Summer camps provide opportunities for children to experience play, pleasurable activities, and social interaction with other children of similar ages and interests and are an integral part of the modern-day American cultural landscape. The authors discuss the emergence of summer camps for children with special needs, the types of play activities…

A camp program is described which reflects the Young Men's Christian Association's traditional commitment to the development of the whole person, introducing the development of a "wellness" lifestyle. A wellness lifestyle is described as one that involves living fully and abundantly while recognizing and assuming responsibility for one's…

Prepared as a guide for summer camp administrators, this manual and this wellness program are built upon six principal concepts: enjoying fitness; eating well; taking care of oneself; enjoying life; relating to others; and being part of the world. Wellness is described as serving to awaken one's awareness to lifestyle norms and practices that…