Camp Yakety Yak

💙 EXTRA CREDIT 💙

To our Camp Yakety Yak volunteers…

These photos are for YOU! If you need pictures of your volunteer service, feel free to download any that include you.

While you’re here, we want to tell you something.

Many of our campers are excluded from other camps, classes and even school programs. They want to go, even try to go, but they were scared or overwhelmed and felt misunderstood. They are often asked to leave programs. Sometimes many programs. They often feel left out and afraid to try new things.

Then they come to camp… and they meet you.

You invite them into a game. You celebrate their interests. You laugh with them. You give them space when they need it. Most importantly, you accept them exactly as they are.

As adults, we work every day to help our campers feel safe and valued. But there is something uniquely powerful about being accepted by your peers. Your friendship, your kindness, and your willingness to simply be with our campers tells them—You belong with us.

That kind of acceptance changes lives!

Camp Yakety Yak couldn’t exist without our volunteers. Thank you for sharing your summer, your energy, and your hearts with our campers.

Now go grab your photos… and go get that extra credit! 💙

The Yak is Packed!! 💙

Today we packed up our classrooms, supplies, games, toys, and all the little pieces that make camp feel like home. There were a few tears, a lot of pride, and endless gratitude as we said goodbye to another unforgettable summer.

More than anything, we hope every camper and Yak Apprentice left knowing they are deeply loved. We hope they discovered that, in our community, they can build trusting relationships with the staff and volunteers who care for them, relax, have fun, make friends, and truly belong.

Thank you for all your cards, notes, emails, and kind messages. They filled our cups after some very long days and reminded us why this work matters to your families.

The days were long, but the weeks were far too short. We’re leaving with tired bodies, but our hearts are so full. 💗

To all of our campers, apprentices, families, volunteers, interns, and staff—thank you for making this summer so special. We’ll miss you more than you know. Have a wonderful year, and we’ll be counting the days until we’re together again.

And finally, in the unforgettable words of Voyagers camper A: “I can be as autistic as I wanna be!”

🐍✨ Snake Visitors at Camp Yakety Yak!

There’s nothing quite like meeting an animal up close to turn curiosity into confidence.

This week, our youth had the chance to safely meet and learn about snakes with knowledgeable handlers who answered questions, shared fascinating facts, and helped everyone explore at their own pace. For some, it meant eagerly reaching out to touch a snake. For others, it meant watching from a comfortable distance—and that was just as important.

At Camp Yakety Yak, there’s never pressure to participate in one particular way. We celebrate every step, whether that’s asking a question, taking a closer look, or bravely trying something new.

Experiences like these help build confidence, communication, flexibility, and a lifelong sense of wonder about the natural world. 💚

Did you hear stories about our slithery visitors?

Every year our Yak Apprentices ages 16-22 spend 4 intensive weeks focusing on the “soft skills” necessary for success in a job and on everyday life. We find meaningful jobs and ways for apprentices to showcase their skills, related to their interests. Our horticulturist apprentice has spent weeks caring for our plants as well as creating terrariums up for raffle. Please consider supporting their efforts by entering using the QR code on the flyer or directly at our Venmo -YaketyYak.

🍣 Cooking Is About So Much More Than Food

For many youth experiencing disabilities, trying a new food can take courage. Sensory differences, oral motor challenges, anxiety, and even medication side effects can make eating difficult.

Through hands-on experiences, laughter, and the encouragement of friends, youth have the opportunity to explore new tastes, textures, and smells in a fun, low-pressure environment. Sometimes the joy of cooking alongside friends helps reframe food from something stressful into something worth exploring.


A parent shared: “My son struggles to keep weight on and usually comes home with a full lunchbox. But at camp he tried sushi, seaweed, tuna and made pizza! 🍕

Sometimes the biggest victories happen one bite at a time. 💙

👇 What new foods did campers try at camp??

🦉 Owl Eyes & Forest Detectives!

This week our Forest Detectives explored the amazing world of owls!

Campers created their own owl eyes to discover how these incredible birds see the forest. Then they investigated model owl pellets, carefully uncovering tiny bones and piecing together clues to figure out what an owl might have eaten.

💙 As always, our amazing blue-shirt camp counselors were right by their side, asking questions, offering encouragement, celebrating every discovery, and making sure every camper had the support they needed to participate with confidence.

So many curious minds. 🌲🦴🦉

STEMLearning CuriosityInAction InclusiveCamp YouthExperiencingDisabilities

🩷 Bunny Love Photo Dump 🐇

Camp Yakety Yak was filled with quiet, gentle moments today.

Our campers—and yes, our staff too—fell in love with these charming visitors from Hannah Braskett We met three-week-old and three-month-old bunnies… cue the collective Aweeeee…

We got to pet them and hand-feed them grasses and garden favorites like lemon verbena and curly dock. They happily nibbled right from our hands!

We love our animal visitors. Next week: snakes!

🎲 Recess photo dump!

Recess might look like free play, but it’s one of the richest learning opportunities of the day.

With less structure comes more decision-making, more social interaction, and yes—more opportunities for conflict, problem-solving, and growth.

Our campers are challenged every day to make choices, join a game, share materials, handle disappointment, practice flexibility, and build friendships. And they don’t have to do it alone.

With a volunteer camp counselor by their side, campers have a safe place to take risks, work through challenges, and discover they’re capable of more than they thought.

Whether it’s friendship bracelets, LEGO, drawing, blocks, cards, games or simply spending time with a friend, every recess is another opportunity to learn, grow, and belong.

At Camp Yakety Yak, we believe some of life’s most important lessons happen through play. 💙

🚀 3…2…1… Liftoff!

This week, our young aerospace engineers put their rocket designs to the test.

Using straws, paper, and plenty of curiosity, campers designed rockets, experimented with different fin shapes, launched them, made observations, and then improved their designs to see what would fly farther.

Along the way, they practiced:
✨ Asking questions
✨ Testing ideas
✨ Problem-solving
✨ Learning that “didn’t work” is just another opportunity to try again

None of this would have been possible without our incredible volunteer camp counselors. They helped with cutting, taping, reading directions, launching rockets, and cheering every success—while making sure each camper received the support they needed to participate in their own way.

At Camp Yakety Yak, we’re not just launching rockets—we’re building confidence, communication and friendships. 💙