Green Mountain Adaptive Sports is an incredible program designed to increase the independence and physical and mental well-being of people living with disabilities. They offer the following programs: skiing and riding, swimming, paddle boarding, indoor rock-climbing, kayaking, and movement. Green Mountain Adaptive Sports mission “is to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities living in or visiting Vermont by sponsoring participation in adaptive sports and recreational programs”. For more information click here.
Kids Rehab Gym, a non-profit, is an incredible center which provides physical and occupational therapy to children of all ages. Their staff is amazing at working with children with special needs, communicating with treatment providers, and creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. They have a heated pool, treadmill, bikes, and climbing wall in order to enhance overall physical skills.
Open year-round, the 47-acre campus features state-of-the-art raptor enclosures, exhibit spaces, classrooms, and interpretive nature trails. VINS places a priority on bringing high-quality, compelling, and engaging education programs to people at the Nature Center, in the community, and in schools throughout the region.
VINS offers a fully accessible Forest Canapy Walk which is over 100 feet above the forest floor.
Autism Bridges multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive care, by incorporating Applied Behavior Analysis, speech and occupational therapy, and diagnostic evaluations to empower children and their families throughout all stages of development and growth.
Buddy Up Tennis is a full body workout class designed for our Athletes with Down syndrome ages 12 years old and over. Our 8 station circuit training program is designed to combine activities that both increase heart rate and strengthen muscles with particular attention on core conditioning. Buddy Up Tennis will be filled with challenges and fun to help our Athletes reach their fullest potential.
Danielle enjoys working with both children and adults with varying communication and swallowing disorders. She has a strong background in working with children who are on the spectrum. Although based in Montpelier, she works in Chittenden County a few days a week.
The Luse Center provides speech-language pathology and audiology services to children throughout Vermont. They offer numerous services from speech and language assessments and programming, audiological evaluations, auditory processing disorders screening, and hearing aid evaluations.
“Just for kids pediatric dentistry is hands down the most wonderful place for kids with autism or other special needs. Steve Rayes is calming, patient and aware of the challenges these kiddos face. I was so pleased that they offered accommodations such as sunglasses for the dental light, a quiet waiting area and exam space without me having to request it. It was such a relief and my little guy loves the dentist now.”
Kim Kelley and her staff offer physical therapy for children in their home or out in the community.
Momentum does a great job at working with children with special needs. Their staff is energetic, fun, and creative in getting children to work on gross motor skills.
Norwich offers a wonderful Unify Fitness program that occurs throughout the school year. The group will be meeting every Sunday between 2:30 and 4:00. During the meeting time, they will be conducting physical fitness together as well as hosting mentor meetings to set weekly goals for each other to ensure healthy living. This is meant for all abilities and each child is matched with a Norwich cadet. Siblings are also welcome! This program is geared towards 4th grade and older. The program begins September 9, 2018.
Special Olympics Vermont offers year round sports training and competition opportunities in 13 Olympic-type sports for individuals ages 8+. In 2016, the sports seasons were reorganized into four distinct seasons culminating in four statewide competitions: Winter Games, Summer Games, Fall Games, and Holiday Games.
This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals to participate in sports, make friends, and have fun!
The Stern Center for Language and Learning provides individual learning evaluations as well as psychoeducational evaluations. There are many qualified providers that can perform evaluations.
The Stern Center also offers individual instruction in:
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Reading Fluency and Comprehension
- Spelling
- Writing Mechanics, Composition, and Grammar
- Math Operations and Problem Solving
We recently went to Stowe and had a wonderful experience. From the lodging, activities, skiing, to the incredible staff; this is definitely a place that accommodates children with special needs.
The skiing at Stowe goes above and beyond to accommodate individuals with special needs. Stowe Adaptive is an incredible program that offers lessons and equipment to make sure that every individual can get out on the mountain. And Stowe also offers a “Buddy Pass”! Here is some great information that Donna Barton (Operation Manager) at Stowe offered:
The idea of the Buddy Pass is that if you are unable to meet the minimum Essential Eligibility Criteria, you qualify for our adaptive lesson program or the Buddy program. Check out the EEC requirements on their website.
In addition, here at Stowe…if you do not meet the minimum requirements of the EECs and you apply for a scholarship through Friends of Stowe Adaptive Sports, you may be granted a scholarship to use toward lessons or access. For more information click here
Stowe Rocks is an indoor rock climbing facility that has both auto-belay courses for kids to climb as well as 8 manual belay sections. The staff that is on site to help is incredible. They are patient, friendly, and great at encouraging kids to climb and take chances!
$26.00 for kids 12 and under to climb for 2 hours.
If your child is not up to climbing they can always take the gondola up to the top of Mt. Mansfield.
Definitely a fun place to visit!
The Green Mountain Lions Camp offers a unique camp experience for Deaf & Hard of Hearing teens and youth. Children with Deaf parents and/or siblings are also welcome! This camp has brought together Deaf and Hard of Hearing kids and teens from all over New England and beyond for over 30 years! The beautiful new location is in Cabot, VT. The new campus has hiking trails, fields to play on, an barn for indoor activities, craft cabin and waterfront swimming and boating! Memories are made and forever friendships are formed all in an environment of total communication access. The primary language used at camp is American Sign Language (ASL) and we guide and encourage new signers to practice and use ASL to foster an environment of access and inclusion.
US Youth Soccer TOPSoccer is a 4 week program for kids who have all types of disabilites. During this 1 1/2 hour weekly program, each child is usually paired with a local Vermont high school soccer player. It is a great program that is very well run. It usually begins in the beginning of September.
Central Vermont TOPSoccer will take place on the Woodstock High School soccer field and is supported by Vermont Soccer Association, Woodstock High School and surrounding communities. This 4 week program begins Sunday 9/10/17.
The Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) provides in-home occupational therapy.
Voice offers evaluations, consultations, and trainings around Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Julie Taylor, the director of Voice, has extensive experience working with kids with all types of disabilities. She evaluates, consults and provides trainings throughout the states of Vermont and New Hampshire with device users, with their families, with their educational teams and with other agencies.
VTPT is located in Burlington. Carrie Kane, DPT (Doctorates in Physical Therapy) has extensive experience providing physical therapy to children with various disabilities. She has provided physical therapy in school settings, early intervention services, and adaptive recreation.