Longboarding & Connection
A Social Skills Group for Neurodivergent Youth (Ages 10–13)
A Social Skills Group for Neurodivergent Youth (Ages 10–13)
Building friendships, confidence, and emotional strength—one ride at a time.
Is your child neurodivergent and struggling to connect socially with peers? Do they find group settings overwhelming, or have a hard time reading social cues, making friends, or managing big emotions?
Our Longboarding & Connection program is a unique group experience that blends physical activity with social-emotional learning. Designed for neurodivergent youth aged 10–13, this outdoor group helps kids build real-world social skills through supported practice, connection, and fun—all while cruising on a longboard.
Why Join a Social Skills Group Like This One?
Why Join a Social Skills Group Like This One?
Many neurodivergent children face challenges like:
Feeling isolated or misunderstood by peers
Difficulty initiating or maintaining conversations
Anxiety in group settings
Trouble with emotional regulation during social interactions
Limited access to inclusive, movement-based group activities
This group provides a safe, low-pressure space to practice making connections, build communication tools, and foster emotional resilience, all while engaging in a fun and physically regulating activity: longboarding.
Key Benefits of the Program
Key Benefits of the Program
🌱 Social Confidence & Skills Practice
Through structured activities and supported free play, kids will learn how to introduce themselves, share interests, take turns, read body language, and navigate social problem-solving—all with caring facilitation.
🧠 Emotional Regulation & Mind-Body Connection
Longboarding offers rhythmic, calming vestibular input—helping youth stay grounded, reduce anxiety, and regulate emotions in real time.
🤝 Friendship & Belonging
This group fosters a nonjudgmental, neurodiversity-affirming environment where kids feel seen and supported. We emphasize empathy, connection, and teamwork.
🎯 Fun, Movement & Outdoor Play
Each session includes movement-based activities, supported longboarding time, and reflective discussions—all outdoors, weather permitting.
This Group Is Right for Your Child If They:
Have a neurodivergent or spicy brain (e.g., ADHD, autism, sensory sensitivities)
Want to improve social confidence and build friendships
Are open to outdoor, movement-based experiences
Enjoy learning new things in a low-pressure, supportive environment
Meet your facilitators:
Ben Weinstock is a CYC and RP (qualifying). He is creative, innovative, and active, and he brought this idea of taking our regular kids anxiety program and making it a little bit different. He is passionate about engaging with youth in meaningful ways, usually in the natural environment. He has experience longboarding and surfing, and has done a lot of research on longboarding and skateboarding programs and positive impacts on mental health.
Anna Raworth is a Play Therapist and Executive Director at Acorn Counselling. Although she will not be directly facilitating week-to-week, she will have a guest appearance to explore the neuroscience and self-regulation benefits of board sports, our sensory systems, and connection with our bodies. Anna has snowboarded for over two decades, and has surfed in warm places and our own Grate Lakes too. She couldn’t pass up the chance to get involved here.
Our Longboarding for Mental Health group program is an exciting new way to build connections, enhance self-regulation and coping skills, and build resilience.
Starting May 2025
Reach out now to reserve your spot!
🛹 It’s Not About Tricks—It’s About Connection.
This isn’t a skateboarding class—it’s a mental health group that uses longboarding as a tool. While many people associate boards with skateparks and tricks, longboarding is different. It’s:
-Easier to learn and balance on
-Focused on mindfulness, flow, and cruising
-Less intimidating than traditional skateboarding
-A calming and confidence-boosting way to get outside and move the body
Even Anna’s 8-year-old picked it up quickly and fell in love with it!
Let’s help your child build real-life friendship skills, regulate emotions, and have a blast doing it. This group is more than longboarding—it’s about growth, connection, and confidence.
👉 Spots are limited. Reach out for more information!
