WhyareSocialSkills Important?

Social skills are the foundation for getting along with others. A lack of social skills can lead to behavioral difficulties in school, delinquency, inattentiveness, peer rejection, emotional difficulties, bullying, difficulty in making friends, aggressiveness, problems in interpersonal relationships, poor self concept, academic failures, concentration difficulties, isolation from peers, and depression. Children with learning disabilities, sensory integration difficulties, Aspergers Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurological disorders, and emotional disabilities often need additional traininginsocialskills.Theywilllikely benefit from direct instruction in social skills groups led by trained professionals and the availability of a safeenvironmentinwhichtopractice newlylearnedskills.
www.incrediblehorizons.com

Summer Programs at the Center for Childhood Development

The Center provides innovative consultation, evaluation, and treatment services to help children and families dealing with neurodevelopmental differences. To join a summer group, call the Center for Childhood Development at (616) 667-9551 Payment for each program is expected in full prior to beginning first session unless otherwise specified.

2011 Summer Programs

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Offering beneficial summer programs in a dynamic approach to improve and enhance overall development.
70868thAvenueJenison,MI49428 Phone(616)6679551Fax(616)6679552

70868thAvenueJenison,MI49428 Phone(616)6679551Fax(616)6679552

www.thecenterforcd.com

Becoming a Social Detective

This group will be led by an Occupational Therapist and a Speech and Language Pathologist. It will use a social thinking curriculum - Think Social by Michelle Garcia Winner - which uses meta-cognition (self awareness and self understanding) in teaching social problem solving and social thinking. This group will provide opportunities that will help the children learn how to follow unwritten social rules that help them to fit in better with the social world that we live in.

Friends, Fun, and Fine Motor

This group will be led by Occupational Therapist, Elise Dirkse. It will provide fun, sensorymotor based activities to engage children in play and socialization. Activities will focus on enhancing gross motor skills, fine motor skills and sensory integration.

Building Blocks Handwriting Without Tears

These are half hour sessions with Occupational Therapist, Elise Dirkse. The core components of postural stability and upper extremity strength will be addressed as well as specific instruction in handwriting legibility and letter formation. The sessions will be fun and interactive. Specific activities and homework will be available.

Ages 4-6
Tuesdays 9:30am-11am Begins June 21st Group size: 3-6 children $60 per session

Elementary-aged children

Ages 7-9

Wednesdays 9am-11am Begins June 23rd Group size: 4-6 children

Ages 7-9
$120 per session

Thursdays 9:30am-11am Begins June 23rd Group size: 3-6 children

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am-9:30am Begins June 21st Group size: 2-3 children $40 per session

$60 per session

Adventure Group
This group is designed to expose kids to new experiences and teach skills in a variety of leisure activities. While the group is adventure themed, all of the activities planned will be intentionally therapeutic in nature. General areas targeted include those related to interpersonal skills, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and sense of self development. Examples of specific skills that will be taught will include relating to others, cooperative teamwork, planning, organizing, flexible problem-solving, motor planning, increasing frustration tolerance, gross and fine motor development, and identifying personal areas of strength and growth. Led by Lauren Hunt, MS OTR and Eric Dykstra, PsyD.

Social Emotional Groups

Dr. Eric Dykstra of Developmental Enhancement is organizing and running clinical groups for middle & highschool age adolescents with difficulties in socialemotional domains. These groups are specially designed for individuals with Aspergers Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, and other Neurodevelopmental challenges. These active, creative, fun groups will focus on improving interpersonal skills, promoting emotional health, enhancing sense of self, managing stress, and maximizing abilities. Middle school and high school students meet on alternating weeks.

Play It Say It!

This group will be led by an Occupational Therapist and a Speech and Language Pathologist. Activities will focus on helping the children make the transition from concrete thinking to higher level abstract thinking through imaginative play. The groups focus will also be to help the children learn problem solving skills through natural, everyday experiences.

Ages 4-6

Ages 10-14

Middle and High School Students (on alternating weeks)

Wednesdays 4:15pm-5:30pm Begins June 15th for high school students Begins June 22nd for middle school students $60 per session

2 different groups will be offered: Mondays 11:30am-1pm OR Thursdays 11:30am-1pm Begins June 20th OR June 23rd Group size: 4-6 children $90 per session

Ages 7-9
Wednesdays 11:30am-1pm Begins June 22nd Group size: 4-6 children $90 per session

Tuesdays 3:30pm-5pm Begins June 21st Group size: $100 per session