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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.
  • Confidence Quest (Ages 6–12)
    Boost self-esteem and confidence through activities focused on positive self-talk, embracing uniqueness, and overcoming challenges.
  • 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:

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

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