plans, scholarships
palsprograms.org (opens their site)267-477-7257On Summerground
Easterseals Camp (Easterseals Southern California)
Big Bear
Good for Teens who need close support at sleepaway camp
A week-long sleepaway camp for people with disabilities, 14 and up, held each summer since 1974 at YMCA Camp Oakes in Big Bear. Volunteers are matched with one or two campers each, for about one counselor to two campers, and a registered nurse is on duty 24 hours. Activities include swimming, canoeing, archery, hiking, a ropes course and dances. Campers need some way to communicate.
- Minimum age 14
- 2026: July 12–18, $1,599
- Limited camperships
How to choose a special needs camp
Start with what your child needs to have a good day: how much help, how much noise, how long a day. Then ask every camp the same questions.
- Staff ratio and training. Ask how many campers each counselor has and what training staff get. Here, ratios run from about one counselor for two campers (Easterseals Camp) to three campers per counselor (Compass Clinic, Momentum Academy) to about four (Camp Kelly). At Camp Escapades and Compass Clinic, therapists are part of the staff.
- Medical care. If your child takes medicine, has seizures or needs help eating, ask who handles it. Jay Nolan Camp and Easterseals Camp have a registered nurse on duty around the clock; PALS has a licensed medical professional on site but says it isn’t a medical specialty camp.
- Behavior support. Ask what staff do when a child melts down or runs, and when they’d call you. Camp Escapades asks that campers stay with the group and not be aggressive, and Camp Kelly asks kids with behavioral or safety needs to bring their own 1:1 aide.
- Inclusive or specialized. Inclusive camps like JPAC, Camp Kelly and The Miracle Project mix kids with and without disabilities. Specialized camps are built for one group, like Kids Like Me for autistic kids or Camp Bloomfield for kids who are blind. Neither is better in general; ask how each would support a child like yours in every activity.
- Independence rules. JPAC requires campers to be potty trained, PALS expects campers to handle toileting, showering and dressing, and Advanced Pragmatics takes only fully verbal campers.
When to sign up for summer 2027
As of October 2026, few camps on this list have posted 2027 dates or prices. Many open sign-ups in winter, and the popular ones fill: in 2026, Camp Kelly sold out all four weeks, Calvary Westlake’s Adventure Weeks filled every week, and all four Advanced Pragmatics camps were full, with wait lists.
What camps have said so far:
- PALS: 2027 dates and locations come out at the end of November; applications open January 1, 2027, at noon Eastern, with a first round of acceptances by February 1.
- Camp Kelly: 2027 registration opens in late January.
- Jay Nolan Camp: 2027 dates, length and tuition will be announced in early 2027.
- Camp Paivika: last year’s sign-up survey opened December 8, 2025, and was time-stamped, with registration links sent first come, first served in January.
- Now: pick two or three camps and join their mailing lists.
- Now, if a regional center or the Self-Determination Program will pay: tell your service coordinator, so camp can go into your child’s IPP. Calvary Westlake asks families to get that approval before they register.
- December to February: apply the day sign-ups open, and join wait lists.
- Spring: finish medical forms, meet the director and plan how your child will get there.
Paying for camp: regional centers, SDP and scholarships
If your child is a regional center client, the regional center can pay for camp. California law (Welfare and Institutions Code section 4688.22) restored funding for social recreation, camping and non-medical therapies, and every regional center must post a policy for them that the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) has approved. Not sure which center is yours? See our guide to LA’s regional centers.
Under the standard policy DDS sent regional centers in March 2026, you ask for camp through your child’s IPP, and it’s written into the plan with a goal. The regional center won’t require a copayment or ask you to give up respite hours. A camp doesn’t have to be a vendor: a center can pay one that mostly serves the general public through a financial management service, and if a camp won’t work with one, it may reimburse you. Each regional center also has a named contact for camp and recreation questions.
In the Self-Determination Program, open to all eligible regional center clients since July 2021, families have more say in choosing services and providers. Kids Like Me, The Miracle Project, Camp Escapades and Camp Kelly mention SDP funds on their pages.
