Extracurricular Activities and Special Needs

Extracurricular activities are really important for special needs children. It helps encourage socialization, creativity, self expression, independence, coordination, balance, cognitive thinking, and motor skills. Many extracurricular activities also give sensory input. Some extracurricular activities even have special needs programs. The most popular extracurricular activities are the sports (football, baseball, basketball, tennis, swimming, cheerleading, karate, and dance) and the fine arts (art, choir, and music).

When choosing an extracurricular activity for my special needs children, I always think about these things:

·        low student to teacher ratios

·        understanding instructor who is willing to work with my child

·        calm environment

·        cost of activity

Once we choose and activity, we then prep for it. I prep my children by:

·        reading social stories

·        watching shows or clips about the activity

·        looking at pictures and talking about the activity

After my children are prepped for the activity, we show up early so that we have time to adjust to a new environment, people, and objects. In case of anxiety, I always bring a chewy item. During the activity, I encourage my child’s participation and am realistic with my expectations. After the activity, I always try to build my children’s self-esteem by telling them something they did well. Then, we go home to practice and prep for next week.