How do I find out about SN friendly extra-curricular activities?

[TotalChaos]

I asked HV who said she would look into it, but never got back to me..... and e-mailed Social Services Families/Disabilities team and no response.

DS is getting to the age (reception age) where I find parents aren't always welcome at classes, but DS's language problems mean that he's not going to understand instructions all that well. I'ld love to find something like a football class or trampoline class or even possibly martial arts class that would be understanding to his language problems.

[anxiousmax]

Try contacting your local professional football team most run community programmes & ours runs a sn childrens programme.
Or maybe give the sn schools a ring they may have some contacts.

[PeachyHidingInTheShed]

get yourself put on the register at the ss / council, well worth it

agree rugby / football tc often good, swimming too

council run sports centres (or any for that matter) cannot discriminate, and are often actually really helpful.

[TotalChaos]

thanks ladies!

peachy - I just about managed to pluck up the courage to e-mail SS - but am scared about ended up on any sort of SS register/on their radar at all

TClanger - you are right, that is probably the most sensible thing to do, but I suppose I just find it a bit depressing to have to start off by explaining what DS can't do IYSWIM?

DS enjoys swimming but is very nervous/clingy, not even at the floating stage yet so I don't think that would be a good activity for him without me. I think my inclination would be for trampolining, as I don't imagine that would involve much verbal instruction!

peachy = council run sports centres don't run much for his age group, and what there is is either at inconvenient time/location. they are more focussed to slightly older junior aged children.

[BriocheDoree]

I've always got on OK with just telling them what the problem is and leaving them to handle it (obviously depends on the child!). Last year DD did gym and next year she's going to do horse riding. Hope riding will be quite therapeutic, actually, and it's a smaller group too (only 8 kids). Not that I won't be panicking for her first few sessions!! I'm sure trampolining would be great...all of our little 'uns seem to love that.

[PeachyHidingInTheShed]

our uni centre runs infants classes that's a shame

the sn register is run by admin staff, its just a mailing list for notices etc

[Romy7]

dd2 has swimming lessons.
she screamed blue murder for the first two and they evicted her from the pool in case she was sick (v nicely!)
but they were quite happy to take her back every week. i explained this was all part of the 'normal' transition to routine process!
they are happy to adjust their test expectations accordingly (ie she's never going to be able to 'hand over hand' round the pool rim) but i just want her to be able to swim!
they are lovely.
she also does ballet lol. like a drunk hippo. the teacher did confess that she winces every time she crashes to the ground (usually at the same point everyone else is tottering on tippytoes) but she has an absolute ball. suspect she will only get away with one more year but hey ho.

[TotalChaos]

just seen your reply Romy. Definitely think swimming is one to avoid for the mo - he'll go swimming with school next summer anyway. I will probably try out baby ballet as they have some sessions over the summer holidays!

[allytjd]

T-clanger, i feel for you, I too had a dainty, talented younger sister who outshone me at ballet, gymnastics, horse-riding and piano, once i even turned left in a Girls' Brigade drill competition when every one else turned right. i was better at swimming and art though. Annoyingly her DS is better at sport than my three DS's. You never grow out of sibling rivalry!