BUILDING SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
5 Week Social Skills Program
Age: 5 to 10 years
Program Length: 5 weeks
Weekly Sessions: September 20, 2026 - October 25
Session Length: 9:30AM - 11:00AM
Format: Small group or individual coaching
Approach: ABA informed strategies, supervised by Preskeh senior behavior therapist and life coach, visual supports and interactive learning
OAP: Program eligible for Ontario Autism Program funding
Does your child have difficulty making friends, joining in with other children, expressing their needs, taking turns, managing big emotions or knowing how to respond in social situations?
Building Social Connections is a 5 week program delivered by Preskeh Connected Care, designed for children who need additional support developing social, emotional and communication skills, including children on the autism spectrum and neurodivergent children.
The program gives children opportunities to learn and practice skills they can use when interacting with family, classmates and peers. Through purposeful play, direct instruction, visual supports, modelling and guided practice, children work on building confidence and becoming more comfortable navigating everyday social situations.
PROGRAM FOCUS
SEPT 20th: Understanding Emotions
Recognizing and naming emotions, expanding emotional vocabulary and learning to understand facial expressions and body language.
SEPT 27th: Managing Big Feelings
Learning calming strategies, recognizing when to use them and developing tools to support self regulation.
OCT 4: Communicating Wants and Needs
Practicing how to express needs clearly, listen to others, take turns and participate in conversations.
OCT 18th: Making Friends and Joining In
Learning how to greet others, approach peers, join games and activities, share, take turns and cooperate.
OCT 25th: Putting Skills Into Practice
Practicing skills through real life social situations and creating a personalized “My Skills” booklet to reinforce learning beyond the program.
WHO IS THIS PROGRAM FOR?
Building Social Connections may be a good fit for children who:
• Have difficulty making or maintaining friendships
• Struggle to join games or interact with peers
• Need support communicating their wants, needs or feelings
• Have difficulty with turn taking, sharing or cooperative play
• Become overwhelmed or frustrated in social situations
• Benefit from structure, visual supports, repetition and direct instruction
• Are able to participate in a structured small group learning environment
BUILDING SKILLS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Building Social Connections is about more than teaching children social rules. The program helps children develop practical tools to communicate, regulate emotions, build relationships and participate more confidently in everyday situations.
Skills are introduced in a supportive environment where children have opportunities to learn, practice and build confidence at their own pace.
