A hospital-based day camp for children with diabetes

This paper describes the planning and implementation of a one-day program of recreation and education for children with diabetes that offers the same sort of fun, peer interaction, and education that the children would get in a summer day camp. The program's curriculum is based on the intrinsic nature of 6- to 11-year-old children--present-oriented thinking, increasing independence, and greater time spent with peers. Consideration is given to the sequence of activities, safety and liability issues, promotion of the camp, and cost. Such one-day camps offer children with diabetes a better understanding of their disease, along with valuable peer interaction and good fun.