Children with special needs or disabilities can face challenges when it comes to connecting with peers and making friends, especially when many are uncomfortable or not able to participate in certain kid-friendly activities. It can be awesome for these kids to get an opportunity to play with children without special needs, but opportunities and locations can be hard for parents to find. We've rounded up Westchester, Rockland, Bergen, and Orange County locations that are committed to ensuring that all kids can have fun together, regardless of their differences.
Music, Theater, and Art
999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale
Charley Moskowitzc: 914-472-3300 x361 or
[email protected].
JCC of Mid-Westchester offers a Sunday/Funday program that gives neurotypical kids and kids with special needs the opportunity to develop social skills together through art, technology, sports, and music. Group leaders, specialty instructors, and teen volunteers ensure each child receives individualized attention, and kids can try a free “trial” class to see if they like the program. This group is for kids in preschool through age 19. Sessions run from October-June and July-August.
901 Pelhamdale Ave., Pelham
Katharine Page: 646-522-7263
Carmella Crowley: 914-523-2328
For ages 3-10, Confident Kid Club offers integrated social skills groups that help kids develop confidence, grow personally and socially, and learn to take risks. Some activities kids can participate in include sensory activities, role playing, and music and movement. Groups are led by CKC’s Special Education Certified Facilitators Katharine Page and Carmella Crowley.
216 N. Central Ave., White Plains
914-328-1900
This dance school offers a special Moving Wheels and Heels class for kids of all abilities, including those in wheelchairs, to learn dance technique in order to enhance creativity, increase strength and range of motion, and build self-esteem. Classes run for 12 weeks.
3020 Route 207, Campbell Hall, Orange County
845-476-8257
This studio offers performing and creative arts classes for kids of all abilities, and staff is dedicated to ensuring that each child is comfortable and ready to connect with others.
Parks
216 Forest Ave., Paramus and Continental Avenue, River Edge, NJ
This park offers activities that will please everyone in the family, including the Bergen County Zoological Park, The Washington Spring Garden, a train, carousel, playgrounds, and pony rides. The Harmony Playground is American Disabilities Act-accessible, and it includes a fun water sprinkler feature.
Votee Park
Court Street, Palisade Avenue, Teaneck, NJ
The northern side of the park contains a wheelchair accessible play space, designed for children ages 2-12, and includes supportive swings, hanging bars, and slides, all set on a rubber surface. The park also has basketball and tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, trails, other playgrounds and jungle jyms, and a pool for pool members.
Sensory Explorations
480 N. Bedford Road, Chappaqua
914-752-2100
This 18,000-square-foot indoor play center and gym for children ages 1-12 uses sensory integration techniques to help kids grow academically, socially, and physically. The center has games, activities, and fitness equipment that stimulate kids’ sense of touch, sight, smell, taste, and hearing—and their sense of self. All children can benefit from time spent at WeeZee, especially those with sensory integration disorders.
Museums
100 Playland Parkway, Rye
914-421-5050
All of the kid-friendly, exploratory exhibits at WCM are accessible for kids with special needs, and the museum will make any further accommodations necessary to ensure all kids are comfortable and having fun.
Sports and Movement
305 Central Ave., Suite 2, White Plains
Martial Arts: Steve Kanney 914-648-0492
Yoga: Kim Gold 914-648-0493
This martial arts and yoga center offers integrated classes for kids with and without special needs. Staff are dedicated to providing individualized, focused attention based on each student’s needs, while helping kids develop skills, build confidence, face challenges, and overcome obstacles.
Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship
1 Succabone Road, Mount Kisco
914-241-0211
This stable offers a sibling riding program in which children with special needs can show their siblings the horsemanship ropes! Siblings can participate in riding activities, ground horsemanship, the stable’s show team, and summer camps. Each summer camp is open to kids with and without special needs, and everyone gets to benefit from the physical, cognitive, social, and sensory benefits working with horses provides.
1 Playland Parkway, Rye
914-813-7010
At this amusement park, kids with and without special needs can both have fun on certain gentle rides such as the Sun & Moon, Jump n’ Bean, Flying Dragons, and Jolly Caterpillar. All special needs-accessible rides also allow a companion to ride with the child.
612 Corporate Way, Valley Cottage
845-268-4000
Kids can jump on several trampoline courts, a slam dunk basketball area, and two indoor dodgeball courts. Younger kids can play on their own trampoline court and foam pit with more supervision. Each week Bounce offers Sensory Tuesday nights that are perfect for children with sensory challenges—sounds and lights are dimmed, and the trampolines are deliberately less crowded.
424 Market St., Nanuet
845-623-5400
This bounce center offers a wide variety of programming, such as scavenger hunt bounce sessions, yoga bouncing, and special sensory bounce hours that are run by an occupational therapist on Mondays. There are several kinds of educational bounce sessions that include reading, crafting, and one session that aims to keep kids healthy and active.
401 Market St., Nanuet
845-623-2553
This gymnastics facility offers open gyms in which children ages 4 and younger both with and without special needs can play on the equipment under the supervision of their parent or guardian. This includes playing on the bars, beam, trampoline, floor obstacles, and in the ball pit.
