Body
Get ready! This summer the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is offering several different pediatric summer camps. The camps will have fun activities for kids and each will have a different area of focus.
Body
- Power Play Kids (ages 4+)
- Power Play Tiny Tots (ages 3 months–4 years)
- Stride Through Summer
- Speech Sound Camp (ages 5–10)
- Little Language Lab (ages 4–8)
- School-Aged Conversation Club (ages 7–10)
- Teenage Conversation Club (ages 13–16)
- Young Adult Transition Program (ages 13–21)
Power Play Kids
Body
2025 Pediatric CIMT Summer Camp
Led by our specialty-trained occupational therapists, Power Play is a multi-week program that focuses on improving upper extremity function in children who have spastic hemiplegia or hemiparesis as a result of cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, brachial plexus injury, stroke or other diagnosis.
A physician referral/prescription is required to participate in the camp. Participants must have an insurance policy that will cover group therapy.
Your child could be in either camp based on the assessment at the initial evaluation that consists of family goals and affected upper extremity ability.
Our CIMT summer program utilizes principles from a modified Constraint-induced Movement Therapy protocol, in which the unaffected arm is restrained by a removable cast and the affected arm is used for all functional activities.
Our Bimanual summer program uses a Bimanual Therapy protocol, with a focus on improving the ability to spontaneously coordinate both hands together through repetitive practice of carefully chosen, goal-oriented, two-handed activities.
Camp activities include games, art projects, outings, sensory play activities, bimanual activities, and self-care. Children will be evaluated at the beginning and end of camp to measure progress and use of the affected arm.
Camp Schedule:
July 21–August 7
Monday–Thursday
8–11:30 am or 1–4 pm
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
355 East Erie St., Chicago, IL 60611, 18th Floor
Participants must be:
- Ages 4+
- Ambulatory
- Potty-trained
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Power Play Tiny Tots
Body
2025 Constraint-induced Movement Therapy Camp & Parent Support Group
Baby Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is an evidence-based approach for infants and toddlers with hemiplegia and other related conditions*. It involves constraining the less affected arm with a removable cast to encourage use of the affected arm.
Research has proven that children as early as three months of age should begin CIMT.
Led by our specialty trained occupational therapists, this program focuses on early intervention and caregiver collaboration. It’s designed to empower caregivers by educating them on how to carryover strategies within their home and routines. This unique program includes:
- Customized cast
- Cast wear schedule
- One week intensive caregiver education course
- Follow-up intervention and caregiver collaboration
- Tailored home exercise program
- Parents and caregivers are invited to attend a support group led by a licensed social worker that will provide communication, support and resources
Camp activities will target training the affected arm in play and daily routines such as sensory exploration, interacting with toys, mealtimes, dressing, bath time, and more! Therapists will be one-on-one to provide direct feedback on how strategies will be used within your home.
Follow-up appointments can be conducted via telehealth or at our clinic to ensure applicability within your family routines. To best accommodate your insurance plan, please contact us if your child is currently enrolled in early intervention (El) services
*Conditions may include pediatric stroke, traumatic brain injury, hemiplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injury, and any health conditions that impact use of one upper extremity.
Camp Schedule:
Monday, June 2–Friday, June 6
8–10 am
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
355 East Erie St., Chicago, IL 60611, 18th Floor
Participants must be:
Ages 3 months–4 years
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Stride Through Summer
Body
2025 Pediatric Gait Summer Camp
Led by our pediatric physical therapists, Stride Through Summer is a program for children looking for a challenge. It will include high intensity exercise and activities to improve gait, higher-level mobility skills, balance, strength and endurance.
Participants will be provided with education and resources to help transition the skills they have achieved back to their community, school and home environments.
A physician referral or prescription is required to participate in the camp. Participants must have an insurance policy that will cover group therapy.
Individual evaluations lasting 60–90 minutes are required pre-and post-camp.
The final decision regarding camp placement will be determined by the therapy team to ensure the best for each participant.
