RECREATION AND EXERCISE


All kids enjoy sports and participating in leisure activities!  There are many opportunities for recreation and exercise in our community for children and adults with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Check out this page for local recreation/camp opportunities.  We would like to include local recreation opportunities here.  Please email gcdso@bellsouth.net to provide info and keep this page up to date!

NEW ADDITIONS: 4-H youth programs are open to youth ages 5-18 and are great way to learn about public speaking and almost any area of interest (from livestock to computers to wildlife to pets to sewing to food preparation to photography to money management). Palm Beach County's 4-H program includes spring and summer day camps, special outings/events and volunteer opportunities.  Their web site is: http://www.pbcgov.com/coopext/4H/what_is_4h.htm .

Southern Dance Theatre in Boynton Beach has a class for teens and adults with developmental disabilities that has been going on for many years.  Call Penni Greenly at 561-736-9097 for more information. 
 

Swimming is fun, healthy and a great social activity for our kids.  For information about swimming lessons in Palm Beach County contact the Drowning Prevention Coalition.  Not only is it great exercise, but swimming may also open up doors for social opportunities since parties and family gatherings in the summer are often centered around a pool. 

Therapeutic Recreation hosts numerous activities for teens and adults with disabilities.  Many of the activities take place at the Therapeutic Recreation Complex on Lake Worth Road, just east of Congress Avenue.  They have a gymnasium and a pool.  Therapeutic Rec. sponsors a traveling kickball league (4 teams throughout the county), monthly Stardust Dances and a Summer Camp program.  Call them at 561-966-7015 or click this link for their latest program guide: RECREATION.

They're playing baseball in Delray Beach!  The 2008 Spring Season of the Miracle League is about to begin.  Registration is now open and games start on Saturday, April 19th. Click The Miracle League of Delray Beach or call 561-272-7612 to find out more about the program and how to register.

TOPSoccer, an outreach program of SABR and the US Youth Soccer Association, is a community based training and team participation program for young athletes with disabilities.  TOPSoccer is a modified version of soccer, designed to provide opportunities for special needs athletes to enjoy the game.  Each player has a volunteer "Soccer Buddy" to assist them at practices and games.  The 2008 TopSoccer season ended on March 1st with pizza and a trophy ceremony.  Each year there are more and more families of children with Down syndrome involved and the program gets bigger and better. 

_{Interested in Golf for Children with Disabilities?  Click to learn more about a special program in Palm Beach County.}

Special Olympics is ongoing throughout Palm Beach County with various sports over three seasons.  Click on the link or contact Rich Fleming at 561-966-7019 for more information.

Challenger Little League, affiliated with the East Boynton Beach Little League and serving Mentally and Physically Challenged Youth Ages 6-22 of South PBC from Lake Worth To Boca Raton has begun their Spring 2008 season.  They will be in Boca Raton on Tuesdays evenings at Clintmoore Road and 441, time TBA beginning 02/12/08 and in Boynton Beach on Fridays at 6:30 p.m. on Woolbright Road @ I-95 beginning 02/01/08.  Registration can be made at the above times at the ballfield.  Program Contacts: Hank 738-7907 or Chris 445-2027.  School aged kids with disabilities are eligible. 

For sports in the western communities contact the Village of Royal Palm Beach at 561-790-5124.

Boca Hoops "Youth Basketball" High-5 Division, is designed to enable children with disabilities to participate in the game of basketball.  Each child of this division has a B-Ball Buddy that works with that child to enable them to learn the skills of basketball and to learn sportsmanship and teamwork. The athletes with disabilities will experience the enjoyment of the game of basketball as part of the Boca Hoops Family. The High-5 Division will run during the regular Boca Hoops Season, September through November.  Click the link above to find out more.

Check out the Challenge Air website for more information about this really neat opportunity that usually comes to Florida once a year.  Several Gold Coast families attended this event on January 26, 2008 and had a great time.  Kids with disabilities and their families get to ride in a small aircraft with volunteer pilots around Fort Lauderdale.

Interested in Horseback Riding/Hippo Therapy.  There are a few places in our area that provide this service.  Vinceremos in West Palm Beach and Horses and the Handicapped in North Broward County.  Turning Points Therapy in Wellington provides Hipportherapy with a medical prescription and takes a number of insurances.  Contact Tricia Coates at 561-758-5860 for more information.

CAMPS  fill up early in Palm Beach County.  Following is a list of phone numbers for agencies that provide summer day camp opportunities.  Some also have "camps" on days off during the school year.  Below the local numbers you will find links to sleep-away camps.
We do not endorse any particular programs and provide these lists for informational purposes only.

Julie Lobdell at The Arc Recreation:  561-804-4920
Coalition for Independent Living Options: 561-966-4288
Boca Raton YMCA, Special Needs Program: 561-395-9622
Boynton Beach YMCA: 561-738-9622
Palm Beach County Therapeutic Recreation: 561-966-7015
Kaplan JCC, Special Needs Program: 561-712-5250
JCC Boca Raton, Camp Kavod Special Needs Program: 561-852-3269

Sleep-away Camps
Camp Howe
Foundation for Dreams

Social Inclusion in Recreation: Articles in Impact