Physical activity is important for children with and without disabilities alike as it promotes a healthy lifestyle, but can benefit individuals with autism in unique ways.

New research and anecdotal evidence suggest that some alternative therapeutic choices that include sports, exercise, and other physical activities can be a useful adjunct to traditional behavioral interventions, leading to improvement in symptoms, behaviors, and quality of life for individuals with autism. For more information about the ASD Fitness Center in Orange, CT, click here.

We hope everyone had a happy holidays and a wonderful New Year!

While the building at 1080 Chapel Street is closed for conservation in 2015, the Exploring Artism program will continue to meet at the campus of Chapel Haven, 1040 Whalley Avenue, New Haven. We will meet for our first session of the New Year on February 21st at this temporary location.

We look forward to seeing you in February! Don’t forget to pre-register at ycba.education@yale.edu or call 203-432-2858 with your name and contact information.

Check out this article (linked here) discussing the unique partnership between the Yale Center for British Art and Chapel Haven, a school and residence for adults on the autism spectrum.

“‘It’s a place they’ve been so welcome in an environment filled with brilliant, educated people,’ Menchetti [Chapel Haven art instructor] said. ‘They love the way they feel here.'”

The Education Department at the YCBA is excited to continue the Out to Art and Exploring Artism programs in the coming year at the Chapel Haven facilities.

The Center’s Education Department has received a donation of 12 iPads to be used for our Exploring Artism program from Yale’s Instructional Technology Group in partnership with the Bass Library.

In the past, we have used one iPad in our Artism sessions. Realizing the difference that 1 iPad made with 12 participants with ASD, we began a search to acquire more electronic tablets. This fall, the stars aligned, Instructional Technology Group and the Bass Library iPad Borrower program came to the rescue. Now, Exploring Artism participants can each use an iPad, and we are excited to adapt our teaching and develop lessons more fully utilizing apps and the iPads for participants.

We’ve been in the prep stage where we are downloading apps in preparation of our next Exploring Artism on Oct. 18.

Autism Apps and Real Chalkboard are two apps we are working with. Autism Apps is a great resource which compiles a list of apps that work well with children and adults with autism or developmental disorders. Real Chalkboard takes the place of paper and pencil and participants will be able to draw in the gallery. We also were able to download our social story into iBook and the kids can read it on the iPad rather than a hardcopy printout – it is easier to swipe for those with fine motor control challenges than turn a paper page. We also have purchased Proloque2, a communication app that allows participants to use customizable buttons to communicate. We will add images relevant to the lesson.

We are very excited to start using our iPads in the galleries with our Exploring Artism participants. We hope this addition will enhance the museum experience and provide new avenues of learning!

Check out our updated Social Story!

It will also be available under Resources.

Check out this list of resources for families with children of autism!

My Name is David is an animated short film from one of the animators of Robot Chicken, Matt Manning, that depicts a young student’s speech to his fellow classmates about his autism. The film features the actual words and voice of the author of the speech,14-year-old David Shapiro Sharif. Sharif’s speech aims not only to educate children and adults about autism but also to give a voice to the more than one million young men and women with autism in schools throughout the country.