The Alpacas Visit Camp Koski

Camp Koski is a Certified Youth Camp (CYC) in Baltimore County for children diagnosed with Autism and related disorders   The camp is run by Patti Koski (SLP) author of The Matt and Molly Series picture stories and language activities used to teach social language and learning.   Lucky for me, she is also a good friend of mine and is always open to new ways to engage her campers in a themed activity.  Patti invited the alpacas from Simple Faith Farms to come out and spend a day with the campers.  

The Occupational Therapist inside of Tracey wants to make sure each camper uses all of their fine motor skills to actively participate in putting the "Camper Lead" on Cosmo.

Each Camper followed directions to take the alpacas through the obstacle course.  They had to start at the "orange" cones and wait for the 1,2,3 cue to begin.  "E" from Team Klein is the handler in this experience.

Demonstrating how to isolate that thumb.

Patti sharing a tender moment with a camper as he tells her all about the alpaca experience.

Cosmo sure was happy to get this reward from the camper for listening to all the directions given by the camper and for getting through the obstacle course.

Reinforcing social skills and eye contact.

"Over" the bar, c'mon let's go!

Peer Counselors assist this camper in using the Alpaca's  fiber to make felted soap.  This was step 3 in the process of this motivating multi-sensory project.

This camper is using both hands to "card" the fiber before making the felted soap.

A little help from my friends.

Jen and a camper wrapping the soap with the cording, then dipping it into the water.

Giving the command to go "around " the crates.

Soap felting station

A camper greets Cosmo.

Making new friends

"Jump!"

How adorable is this, this is the Alpaca Craft that Patti had in her art station that day.

Campers and their Counselors reviewed a social story about Alpacas in the morning to learn facts about the Alpacas before meeting them. 

"A" creates a social story on the ipad all about Alpacas using the imovie feature.

            After a day of fun and learning, Team Klein packs up and heads back to Simple Faith Farm.