Ideas for recreation classes

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

Plano Parks & Recreation has been asking me to teach some classes through

them for quite awhile so I'm thinking about doing some in the spring. These

would be through the theraputic recreation department. Are there any types of

classes you would like to see the TR department offer? What types of

enrichment

classes would most benefit your kids or would your kids be most interested in?

Gaylen

[Guest guest]

My son is 4 yrs old with autism, I think a social skills group with role playing

would be good for him. Learning to communicate feelings are some of the issues

he has. We role play alot and this seems to help him, but I think with his peers

he would get something different out of it. Let me know what you think. Kathy

Googahly@... wrote:Hi Everyone,

Plano Parks & Recreation has been asking me to teach some classes through

them for quite awhile so I'm thinking about doing some in the spring. These

would be through the theraputic recreation department. Are there any types of

classes you would like to see the TR department offer? What types of

enrichment

classes would most benefit your kids or would your kids be most interested in?

Gaylen

[Guest guest]

Gaylen,

My kids are both working with a recreation therapist privately. His basic

stance is that recreation therapy and leisure skills mainly has to be

something that the individuals are interested in doing. As a parent, my

thing was that what they were taught needed to be something they could use

to entertain themselves instead of counting on me to be a part of their

scripted play, etc.

Some of the things my two children were interested in included:

self-defense (martial arts...also teaches SELF-CONTROL which is a biggie at

our house)

cartooning

playing board games

fishing

hiking

miniature golf

cooking

Some of the things I was interested in included:

cooking - simple meal planning and preparation of fun foods (cookies, cakes,

etc.)

games that can be played alone or with one other person (dominoes, " go fish "

and other card games and other " old fashioned " games they could play with

seniors if we can't find any available kids)

arts and crafts such as making necklaces, sweat bands, potholders, etc. that

someone might actually use

Mostly, what we have found my children are interested in is the same stuff

all the other children are interested in...they just don't know how to

participate. They want to know how to play " yu gi oh " and duel (I can't

teach them that because I have no clue) so they can participate with others.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

[Guest guest]

Hi Kathy,

I think that would be a great IEP goal for his SLP at school. She could role

play and then set up situations with peers where she would oversee role playing

with his peers. His teacher could work on the same goal within his classroom.

Also, I wanted to mention that at our school--a group of kids(usually 4th

graders) come into my sons' Special Needs class every Fri. afternoon and play

board games, throw the ball back and forth, etc. with the kids. This is all

done under teacher direction and both of my sons have IEP goals that

specifically can be worked on during this time. Some examples of Joe's goals

for this year is talking appropriately on the telephone. This is something he

will role play with these 4th grade peers in his class. Also, another goal for

this year is practicing ordering food at a restaurant. Again, he will work on

this through role playing under teacher direction.

Also, along the lines of what nne mentioned regarding private therapy with

a Recreational Therapist...I had a teenage boy in our neighborhood come every

week(until recently since he had to leave for college...how SELFISH of him!!

He basically hung out with Joe--taught him how to ride his bike, played board

games, helped him put together and paint simple models of cars, trucks, boats,

etc...This was great stuff for Joe to be doing and I paid him $7.00/hr which is

more than I pay a babysitter but far less than I would pay a professional. He

felt guilty being paid that much for what he referred to as " goofing off " . I

explained to him how important that " goofing off " is for a child like Joe.

Just wanted to share a couple more ideas on the subject of social skills...

a

Re: Ideas for recreation classes

My son is 4 yrs old with autism, I think a social skills group with role

playing would be good for him. Learning to communicate feelings are some of the

issues he has. We role play alot and this seems to help him, but I think with

his peers he would get something different out of it. Let me know what you

think. Kathy

Googahly@... wrote:Hi Everyone,

Plano Parks & Recreation has been asking me to teach some classes through

them for quite awhile so I'm thinking about doing some in the spring. These

would be through the theraputic recreation department. Are there any types of

classes you would like to see the TR department offer? What types of

enrichment

classes would most benefit your kids or would your kids be most interested in?

Gaylen