Social skills or sport this fall?

[Anonymous]

Fall soccer falls at the same time as a social skills group we have been recommended by our pediatrician (DS is 7, ASD level 1). We did soccer last season and he loved it, but I also think a social skills group could be helpful. He needs help with self-regulation, communication with peers, and paying attention to/processing instructions. The group is run by an ABA and speech center that we have used in the past for ABA, but DS no longer uses ABA services. For those who have done social skills groups, do you think they would be significantly more beneficial than continuing a team sport? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

100% soccer, if he enjoys it. We never got much out of social skills groups, certainly not enough to drop a preferred activity with peers. See if he can get a social skills group at school.

[Anonymous]

I would do private ABA and soccer.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely do soccer, no question at all. Real social activities like sports should always preempt adult led ones and even many kinds of therapy. FWIW the social skills group that was supposed to be “so great” was a total waste of time for us at that age.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like they need both.

[Anonymous]

Which of their missing skills is soccer going to improve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely do soccer, no question at all. Real social activities like sports should always preempt adult led ones and even many kinds of therapy. FWIW the social skills group that was supposed to be “so great” was a total waste of time for us at that age.

110% agree!

[Anonymous]

soccer.

Social skills groups have limited or no proven efficacy. If your kid can handle being in a group sport, they'll learn more social skills from that than from a controlled teaching environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Which of their missing skills is soccer going to improve?

What skills does a social skill group actually build? IME the only benefit of the group is to interact with other kids. OP’s kid can do that more naturally at soccer.

[Anonymous]

There is no other option for either activity?

[Anonymous]

I would really try to make both work even if its a different soccer team. They will feed on each other; he learns the ideas in class and puts them in practice with the team and vice versa. Having a real life social skills environment parallel to a clinical class will help it make sense.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for soccer!

[Anonymous]

Sports have done more for my SN kid than social skills classes/groups ever have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which of their missing skills is soccer going to improve?

What skills does a social skill group actually build? IME the only benefit of the group is to interact with other kids. OP’s kid can do that more naturally at soccer.

This. Social skills class at best just give kids the opportunity to interact with other kids. Lots of our kids really aren’t able to participate in group activities and so social skills classes let them actually use and build those skills. But most kids aren’t actually learned fixed skills in social skills classes. You’re better off to learn them naturally in soccer:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which of their missing skills is soccer going to improve?

What skills does a social skill group actually build? IME the only benefit of the group is to interact with other kids. OP’s kid can do that more naturally at soccer.

+1