Heritage Day (Monday, August 4) Hours: 7:00am – 6:00pm

Child & Youth Programs

Skill Builder Programs are an inclusive series designed to foster and support the mental, social, emotional, and physical development of children and youth.

Our Mission

  • Build confidence and foster a sense of belonging.
  • Provide extra time to learn and develop skills in a small group setting.
  • Introduce tailored support strategies based on individual needs and abilities.

We welcome participants of all abilities, whether neurotypical or neurodivergent, with or without formal diagnoses such as ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Anxiety, Sensory Processing Disorder, learning disabilities, developmental delays, or coordination challenges.

For children who would benefit from 1-on-1 support, we encourage caregivers to arrange for an aide or attend the program with their child. If you have questions, please contact the Child and Youth Programs:   programs@tricocentre.ca 


Skill Builder Support Programs (Ages 4–12)

  • Fine Motor (Ages 4–6)
    Practice small muscle movements with fine motor manipulatives and hand-strengthening exercises.
  • Direction Detectives (Ages 6–12)
    Develop active listening and learn strategies like checklists, visuals, timers, and task breakdowns to follow directions effectively.
  • Anxiety Explorers (Ages 6–12)
    Navigate anxiety with confidence by exploring symptoms, triggers, and coping strategies in a supportive group setting.
  • Friendship Foundations (Ages 6–12)
    Build and maintain friendships with activities that focus on social cues, communication, empathy, cooperation, and emotional regulation.
  • Wellness Warriors (Ages 6–12)
    Learn to recognize feelings, manage big emotions, and build a personalized calm-down kit.

Skill Builder Non-Competitive Sport Programs (Ages 6–14)

Perfect for beginners or those with limited experience, these programs provide a fun, supportive space to develop fundamental movement skills, exercise, build confidence, and enjoy being part of a group.

Registered Programs:

  • Non-Competitive Basketball (Ages 6-14)
  • Non-Competitive Volleyball (Ages 6-12)
  • Tri-Sport (Ages 6-14)

Skill Builder Support Programs (Ages 4–12)

Skill Builder: Fine Motor (4-6 yrs)

This playful program helps children build confidence and independence by strengthening the small muscles in their hands, wrists, and fingers. Through fun games and centre-based activities, children will practice skills like grasping, hand-eye coordination, finger strength, and control. These foundational skills support tasks such as buttoning, zippering, coloring, and using scissors—setting them up for success in daily activities!

Skill Builder: Direction Detectives (6-8 yrs)

In a small group setting, this program teaches active listening skills and effective strategies to follow directions. Through engaging discussion and activities, we will explore helpful strategies such as checklists, visuals, timers, social stories, task breakdowns, and ways to eliminate distractions.

Skill Builder: Direction Detectives (9-12 yrs)

In a small group setting, this program teaches active listening skills and effective strategies to follow directions. Through engaging discussion and activities, we will explore helpful strategies such as checklists, visuals, timers, social stories, task breakdowns, and ways to eliminate distractions.

Skill Builder: Friendship Foundations (6-9 yrs)

Learn how to build and maintain friendships through engaging activities, games, and discussions. We’ll explore essential skills such as active listening, effective communication, understanding social cues, empathy, problem solving strategies, emotional regulation, co-operation, sharing and taking turns.

Skill Builder: Friendship Foundations (9-12 yrs)

Learn how to build and maintain friendships through engaging activities, games, and discussions. We’ll explore essential skills such as active listening, effective communication, understanding social cues, empathy, problem solving strategies, emotional regulation, co-operation, sharing and taking turns.

Skill Builder: Anxiety Explorers (6-9 yrs)

This engaging and interactive program fosters resilience, promotes self-care, and empowers young people to navigate anxiety with confidence. In a small group setting, learn about anxiety symptoms, understand triggers, and explore effective coping strategies.

Skill Builder: Anxiety Explorers (9-12 yrs)

This engaging and interactive program fosters resilience, promotes self-care, and empowers young people to navigate anxiety with confidence. In a small group setting, learn about anxiety symptoms, understand triggers, and explore effective coping strategies.

