Camp Delafield is a joyful combination of academic mornings and play-filled afternoons for children with dyslexia and other reading challenges. Kids learn that reading is hard for people other than just them. Daily expert tutoring builds both reading skills and the confidence that learning differently doesn’t mean learning less.
Basic Info:
Address: 8395 Keystone Crossing, Suite 350, Indianapolis, IN 46240
Phone: (317) 222-6635
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.diin.org
Type of Camp or Summer Program: Day
Basic Categories: Academic, Arts, Sports, STEM, Traditional
Gender of Campers: Male and female
Special Needs Offered: Literacy (Orton-Gillingham), written expression, math, reading comprehension, and STEM activities in the afternoon.
Dates: June 1–July 2, 2026
Hours: Monday–Thursday 8 a.m.–4 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Ages: 7–12
Activities: Academic mornings include Orton-Gillingham, written expression, math, and reading comprehension followed by play-filled afternoon activities like a traditional summer camp.
Q&A with Camp Delafield:
What makes Camp Delafield unique?
For 37 years, Camp Delafield has been a very successful summer camp for dyslexic children by combining academic mornings with play-filled afternoons. This schedule allows kids to make up to a semester’s worth of progress in reading, math, written expression, and reading comprehension in five weeks over the summer. Campers work all morning alongside other dyslexic kids and realize they are not the only person struggling, which is a powerful part of the experience. Afternoons include outdoor activities, games, arts and crafts, music, STEM, and more, so it is not just work.
What activities are offered?
Afternoons vary, but may include games, outdoor play, gym activities, arts and crafts, STEM activities, water play, fishing, a walk in the woods, a philanthropic activity, and more. Mornings are structured with 1:1 Orton-Gillingham sessions, plus small-group math, written expression, and reading comprehension. The small-group ratio is 1:6, and staff pull students out or bring additional support in as needed to help campers make progress.
What is the camper-to-counselor ratio?
Orton-Gillingham sessions are 1:1. For math, written expression, and reading comprehension, the ratio is 1:6 (depending on skill level and age). In all academic settings, class sizes stay small so staff can track who understands a concept and who needs extra help, with additional staff stepping in when needed.
How much time do the campers spend outside?
It varies based on the weather, but staff aim to spend as much afternoon time outside as conditions allow. There is also a gym on site that campers use when the weather is not appropriate for outdoor activities.
Does Camp Delafield provide lunch/snacks, or do parents need to provide them?
Camp Delafield provides two snacks each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each camper is responsible for bringing their own lunch each day.
What is the typical daily schedule at Camp Delafield?
- 7:45 a.m.: Drop-off and free play (basketball is a favorite while campers arrive).
- 8:00 a.m.: Morning welcome with the director, often with a silly question or joke to start the day.
- 8:10 a.m.: Written Expression session focused on building strong sentences and using descriptive words.
- 9:00 a.m.: 1:1 Orton-Gillingham tutoring time for reading support at each camper’s pace.
- 9:50 a.m.: Snack break and a quick run-around outside.
- 10:00 a.m.: Math group work (such as math facts and foundational concepts like geometry).
- 11:00 a.m.: Reading Comprehension to strengthen understanding of words and overall meaning.
- 11:50 a.m.: Lunch (brought from home), followed by outdoor play.
- 1:00–4:00 p.m.: Afternoon camp programming varies by day (swimming, outdoor games, arts and crafts, walks, STEM activities, gym time when it rains, and favorites like fishing).
- 4:00 p.m.: Pick-up.
How old are the counselors, and how are they trained?
Camp Delafield is run by a retired principal who is responsible for all staff. Morning staff are teachers and tutors trained in their specialty areas. Afternoon staff include a combination of teens and adults.
What accommodations are made for campers with special needs?
In addition to dyslexia, many campers also have dysgraphia (difficulty writing), dyscalculia (difficulty with math), or ADHD. Supporting students so they can access information and fully participate is part of what the team does every day. Because this is a camp and not a school, the program does not offer a sensory room and cannot provide 1:1 counselor support for the entire day.
Does my child really get one-on-one Orton-Gillingham tutoring every day?
Yes. Trained Orton-Gillingham tutors meet with each child every day to work on reading skills. As the saying goes in the Orton-Gillingham community, “Work as fast as you can but as slow as you must,” and tutors follow that approach to meet each camper where they are.
