Therapeutic Arts Program
For children and youth with Autism and Special Needs
The Therapeutic Arts Program (TAP) offers children and youth a time to recharge and have fun with the arts in a creative, stimulating, and healing environment. TAP is an exceptional forum for children to learn social skills and connect with the arts. We help children process and express their feelings and build friendships. There is a high staff to client ratio in small groups. Children can attend on a drop-in basis or enroll for half or full days. Ages 4 years to 18+years groups.
TAP closed in 2020, however individual activities and consultations are offered at this time.
TAP Activities
Visual Arts
Children explore painting, drawing and clay. They experiment using different art materials and they learn basic art techniques. These activities are focused on open ended art expression. Benefits: fine art skills, social interaction, working in the group. Children have the opportunity to talk, share and express themselves having the art product as an additional focus of social interaction. Manual skills: strengthening hand muscles, hand-eye coordination, observation skills. Enjoyment of art materials; using them creates a nurturing experience. Creativity self-expression spontaneity. Grounding: doing art helps children to focus and concentrate. Relaxing and satisfying experience.
Cooking
Helps children learn basic help skills to prepare simple meals and kitchen safety. Children prepare healthy and child friendly meals that are nut free and Casein/Gluten Free. They wash, cut and stir with the instructor’s help to operate the oven. In the past TAP sessions, the children have made pizza, salads and cookies. Benefits: learning about fun and healthy food choices. Kitchen safety. Exploring new tastes: expanding their dietary choices. Hand-eye coordination, taking turns, socialization, learning about nutrition and healthy diet, as well as listening to their bodies.
Crafts
Are structured art activities where children are given instructions to follow steps to make an art activity that usually has a useful application. For example, children have made toys such as kites, decorations such as Christmas ornaments, special cards and Zen gardens in a box. Benefits: art skills, social interaction working within a group. Children have the opportunity to talk, share and express themselves, having art products as an additional focus of social interaction. Manual skills: strengthening hand muscles, hand eye coordination, observation skills. Enjoyment of art materials using them gives nurturing experience, grounding: doing art helps children to focus and concentrate. Relaxing and satisfying experience. Gaining a sense of accomplishment, building self-esteem.
Photography
The children have the opportunity to explore simple photography skills. Operating digital, simple cameras, taking theme based pictures, showing their takes to their peers and assessing their work. Benefits: visual/observation skills, manual skills in electronics operating, language skills, social interaction and turn taking.
Storytelling, Drama, Puppetry
Children explore these modalities through listening to and telling or creating stories. They are exposed to different stories and new books. Express themselves through reenacting stories or creating their own; either by themselves becoming live theatre actors, or using puppets. Benefits: language skills: expanding of spontaneous speech, creative expression of making up or interpreting stories, outlets for feelings and self- expression, learning new concepts and ideas, reading. Practicing spontaneous expression and social interaction.
Movement, Dance, and Music
Children enjoy gross movement of their bodies through play, dance music. They listen to different types of music, interpret some of the pieces, and play movement and musical games. They learn many songs and simple dance steps of different genera. Benefits; body awareness, physical activities, music appreciation and recognition, freeing stretching of the body. Language development. Using body creatively with care. Learning about, honoring and respecting of their and others physical space. Fun. We have our own music instructor.
Yoga and Meditation
Children move their bodies through fun and creative yoga poses (asanas), play, songs and games. Each session closes with relaxation that helps to ground their body, mind and spirit. Benefits: stretch and relaxation of muscles, as well as by gaining strength and flexibility, improve their posture, coordination, as well as rest and relaxation and grounding. Learning yogic philosophy of non-violence, an joining with life that surrounds us. Breath work and mindfulness to be more aware and present.
Snack and Free Play
Kids are supervised to eat their home brought snack in a positive supportive environment. They socialize with the group and sit at the table. Basic table manners are modeled and encouraged. Afterwards children have time to choose a play activity such as playing video games together, playing with toys, or reading. They go outside for at least 15 min to play at the playground and they are encouraged and invited to interact at physical games.