For many children, attending summer camp is a yearly pilgrimage. It’s a chance to participate in classic summer activities like swimming, arts and crafts, and singing classic camp songs. However, for children with disabilities, the opportunities to go to a summer camp are often few and far between. At Tender Ones Therapy Services, that is not the case. 

Eleven years ago, TOTS pioneered the paddleboarding program. With a passion for aquatic therapy and bringing novel experiences to their patients, two therapists hosted the first TOTS paddleboarding sessions at Lake Lanier once a week. Since then, the paddleboard program has grown to include three weeks of summer camp and weekly paddleboard therapy sessions throughout the summer. Now, more than ten speech, occupational, and physical therapists are involved in creating this unique therapeutic experience. 

At camp, the “campers” get to paddle board on the lake and participate in various occupational therapist-led activities on land, such as relay races, sensory exploration, and arts and crafts. These activities target a variety of skills needed to complete all of the campers' activities of daily living, including fine motor strength, motor planning, attention, and sensory processing. 

On the lake, the physical therapist leads the campers through various games to improve balance, strength, endurance, and coordination. A child who may use a wheelchair or walker on land can accomplish incredible feats on the water, such as standing up, swimming, or doing a cannonball. 

Another essential part of paddleboard camp is the volunteers. Each camper has their volunteer, or “buddy,” as they are called at camp. Campers get to have their buddy be their cheerleader for the entire program and give assistance when needed. Buddies become champions of independence as they watch their camper achieve goals and have a blast doing so! 

Stand-up paddleboarding has numerous physical, sensory, and cognitive benefits. Sitting, kneeling, or standing on a paddle board promotes increased balance and core strength. Learning to propel with a paddle teaches the child how to coordinate their upper extremities and can improve strength and range of motion. Plus, the motion of the board floating in the water and nature's many sights, smells, and sounds are excellent information for the child’s sensory system. 

Some campers have been coming to TOTS’ paddleboarding camp since the beginning. Like many summer camps, they return year after year for the community, the challenge, and the opportunity for growth. Paddleboarding camp is the most fantastic therapy session in disguise. But besides the numerous therapeutic skills campers are gaining, something even more critical is being uncovered… confidence. 

Confidence to stand up on a paddleboard. Confidence to be in a new environment. Confidence to meet new friends. Confidence to conquer new goals.

For these campers and their families, camp is such a special place. It is an opportunity for kids to learn to tackle new challenges in an environment that inspires courage, curiosity, and strength. In a world that is quick to set limitations, TOTS redefines independence with just a paddle and a board.