Inclusive Recreation Programs

The SCDSB offers a variety of inclusive social and recreational programs for students with a developmental profile consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The programs focus on using recreation, music, coding, problem solving, and play to support social skills development. Programs are typically run in fall, winter and spring sessions.

Parents/guardians are an important part of the programs and will receive resources and support to help the children develop and practice new skills at home and at school.

Information regarding the programs is outlined below. When available, information and applications for upcoming sessions are posted on this page as well.

Upcoming session details

Coding and Robotics Club

Tuesdays, Feb. 3 - March 3, virtual
Session One – 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Session Two – 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Wednesdays, Feb. 4 - March 4, virtual
Session Three – 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Thursdays, Feb. 5 - March 5, virtual
Session Four – 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Apply for the Coding and Robotics Club.

Journey to Success Social Skills Program

Wednesdays, Jan. 28 - March 4, virtual
Session One -4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Session Two - 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Apply for the Journey to Success Social Skills Program.

Music Social Skills Program

Wednesdays, Jan. 14 - March 4, Algonquin Ridge PS, Barrie
Session One – 4:15 to 5 p.m.
Session Two - 5:15 to 6 p.m.

Apply for the Music Social Skills Program.

Recreation Social Skills Program

Tuesdays, Jan. 13 - March 3, Cundles Heights PS, Barrie
Session One – 4:15 to 5 p.m.
Session Two – 5:15 to 6 p.m.
Wednesdays, Jan. 14 - March 4, Mapleview Heights ES, Barrie
Session Three – 4:15 to 5 p.m.
Session Four – 5:15 to 6 p.m.

Apply for the Recreation Social Skills Program.

Secret Agent Society Program

Thursdays, Jan. 22 - April 16, virtual
Session One (student session) – 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Session Two (parent session) – 6 to 6:30 p.m.

Apply for the Secret Agent Society Program.

SIBSHOPS Workshops for Children of Siblings with Special Needs

Thursdays, Feb. 5 - 26, Allandale Heights PS, Barrie
Session One (student session) – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Apply for the SIBSHOPS Program or contact Deanna Buchmayer at [email protected].

Limited spaces are available. Completion of the application form does not guarantee enrolment into the program. You may be contacted for a telephone interview or screening session to assess if the program is appropriate for your child.

Program details

The Coding and Robotics Club is a program focusing on providing children with a developmental profile consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) an opportunity to engage in social interactions and build friendships through a shared interest in computers, coding and robotics through a highly scaffolded progression of robotic themed activities.

A significant portion of each session is devoted to collaborative robotic and coding themed social games, designed to encourage joint engagement, conversation, turn-taking, and cooperation, while building behaviour regulation skills, patience, and perseverance.

Parents/guardians will receive information and strategies to help develop and practice new skills at home and at school.

Topics of instruction

introduction to coding skills (sequences, loops, and events)
computation problem-solving strategies
looking for patterns
finding and fixing errors
robotic themed assistive technology literacy and math activities
online and robot graphical activities
action songs and crafts
unplugged computational thinking
coding games

Participation requirements

child must have a developmental profile consistent with ASD
child is able to attend weekly virtual sessions
demonstrates emerging social skills and an interest in building relationships with same-aged peers or peers with common interests

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by LEARNstyle Coding and Robotics Trainers and SCDSB staff.

The Journey to Success Social Skills program is a virtual interactive program designed to improve the conversational and problem-solving skills of children with a developmental profile consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by focusing on teamwork. This series aims to target various life skills while providing a fun and interactive experience.

Parents/guardians will receive information and strategies to help develop and practice new skills at home and at school.

Workshop goals

Problem solving
Communication
Adaptability
Time management
Social skills
Sensory integration

Participation requirements

Child must have a developmental profile consistent with ASD
Child is able to attend weekly virtual sessions
Demonstrates emerging social skills and an interest in building relationships with same-aged peers

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by Tia Services.

The Music Social Skills program is a multi-component music platform designed to improve the emotional understanding and social skills of children and is suggested for children with developmental profile consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Music captivates children with its hands-on learning environment and variety of rhythm and songs. Each session provides movement, composition, singing, playing instruments, and is designed to help children learn new social and emotional skills in a fun environment.

Parents/guardians will receive information and strategies to help young ‘musicians’ develop and practice new skills at home and at school during the parent/guardian information session.

Topics of instruction

impulse control, taking turns, and waiting
following instructions
talking and playing with others
joining in conversations and activities with others
labelling emotions
developing an understanding of how situations make them feel
identifying appropriate strategies to manage unpleasant emotions
solving social problems

Participation requirements

child must have a developmental profile consistent with ASD
child is able to attend weekly in-person sessions for an eight-week period
demonstrates emerging social skills and an interest in building relationships with same-aged peers or peers with common interests

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by Music Therapy Services of Simcoe County Music Therapists.

The Recreation program is a multi-component recreation intervention designed to improve the gross motor skills and social skills of children with a developmental profile consistent with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

This recreation program captivates children with its hands-on learning environment and opportunities to practice and learn new skills each week. Each session provides scaffolding, land marking, and cooperative games designed to help children learn new gross motor and social skills in a fun environment.

Parents/guardians are an integral part of the group program and receive support to help young athletes develop and practice new skills at home and at school.

Topics of instruction

talking and playing with others
joining in conversations and activities with others
how to cope with making mistakes, changes in routine, and feelings of uncertainty
how to handle new situations and learning to ask for help
solving social problems
how to recognize simple and complex emotions in themselves and others
how to express feelings in appropriate ways
how to cope with feelings of anger and anxiety

Participation requirements

child must have a developmental profile consistent with ASD
child is able to attend weekly in-person sessions
demonstrates emerging social skills and an interest in building relationships with same-aged peers

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by Shawn Delaire, Level 1 Coach and SCDSB staff.

The Secret Agent Society (SAS) is a spy-themed, evidence-based social-emotional learning program designed for children aged 8–12 with social and emotional challenges. This interactive program uses games, computer-based activities, and group sessions to teach essential skills in a fun and engaging way.

The program focuses on building emotional regulation, social problem-solving, and interpersonal skills through a structured and supportive environment. Parents and guardians are actively involved and receive tools and strategies to reinforce learning at home and in school.

Workshop goals

emotion recognition and regulation
social problem-solving
communication and conversation skills
friendship-building
coping with change and frustration
teamwork and collaboration

Participation requirements

child must have a developmental profile consistent with ASD
child is able to attend weekly sessions for the full duration of the program
demonstrates emerging social skills and an interest in connecting with peers
parent/guardian is available to support skill development outside of sessions
parent/guardian is required to attend one weekly 30-minute session for the duration of the program

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by Behaviour Support Workers (SAS Trained Facilitators) from SCDSB.

The SIBSHOPs program is a four-week, in person program designed for siblings of children and youth with disabilities or developmental needs. It’s a chance to have fun, make new friends, and talk about what it’s like to have a sibling with a disability or developmental needs.

Workshop Goals

Play games and enjoy fun activities
Make new friendships
Meet other children with similar experiences
Find common interests
Self-discovery
Self-expression
Hear how others handle challenging situations

Participation Requirements

Requires active participation, listening, and following directions
Participants should be able to work independently with limited support
This group is specifically for siblings who do not have developmental needs themselves

The program will be fully subsidized by the SCDSB and facilitated by Children’s Treatment Network (CTN).