A group of young children smile and raise their arms joyfully while playing together in a bright classroom. Their body language shows excitement and connection, capturing the spirit of fun and friendship. This image represents the Social Buddies program at the SAAAC Autism Centre, which fosters social development, peer interaction, and emotional learning through group-based ABA strategies.
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Social Buddies

Building Early Social Skills for Meaningful Peer Interactions

This group concentrates on developing foundational social skills that serve as building blocks for more complex peer interactions. Children will learn essential social behaviors including appropriate greetings, sharing with others, and turn-taking in group activities. The program is designed to equip your child with the necessary skills to successfully navigate typical social situations and opportunities that naturally occur when interacting with peers in group environments.

Program Details:

  • Day/Time: Saturdays 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM (1x/week)
  • Dates: September 27, 2025 – December 13, 2025
  • Age Offered: 6-9 yrs
  • Total Sessions: 12 sessions
  • Location: 1870 Birchmount Rd; Scarborough, ON

Goals of the Program:

  • Developing skills to appropriately request items from peers and offer or give items to others in social contexts.
  • Building the ability to play alongside peers while engaging in similar or complementary activities in close proximity.
  • Learning to take turns in simple games and activities with peer support and adult facilitation.
  • Developing the ability to observe and appropriately imitate peer behaviors, actions, and play patterns.
  • Building skills to engage in the same activity as a peer, fostering joint attention and collaborative experiences.

Eligibility:

To participate in the program, children must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Group Ready: Your child is considered ready for group participation when they can remain in a shared space with other children while maintaining behavioral safety. This means they demonstrate the ability to be present with peers without engaging in behaviors that could pose risks to themselves or others, such as frequent aggressive actions, self-injurious behaviors, or attempts to leave the designated area without supervision.
  • Demonstrates the ability to sit with the group and maintain appropriate positioning for a minimum of 5 minutes during structured activities.
  • Can independently make requests for at least 3-5 different items or actions from adult caregivers and staff members.

What to Expect:

Your child will participate in carefully designed, engaging activities that target foundational social skills development. Our experienced ABA professionals provide direct, individualized support within a nurturing and interactive learning environment. Children have ongoing opportunities to practice their emerging social skills through real-time scenarios with peers, allowing them to build confidence and competence in authentic social situations.

Registration

Status: Open for registration

Fees

  • Total Cost: $2,400

Interested in this program?

Registration with SAAAC Autism Centre requires speaking with our Intake Team and providing them with your child's and family information.

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