Select Region
Follow us!


Social Skills Group Focuses on Outdoor Activities


Cooke Center, a learning and development center for children with special needs, now offers an outdoor-based social skills group for children in Manhattan.

children making bird housesFrom left: Kadin Wong, Kiana Dwarka, school psychologist John Aspromonte, and Joshua Santiago build bird houses, which helps children with special needs learn about providing shelter for animals and build basic conversational skills.

Cooke Center, a learning and development center for children with special needs, recently added a new social group, Young Explorers Club, to its programs. The after-school club for ages 7-13 teaches children with social deficits a wide range of social skills. The faculty consists of certified and licensed special education leaders, and a support team. With a class size of eight children, students in the Young Explorers Club will receive individualized attention. Parents receive a report card after each session to track their child’s success.

The club gives children an experience similar to scouting because many of the activities take place in the wilderness, and through sports and competition. The club leader uses collaborative and community based projects to target a specific set of social skills during these activities. Some of these projects include sports, woodworking, music, and cooking.

Each project, whether it’s making a pizza or building a birdhouse, is designed appropriately for the child’s developmental level. Each project and activity includes a description, list of social skills taught, and rationale. Parents will receive a handout with these descriptions so they can practice the learned skills at home. The sessions meet once a week for two hours—giving children in the club time to learn valuable social skills and form meaningful friendships.

The Young Explorers Club is held at the Cooke Center Grammar School.

 

More Special Needs Articles:

Top Things to Do in NYC for Kids with Autism

Best places in New York City for a fun day with a child who has autism--activities without long lines, loud noises, or other common challenges, includ...


Latest News:

Support & Resources for Children with Special Needs in Brooklyn

Get the proper care for your child with special needs with these helpful resources in Brooklyn. Find the perfect school or therapy program online.


Family Activities:



Have a Laugh:

Best Memes of the Week for Parents

Here are the funniest parenting memes from Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit this week.

Author: Lindsay Roussin is a former NYMP editorial intern. See More

Featured Listings:

Brownstein Special Ed Hebrew School

Brownstein Special Ed Hebrew School

Glen Head, NY The Brownstein Special Ed Hebrew School offers a unique approach to Jewish learning. Aside from being the first Hebrew school of its kind to open in ...

Variety Child Learning Center

Variety Child Learning Center

Syosset, NY Variety Child Learning Center provides services to more than 750 children and families annually. Services include evaluations to determine eligibility...