On a hot day in July, 15 kids aged 7 to 10 file into a vintage train for a short jaunt from Baltimore’s B&O Railroad Museum.
The ride is part of the museum’s sensory friendly summer camp, a week-long educational opportunity for kids on the autism spectrum to learn about trains, participate in classic camp activities and get specialized care from trained special education professionals.
“It is our mission to have him be in inclusive, inclusive areas and inclusive programs,” Elizabeth Burgos said of her 9-year-old son, who has autism. “This is our second year doing this program. We live in Rockville, Maryland. We have no problem driving the nice hour to get here and our back and whatnot just for him to have this experience.”
Burgos said camps that specialize in children on the spectrum are few and far between and can cost as much as $500.
The B&O Railroad Museum, through a sponsorship with Stanley Black and Decker, only charges a $50 registration fee.
The train ride only lasts for about 30 minutes, but the kids are enthralled, recounting previous times they’ve been on trains.
What’s special about B&O’s camp is that the ratio between campers and trained counselors is about three to one.
That allows for the care some kids with sensory issues may need. Children who are neurodiverse like those with autism, ADHD or OCD may crave sensory stimulus or have trouble processing stimuli and need areas where they can unwind.
The camp offers many “stim” toys like fidget spinners to keep children relaxed. There are also areas with beanbags where kids can go to get away from noise.
“The challenge that comes with the idea of a sensory inclusive camp is that everybody has different sensory needs,” said Lee Ann Spear, an education specialist at the museum. “Whether it's a workshop, a science experiment, an art project, we try to always have tools that can help us adapt it to individual needs, whether that's with gross or fine motor skills, language, whatever it is.”
But, mostly, the camp runs like any other summer camp. After the train ride, the kids make handheld derby cars out of blocks of wood that look like trains.
They hammer on wheels and then send them down a sloped track.
Bash Worsley, 10, says these activities have made his summer more fun.
“We made tie dye shirts,” Worsley said. “We made these electronic bugs that when you go into the sunlight, they buzz around and we also decorated water bottles, did science experiments. I also met my friend named Alex.”
The camp is open for four alternating weeks, with different age groups of 7 to 10 and 10 to 14.
Kristen Brown said the experience has been helpful for her 7-year-old son.
“I am so thrilled that we registered for it and he got a spot because he has loved every single day,” Brown said. “It's been so refreshing to have the opportunity for him to just have a great camp experience where there's accommodations for whatever he needed.”
People interested in signing up for the camp can register at the B&O Railroad Museum website.
