The Benefits of Visiting Calvert Trust Exmoor for a Child with a Disability
At Calvert Trust Exmoor, we believe that every child should have access to adventure activities, especially children with disabilities. Therefore, we strive to provide the very best adventure breaks possible and encourage children of all abilities to visit our accessible centre in Devon.
Adventure activities of any kind are fun, exciting and educational. They encourage being outdoors, doing exercise and making friends. Plus adventure breaks help build independence and personal growth. The overall benefits are vast and ongoing, whatever the circumstances.
But did you know we’re the only disability centre of our kind in the south of England? Which means visiting us has its unique advantages. Here are the benefits of visiting Calvert Trust Exmoor for a child with a disability…
They will be well looked after
Everyone’s safety and happiness should be a top priority during an adventure break. So we have published some tips for choosing an accessible activity holiday to ensure you can get your dream break.
At the Calvert Trust Exmoor centre, we can guarantee every child will be cared for equally, enjoying the same experiences as those around them. Our friendly staff will support parents and carers to look after everyone at all times. During activities, the highly trained instructors tailor the sessions so those with mild to complex disabilities can do the same as each other.
Children can enjoy all the facilities on-site, from watching TV to swimming to enjoying a meal. With everything in one place, children are surrounded by others to ensure they are looked after.
In our experience, when a child with a disability feels looked after, included and equal, they enjoy a sense of freedom and independence and have a wonderful time.
They will do new activities
There are plenty of activities adapted for all, such as abseiling, climbing, horse riding, canoeing, cycling, and much more. Some of these activities are only available for people with disabilities at specialist activity centres like ours.
Many guests visit for the first time questioning if the activities are do-able for a child with a disability. They are then pleasantly surprised when they see children doing tasks they didn’t think possible.
“Beth went abseiling…! I mean it’s a hard thing for Beth to focus walking downstairs but for her to walk down an almost vertical wall was completely emotional to watch her achieve something even I had limited her to not being able to do.”
– from Beth and Grace’s guest story
There are many benefits for a child successfully taking part in an activity they’ve never done before…
They will overcome nerves and fears
It’s only natural that children will feel nervous about doing an activity for the first time, and part of the experience is overcoming their worries and fears.
Their designated instructors will make children feel safe, giving thorough instructions in a way they can understand.
“Our instructor was incredible. He gave Edward the confidence to do every single activity, even the zip wire, which from our arrival, Edward was determined he wouldn’t be confident enough to do.”
– from The Barnard Family guest story
There is often a huge sense of accomplishment and excitement when guests do an activity they enjoyed or achieved something they may not have thought possible. Which improves confidence and self-belief.
They will develop and grow
For schools, we have another news piece that discusses why learning outside the classroom is important. Yet the points discussed benefit all children taking part in outdoor and indoor adventure activities.
For many disabled children, being outside doing activities has the following benefits…
- Adaption to new situations and building resilience – Overcoming any difficulties or nerves may be their first taste of resilience, which is considered a crucial part of developing self-confidence
- Gaining a sense of responsibility and independence – Activity breaks give children new responsibilities, like taking care of their belongs, asking for their meals, or putting on a safety helmet. This will build on their sense of independence as they aim to do each thing correctly.
- Developing problem-solving skills, motor skills and co-ordination – The activities on offer encourage physical movements, which help develop both gross and fine motor skills. We understand that not every child can move some or all of their body, but where possible activities are adapted to accommodate their abilities.
- Building trust and communication – At Calvert Trust Exmoor, guests do activities with the same group and instructor throughout their stay. Everyone bonds to ensure that individuals are comfortable and that each person knows what they are doing in activities. So guests will inevitably build up a good rapport with those around them. This leads to building trust and communication.
- Making new friends – By building trust and communication skills, many children learn how to interact with others during their stay and may even make new friends.
They will feel ongoing benefits
It’s well documented that physical exercise and being outdoors has positive and lasting benefits. Studies show physical outdoor activity lowers blood pressure, improves short-term memory, helps fight off illnesses and improves mental wellbeing. Read our news piece How an Adventure Break Can Improve Mental Health for more detail on this.
Residential experiences provide opportunities and benefits that cannot be achieved anywhere else. Advantages include academic success, general happiness and good wellbeing.
They can look forward to visiting the centre
It’s always nice to have something to look forward to, including accessible holidays in Devon, and the build-up to a visit to Calvert Trust Exmoor can also have big benefits.
For example – the anticipation can lead to a more positive outlook. The act of choosing what to take and packing bags can increase focus. Discussing what the stay will involve could help improve communication. We also have tips available for things to pack and how to get your child excited if you need them.
Whether visiting for the first time or coming back for another stay, each child will gain benefits unique to them during their time at the centre. Join us soon to discover the benefits of visiting Calvert Trust Exmoor for a child with a disability.
If you would like to book a break with us or have a question about an upcoming visit, please phone us on 01598 763221 and the team will be willing to help.
Don’t forget that our breaks include activities, accommodation, meals, use of the facilities and more.
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