Kendra Brokaw and her son, Lincoln, explore an interactive toy station at the Army Community Service annex on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, July 22, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — A summer playgroup for infants and toddlers, sponsored by the Exceptional Family Member Program at the largest U.S. military base overseas, offers more than just a social outlet for children and their parents.
It also allows health care professionals to casually observe the children for early signs of development delays or disabilities, said Humphreys’ EFMP coordinator, Sara Ortiz. The playgroup, active at the base for the past four years, meets twice a month at the Army Community Service annex, she told Stars and Stripes during a session on July 17.
Laughter filled the room as about 30 children played alongside their parents. Some gravitated toward group play, while others preferred to explore on their own. Many favored simpler options, such as building blocks, over more intricate toys.
Meanwhile, a rotating team of specialists — speech, occupational and physical therapists and a developmental pediatrician from the base’s Educational and Developmental Intervention Services — interacted with the children and their parents.
“They can get some help in the early 0-to-3 child development because that’s a critical time for children to grow and develop,” said Anna Suh, a nurse specializing in families and children, said during a session on July 22.
Suh and other specialists keep an eye on the children’s physical coordination, cognitive thinking, communication and social skills. Some families attend purely for social interaction, while others are referred by health care providers.
“It’s nice to be surrounded by other people who are going through what you may be going through, as far as maybe their kid isn’t hitting certain specific milestones,” said Brandy Jones, a mother and Army spouse attending the July 22 playgroup.
The summer session, dubbed Play to Learn, is open to children ages 3 and younger. During the rest of the year, the program meets weekly on Tuesdays and is divided into two groups: One monitored like the summer sessions and another specifically for children identified as neurodiverse.
Ortiz is an Army veteran and the mother of a child with special needs.
Toddlers and parents take part in early learning activities during a morning play session at the Army Community Service annex on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, July 22, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Sohyeon Geum shares a laugh with her son, Michael Stringfellow, during a playgroup at the Army Community Service annex on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, July 22, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
Books on ADHD, autism and parenting fill a resource shelf at the Army Community Service annex on Camp Humphreys, South Korea, July 21, 2025. (Trevares Johnson/Stars and Stripes)
“It’s important to me because we are supporting our military families, and when you have a family member that has special medical or educational needs, they are the most vulnerable in our population,” she said. “At the end of the day, it’s to support families.”
In addition to the playgroup, the program offers sensory-friendly movie nights, a sensory afternoon group, and a lending locker where families can check out sensory-friendly toys and activities.
Sensory friendly “refers to environments, products, or experiences designed to reduce sensory overload and accommodate diverse sensory needs,” according to the SensoryFriendly.net website.
These spaces are intended to be welcoming for individuals with sensory sensitivities, including those with autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder or sensory processing differences.