Other help named on the camps’ own pages:
- Camp Bloomfield is free.
- PALS works with families on waiver funding, payment plans and partial or full scholarships.
- Easterseals Camp says limited camperships may be available, and Camp Paivika lists camperships too.
- Camp Kelly gives coupon codes for regional center, SDP and sibling discounts; its registration fee isn’t covered.
- Compass Clinic gives superbills you can send to a PPO insurer for reimbursement.
Questions parents ask
Does regional center pay for summer camp in California?
It can. California law lets regional centers fund camping, social recreation and non-medical therapies (Welfare and Institutions Code 4688.22), and you ask for camp through your child’s Individual Program Plan (IPP). Under the standard policy the Department of Developmental Services sent regional centers in March 2026, the center won’t require a copayment or make you give up respite hours, and it can pay some camps that aren’t vendors through a financial management service. Your service coordinator, or your center’s named contact for social recreation, can tell you how your center handles it.
What’s the difference between an inclusive camp and a special needs camp?
An inclusive camp serves kids with and without disabilities together, adding support so everyone can join in; JPAC, Camp Kelly, The Miracle Project and Momentum Academy work this way. A specialized camp is built for one group, like Kids Like Me for autistic kids, Camp Escapades for kids with developmental disabilities or Camp Bloomfield for kids who are blind. Neither is better in general. Think about where your child is most comfortable, how much help they need and whether a sibling or friend can come too.
Are there autism summer camps near me in Los Angeles?
Yes, across the county. In the Valley, Kids Like Me in Sherman Oaks is built for autistic kids 6 to 17, and Camp Kelly in Burbank is inclusive. On the Westside, Compass Clinic runs social skills weeks and The Miracle Project a performing arts camp. JPAC in South LA serves autistic kids along with their siblings and peers, and Camp Escapades in Torrance is a sensory camp staffed by therapists. Near Long Beach, Advanced Pragmatics runs half-day social camps in Rossmoor.
How old does my child need to be for sleepaway camp?
It depends on the camp. Among the sleepaway camps here, Camp Bloomfield’s youth session starts at 7, Jay Nolan Camp takes kids 8 to 13, Camp Paivika’s 2026 children’s session was for ages 9 to 17, PALS starts at 12 for campers with Down syndrome, and Easterseals Camp starts at 14. If your child isn’t ready to go alone, Camp Paivika’s Friends & Family sessions and Camp Bloomfield’s family session let a caregiver come along.
Can my child bring an aide or ABA therapist to camp?
Often, and some camps require it. Camp Kelly asks kids with behavioral or safety needs to come with an outside 1:1, such as an ABA therapist, respite worker, school aide or nanny. Camp Escapades asks a family member or 1:1 assistant to come if a child can’t stay with the group, move between activities with little help or keep from hitting. Check with the camp first, then ask your ABA provider or regional center about covering the aide’s hours. More on in-home ABA therapy in LA.
How we made this list
We ran eight web searches for special needs, autism, inclusive and sleepaway camps across Los Angeles, read each camp’s own pages, and kept camps that serve kids in LA County or a drive away and showed 2026 or 2027 details. We left out directories, a camp we couldn’t place in LA, and camps we couldn’t confirm on their own sites. Dates and prices are 2026’s unless they say 2027; we’ll refresh the list in February and March 2027, when more camps have posted dates.
No one paid to be on it. It’s information to start from, not medical or legal advice: check services, costs and coverage with each provider before you book. Spotted something out of date, or run a place that belongs here? Write to hello@summerground.com.
Sources
- DDS: standard purchase of service policy for social recreation, camping and non-medical therapies (March 2026)
- DDS: plain-language summary of the March 2026 policy
- DDS: updates to Welfare and Institutions Code 4688.22 (August 2024)
- DDS: reimbursement and participant-directed services for camp and recreation (September 2024)
- DDS: Self-Determination Program