Camp will include:
- High intensity gait training through treadmill training and circuit training
- Increasing endurance and strength through age appropriate activities
- Occasional community outings to park and/or throughout Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
- Monitoring participant intensity through wearable tech and/or visual scales
Participants must be able to:
- Sit safely with distant supervision
- Climb up and down stairs with no more than one handrail and minimal help
- Walk for 10 minutes with or without assistive device with distant supervision
- Transition from the floor to standing with minimal help or an assistive device
- Able to participate in a group setting independently without need of 1:1 assistance to safely navigate environment and follow adult directives
- Follow two-three step command (for example, touch your knee and then pretend to talk on the phone)
Mini Movers (ideal ages: 5–9):
Camp schedule:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
June 24–July 19 from 9–11 am
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab,
355 East Erie St., Chicago, IL 60611, 18th Floor
All Stars (ages 9+):
Camp Schedule:
Monday–Thursday
July 14–August 8
5–7 pm
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
355 East Erie St., Chicago, IL 60611, 23rd and 24th Floor
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Speech Sound Camp
Body
2025 Pediatric Speech Summer Camp
Led by a speech language pathologist, Speech Sound Camp is an intensive therapy group that focuses on improving speech intelligibility and production of various speech sounds in the context of peer and group interactions.
Improving speech skills is facilitated through massed practice in shared book reading and collaborative play.
Children will practice speech skills to navigate group activities, improve their intelligibility to unfamiliar listeners, and repair communication breakdowns.
Camp Schedule:
June 16–26
Monday–Thursday (8 total sessions)
9:15–10:45 am
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 18th Floor
355 East Erie Chicago, IL 60611
Participants must be:
Ages 5–10
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Little Language Lab
Body
2025 Pediatric Speech Summer Camp
Led by a speech language pathologist, Little Language Lab is an intensive group that focuses on expanding children’s use of total communication, including spoken words and phrases, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), signs, and gestures.
Improving language skills is facilitated through verbal modeling of new language and aided language stimulation during book reading and collaborative play.
Children will practice communication skills to make comments, request help, and engage with peers.
Camp Schedule:
July 7–17
Monday–Thursday (8 total sessions)
9:15–10:45 am
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 18th Floor
355 East Erie Chicago, IL 60611
Participants must be:
Ages 4–8
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
School-Aged Conversation Club
Body
2025 Pediatric Speech Summer Camp
Led by a speech language pathologist, School-Aged Conversation Club is an intensive therapy group that focuses on improving receptive, expressive, and social language skills in the context of peer and group interactions.
Improving language skills is facilitated through shared book reading and video watching and collaborative play.
Children will practice expressive, receptive, and social language skills to navigate group activities, follow directions, initiate conversation with peers, and repair communication breakdowns.
Camp Schedule:
June 17–July 16
Tuesdays & Wednesdays (8 total sessions)
1:15–2:45 pm (Includes a snack break)
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 18th Floor
355 East Erie Chicago, IL 60611
Participants must be:
Ages 7–10
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Teenage Conversation Club
Body
2025 Pediatric Speech Summer Camp
Led by a speech language pathologist, Teenage Conversation Club is an intensive therapy group that focuses on improving receptive, expressive, and social language skills in the context of peer and group interactions.
Improving language skills is facilitated through functional conversations, video watching, and collaborative games and problem solving.
Teens will practice expressive, receptive, and social language skills to navigate group activities, solve problems, initiate and maintain conversation with peers, and repair communication breakdowns.
Camp Schedule:
June 16–17
Mondays and Thursdays (8 total sessions)
1:15–2:45 pm
Location:
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, 18th Floor
355 East Erie Chicago, IL 60611
Participants must be:
Ages 13–16
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
download
Young Adult Transition Program
Body
Pediatric & Adolescent Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation professionals at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab are committed to empowering adolescents to become more independent by preparing them for a smooth and successful transition toward the future.
Led by a licensed social worker and speech-language pathologist, the Transition Program provides skill training for patients. Caregiver education and involvement is also key to the program. The program offers the below classes.
- Community Transportation
- Trip planning
- Navigating local streets
- Money Management
- Identifying money
- Balancing a basic budget
- Cooking
- Meal planning
- Simple meal preparation
- Medical Information and Care
- Increasing awareness of medical history/management
- Asking questions at medical appointments
- Education and Employment
- Learning about the IEP process
- Identifying potential career interest areas
- Learning how to apply/interview for a job
How to get involved:
Request a prescription for a speech therapy evaluation and treatment from your physician. You will need to contact the Pediatric Program to sign up and schedule a Transition Group Speech evaluation. The Young Adult Transition Group is held in person and will include two group sessions per week. Individual speech sessions will be scheduled according to your preference and group sessions will be held every Thursday.
Participants must be:
Must be 13–21 years of age
Independent with toileting or provide caregiver if needed
Sign up:
To sign up, email pedscamps@sralab.org, including the camp name in the subject line, or call 312.238.1139.
