Live action role play (LARP) has had a home at Camp Starfish for many years; the imagination playground (also known as ‘Fort Starfish’) has been the setting for countless LARPs. Over the years, we’ve witnessed campers build impressive fortresses out of milk crates, create thrones fit for royalty, and work together to craft awe-inspiring stories and adventures. We felt it was important to expand upon this beloved camp pastime not only because it is an immersive imaginative activity that campers love, but also because of its natural potential to be a tool for fostering social and emotional development in children. What specific skills can children with special needs practice while LARPing?
Perspective-Taking and Empathizing
We know that many children with Autism and related needs can have challenges with taking the perspective of others; understanding how others feel and responding appropriately is a natural element of LARP. LARP calls upon children to put themselves into the shoes of different characters, each with their own backstories, motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. While becoming their own character and interacting with the characters of others, campers come to learn about challenges that others may face and can begin to appreciate different points of view. As stories unfold, the interconnectedness of each camper’s character becomes paramount in fostering empathetic relations both within the imaginative world of LARP and in the familiar setting of camp.
Communication Skills
Being able to communicate effectively is a skill that all young people need to succeed; we know that individuals with special needs need a safe and supportive place to practice these skills while receiving in-the-moment feedback from trusted adults. While LARPing, campers are posed with new situations and challenges that they must navigate by communicating with fellow LARPers. As the story unfolds, campers must negotiate, strategize, and collaborate to achieve a desired outcome. Practicing these skills in a story-based, imaginative environment allows campers to hone in on their verbal and nonverbal communication skills while expressing their thoughts, ideas, and emotions. During the development of their characters and progression of the storyline, they are able to express themselves, actively listen to others, and adapt their communication to fit various social contexts.
Confidence, Self-Esteem, and Self-Image
We know that children with special needs experience greater levels of anxiety than their neurotypical peers; our campers often feel as though they are the “odd one out” at school and cover up parts of their identities or personalities as a result. In LARP, By choosing the character they wish to portray, campers are able to embrace their personal strengths while exploring aspects of themselves they might not have otherwise discovered or appreciated. The feedback they receive from their peers and counselors can significantly boost self-esteem and confidence in themselves; this is done in a safe environment where everything campers bring to the table is incorporated into the story. They are encouraged to share about their characters (the good and the bad), and as a result are celebrated for who they choose to be.
Conflict Resolution
In LARP, as in life, conflict is inevitable; plot twists are around every corner, and villains lurk in many of the best storylines ready to create new barriers that campers must overcome. By allowing campers to work through fictional problems in a story-based, creative environment, they are able to practice navigating conflicts collaboratively and managing their reactions to adversity in a safe and supportive environment. Experiencing roadblocks on a journey can be frustrating; the point of LARPing in a group is to show that campers can always rely on the skills of others to help them when their own skills alone are not enough to get them through a tough situation. Through LARP, it is the goal that campers are able to develop the skills necessary to resolve conflict positively and collaboratively and can then translate those skills to their real lives.
Creativity and Thinking “Outside the Box”
In LARP, the potential for adventure lies within the imagination of the adventurer. We know that many children on the spectrum have challenges with rigid, black-and-white thinking. Through LARP, campers are enthusiastically encouraged to unleash their inner creativity and create an imaginative story with peers; just because something is unconventional doesn’t mean it can’t fit within the script. In LARP, innovation is encouraged and new ideas are celebrated. Being naturally open-ended, LARP helps campers tap into their creative potential and form their own destinies.
At Camp Starfish, LARP is not simply an activity; it’s a tool through which campers are able to further develop their social emotional skills and leave camp feeling confident about who they are and what they can accomplish – that’s why we felt the need to expand it from a freeplay/elective option at camp to an activity that has its own program. Campers do not need prior LARP experience to participate in LARP week. What they do need is a willingness to try something new and expand beyond their usual comfort zone; we can assure you (and them) that they will be celebrated for whatever they bring to the table, and that their voice will be heard.
