Your child may need more time, patience, and effort for socialization and building relationships. Introducing her to new activities, such as sports, hobbies, and fun get-togethers is one way to create opportunities for a variety of social interactions. Check out the following options to engage your child and help build her social skills at the same time.
NSCD Adaptive Sports
The National Sports Center for the Disabled provides therapeutic sports and recreation to individuals of all disabilities, as young as age five to adult. Activities include alpine skiing, kayaking, canoeing, snowshoeing, Nordic hut trips, rock climbing, and horseback riding. NSCD specialists help kids find the right program to fit their social and activity needs, in patient, encouraging environments.
Denver Parks and Recreation’s Adaptive Recreation
Denver Parks and Recreation offers a wide range of adaptive recreation opportunities for children and adults with special needs to gather together, led by certified therapeutic recreation specialists. There are actors workshops, ceramics, cooking, music making, a masquerade ball, dancing, and camping, as well as adaptive sports.
Knippenberg, Patterson and Langley Associates
craigknippenberg.com/socialization
This counseling center for people with ADHD, autism, and other learning disabilities offers socialization groups for children, teens, and young adults to help them make friends and gain confidence. Individuals learn to comprehend and acknowledge their frustrations in social settings and learn how to get along with others.
We Rock The Spectrum Kids Gym
This kids gym is equipped with suspended swings, crash mats, an indoor play structure, sensory-based toys, and a fine motor and arts-and-crafts area, all for kids with special needs. It offers open play, parties, and social skills groups.
The Hills, Inc.
The Hills, Inc. provides affordable access to indoor and outdoor activities, day and weeklong trips, and international travel, for adults with special needs and/or traumatic brain injuries. Each activity caters to those with special needs while ensuring they are surrounded by others with similar disabilities, in safe, accepting environments.
Phamaly Theatre Company
Phamaly produces professional-scale plays and musicals, performed by casts who all have special needs, including physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities; deafness, blindness, and other disabilities. Individuals gain social skills and build friendships through work on the company’s productions.
Revel
Teens and adults with autism can meet up at Revel and connect with peers with or without autism. Individuals participate in learning activities, take day trips, hang out with friends, and work to gain meaningful employment.
