Top 5 Places to Find Adaptive Recreation Options

We all want our kids to have fun, but sometimes finding options for recreation that can meet their needs can be a real challenge. How do you even know where to start? This article will provide you with 5 tips to find great programs for kids, no matter what medical conditions or disabilities they have.

wheelchair sports1. City, Park District, or Regional Special/Adaptive Recreation Cooperatives

City park districts and recreation departments are required under various federal disability laws to provide park and recreation services to individuals with disabilities in their communities. Cities may offer these services in a variety of ways. Large cities typically have extensive programming offered at a variety of sites throughout the city. Smaller cities and towns may team up to create a cooperative program within a county or region. For example, in Illinois, there are 33 cooperatives serving 210 communities.

Large cities and metropolitan suburbs tend to have lots of programming, and you can expect a wide range of sports, social, and cultural activities. Many are tailored to different sorts of disabilities, with programming for those with physical, cognitive, or sensory disabilities being the most common.

Offerings in rural areas are less common. If a rural area offers only a few unadapted recreation programs, their programs for individuals with disabilities are usually equally sparse. In some cases, you may be able to access programs in a neighboring town or city, sometimes at an extra charge.

How do you find programs in your area? First search for your city name and the terms “special recreation” or “adaptive recreation.” If nothing pops up, contact your city’s park district or recreation center and ask.

2. Adaptive Sports Programs and Paralympic Programs

For those with various physical disabilities, there are numerous adaptive sports programs available all over the country. Some of these are housed within park district or recreation associations, while others are made available through hospitals, rehab hospitals and centers, and other options. Challenged Athletes is a great resource for finding programs in your area. See their resource listings at http://www.challengedathletes.org/resources/.

Once again, programs vary, but common offerings include a full range of wheelchair sports and other Paralympic sports. Many are tailored to specific disabilities, and there are sports available for children with all levels and types of physical impairments.

3. Special Olympics

For those with developmental disabilities, including autism, Special Olympics offers a wide range of sports programs in all the US states and throughout the world. Those with intellectual disabilities, including children who have both physical and intellectual disabilities, are welcome to participate.

Their young athletes program allows children as young as 2 to participate in sports, and programs continue through adulthood. Individual and team sports programs are offered in a wide range of different sports. Some Special Olympics programs are provided through schools, others through park districts or recreation centers, and others are operated independently.

Special Olympics has several levels of sports, ranging from noncompetitive local programs to regional, state, and national competitive events in a variety of sports. You can find your local branch of Special Olympics at https://www.specialolympics.org/.

4. Camps

A surprising number of camps for children of all abilities have sprung up across the country in the past decade. There are camps for almost every child, even the most medically complex, including children on ventilators. A great place to start searching is the website Very Special Camps, which has searchable listings both by disability and location.

Camps tend to be oriented to specific disabilities or medical conditions. Not only do they introduce kids to a wide range of activities, but they also help kids realize there are others like them.

For younger children or children who are very complex, many special camps offer family weekends or sessions that allow you to attend with your child.

Some organizations, including Easter Seals, UCP, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association, are known for offering camps. The Serious Fun Children’s Network offers camp programs for a wide range of medical conditions and disabilities at camps throughout the country and world. There are also many other independent camps around the country. If you don’t find any on Very Special Camps, try searching for your child’s medical condition and the word “camp.”

5. Adaptive Music, Dance, and Theater

Adaptive classes in music, dance, and theatre are also becoming more common throughout the country, with programs targeting a wide range of disabilities from autism to physical disabilities. These programs tend to be run by local or private groups, often as part of a regular arts program. For example, many large community music programs now offer classes for those with autism or other disabilities. Larger dance schools may offer a class for children with a wide range of disabilities, including both developmental and physical disabilities. Theater programs may be available through community arts programs, parks, or recreation associations.

To find programs near you, search for “adaptive dance” or “adaptive arts” programs. Also, check out the community arts providers in your area and see what their offerings are. If you can’t find a program, talk to a local community arts provider about starting one or helping your child to participate in an unadapted one with supports.

Author: Susan Agrawal • Date: 6/18/2018
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