Skill Builder: Wellness Warriors (6-9 yrs)

In this program, kids will discover helpful tools and strategies to recognize body clues and find calm when they need it most. Each child will create their very own personalized “calm-down kit,” filled with techniques they can use anytime to feel more in control and at ease. It’s all about building confidence, emotional awareness, and resilience in a fun, supportive environment!

Skill Builder: Wellness Warriors (9-12 yrs)

In this program, kids will discover helpful tools and strategies to recognize body clues and find calm when they need it most. Each child will create their very own personalized “calm-down kit,” filled with techniques they can use anytime to feel more in control and at ease. It’s all about building confidence, emotional awareness, and resilience in a fun, supportive environment!


Skill Builder Non-Competitive Sport Programs (Ages 6–14)

Skill Builder: Tri-Sport (6-8 yrs)

This program is the perfect way for kids to try something new and develop their skills in basketball, soccer, and badminton! Through interactive games and activities, they’ll explore the basics of each sport in a supportive, non-competitive environment. It’s all about having fun, building confidence, and discovering new interests while staying active.

Skill Builder: Non-Competitive Basketball (6-8 yrs)

Interactive games and activities help children learn skills in a supportive and non-competitive environment. This program is perfect for those who are new to the sport or have limited experience playing basketball. Have fun while developing skills and improving confidence!

Skill Builder: Non-Competitive Basketball (9-14 yrs)

Interactive games and activities help children learn skills in a supportive and non-competitive environment. This program is perfect for those who are new to the sport or have limited experience playing basketball. Have fun while developing skills and improving confidence!

Non-Competitive Volleyball (7-9 yrs)

Designed for children ages 7–9, this fun and engaging program uses interactive games and activities to teach the fundamentals of volleyball. In a positive, non-competitive setting, young athletes build confidence, develop key skills, and discover a love for the game—whether they’re brand new to volleyball or just getting started.

Non-Competitive Volleyball (10-14 yrs)

This non-competitive program is ideal for youth ages 10–14 who want to build their volleyball skills in a fun, supportive environment. Through drills, team activities, and gameplay, participants will improve technique, teamwork, and confidence—without the pressure of competition. Whether you’re new to the sport or looking to strengthen your foundation, this program is a great way to grow and enjoy the game.

I am so glad that I signed Ryker up for the Executive Functioning SkillBuilders Program at the Trico Centre. I admit that I was skeptical at first.  My son was born prematurely and has a number of delays as a result.  At age 6, we are also dealing with a new diagnosis of severe ADHD.

When I stumbled upon the SkillBuilders programs, I was intrigued.  However, I worried that Ryker wouldn’t get much out of them.  First off, I wondered how they could make executive functioning skillbuilding fun and engaging.  Moreover, with Ryker’s delays and him being at the young end of the 6-9 year old class, I worried that he would be unable to participate fully.  Ryker has never been able to participate in formal programs or class settings…

His first class blew me away!  My husband and I sat outside the class waiting for Ryker to escape (which is his usual MO).  It didn’t happen.  Not only that, we peeked in and he was SITTING CALMLY, and actually PARTICIPATING in the activities!  This may sound unimpressive to most parents, but for the parents of a kiddo with severe executive processing issues, this was astounding.  I have literally never seen him so engaged in any formalized activity.

The teacher is phenomenal.  She truly understands neurodivergence and how to adapt programming to suit the neurodiverse brain.   Each kid gets exactly what he or she needs.

The activities they do have a clear connection to lifelong skills that can help kids navigate life with executive functioning differences.  Executive functioning is a learned skill, just like any other.  Some kiddos seem to be naturally programmed to learn those skills easily while others need to work harder.  This program gives kids the tools to succeed.

I took the opportunity to sit in on a class one time when Ryker was having a particularly dysregulated day and even I felt like I had learned new skills.  I think the Skillbuilder programs are likely to pique the interest of parents with neurodiverse children, but really every parent of neurotypical children should sign their kids up too.  We love to complain that the education system fails to teach many of the “soft skills” needed to be a high-achiever, but Trico is finally doing it!

I am excited to sign Ryker up for more Skillbuilder programs in the future.

– Christine