The view is great from up here
Ashton Paterson, 2, gets the hang of the flying kiwi at a day camp organised by Conductive Education Taranaki.
Seven-year-old Daniel Sedgwick didn’t let disability stop him from having fun at a new camp taking place in Taranaki – and neither did the other kids taking part.
Daniel, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia, was among 19 youngsters with disabilities at a day camp organised by Conductive Education Taranaki for 36 kids in total.
The Mangorei School pupil’s favourite activity at the five-day camp, taking place at Taranaki Outdoor Pursuits and Education Centre (TOPEC), just outside New Plymouth, was a rope swing that lifted kids high into the trees.
‘‘I went on the flying kiwi,’’ said Daniel, before running off to help lift two-year-old Ashton Paterson into the air.
The camp, funded by New Plymouth-based charity Te Karaka Foundation, is all about providing a place where everyone can participate and have fun.
The days are jam-packed with activities such as rock climbing, boat swinging, high ropes course, and arts and crafts.
‘‘We’ve had all sorts of stuff going on,’’ Conductive Education’s Craig Nielsen said.
Children with disabilities often missed out when it came to activities, he said, which is why Conductive Education wanted to have an accessible camp.
‘‘I can use my own kid as an example. He’s seven and when I tried to get him in a regular holiday programme in November I couldn’t do it.
‘‘So for our kids, for them to be able to get to something that’s catered to their needs is really, really special.’’
One thing that makes the camp different is the number of adult supporters the children have. Nearly 30 parents, teacher aides and volunteers have helped throughout the week.
‘‘We’ve got more adults or helpers than you’d have with regular kids,’’ Nielsen said.
‘‘Some of the kids want to just go and disappear while others will work at a snail’s pace or have got really high health needs, so having someone with those kids, helping them access the activities, means they can actually enjoy themselves.’’
Those attending on Wednesday included 7-year-old Julius Marshal, who doesn’t often get the chance to play outside due to a disability which affects his development.
Julius’ mother, Sonja John, said he is often limited to staying at home during school camps, but this week had allowed him to have experiences with his siblings. ‘‘It’s helping him to interact with the kids and his siblings are here too because usually they think they can’t play much with him,’’ John said.
‘‘They try to involve him, but normally they can’t do much so they feel bad but now they’re happy because they can.’’