Everyone Can Play
A resource to support
physical activity participation
for children with disabilities
in London, Ontario
Physical activity is important for children's health and wellbeing. This resource was created to connect families in London with resources which support physical activity for children with disabilities.
If you have a suggested update
for this "living" resource,
please reach out:
cyn@london.ca
Last Updated: March 27, 2023
Sports
Baseball
Challenger Baseball: An adaptive t-ball program designed to empower children with physical and/or cognitive disabilities through participation in sport.
Byron Chapter
Website |Email: byronchallengeball@gmail.com | Phone: 519-601-0613
London Chapter
Website | Email: challengerlondon@gmail.com | Phone: 519-878-7326
Basketball
London Wheelchair Basketball Association: Wheelchair basketball is an inclusive sport in which both athletes with a disability and able-bodied athletes compete together on a level playing field.
Website | Email: lwbafcf@gmail.com
Western Unified Basketball Program: Unified basketball is offered in partnership with the Special Olympics, bringing together individuals with and without disabilities to play together on the same team.
Special Olympics London - Basketball: Basketball teaches teamwork and skills of the game in five-per-side team competition
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Bocce
Special Olympics London - Bocce: Bocce as a Special Olympics sport provides people with special needs the opportunity to have social contact, develop physically and to gain self-confidence.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Boccia
London Cannonballs Boccia Club: Boccia allows people with disabilities to be active and have a sense of belonging to a sports team. It is a game that anyone at any age can play, whether you can throw, kick, or use a ramp.
Website | Email: londoncannonballs@gmail.com
Bowling
Special Olympics London - Bowling (5 and 10 Pin): Bowling is one of the highest-participation sports in Special Olympics Canada, and offers a great team environment for athletes.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Cheer
Cheerstrike Royals Dynasty – Special Abilities Team: The goal of our Dynasty program is to open the doors to the sport of Cheer for children with special needs and to provide an exceptional sports experience for them and their families, all at no cost.
Website | Email: info@cheerstrikeroyals.com
Power Cheer Gym Vipers - Prestige, Special Abilities Team: Develop athletic skills and team socialization, meet new friends and have fun!
Website | Facebook | Email: info@powercheergym.com
Curling
Ilderton Curling Club - Wheelchair Curling Available: Curling is for Everyone!
Website | Facebook | Email: info@ildertoncurlingclub.com | Phone: 519 666-1810
Special Olympics London - Curling: Curling requires strategy, physical ability and a true team effort.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Dance
Elan Dance Arts: Our Shining Stars program is a movement program specifically designed to cater to students that have different needs than our average students. We dance, we play, we sing and we interact with each other!
Website | Email: shawna@elandancearts.ca
Golf
Fanshawe Golf Coaches School: Coaches have the special needs training and experience to create and engage children of all ages with cognitive and physical disabilities.
Website | Email: info@fanshawegcs.com
Gymnastics
Gymworld: Children with special needs are welcome to participate in our programs provided we can offer a safe environment for their particular special need.
Website | Email: info@gymworld.ca
Special Olympics London - Gymnastics: Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Hockey
George Bray Sports Association - Ice Hockey: George Bray provides children and youth with learning, emotional and/or social disabilities the opportunity to play Canada’s game of ice hockey in a structured league.
Website | Email: murrayhoward@execulink.com
London Blizzard - Sledge Hockey: Making sledge hockey accessible to as many physically challenged individuals as possible, both male and female players from the ages of 7 to adult, playing on junior and intermediate level teams are welcome.
Website |
Email for younger players: jeffvanbakes@hotmail.com | Email for players 15+: christopherdeanperry3@gmail.com
Special Olympics London - Floor Hockey: Floor hockey is a family of indoor hockey games, usually in the style of ice hockey, that are played on flat floor surfaces, such as a basketball court.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Horseback Riding
Sari Therapeutic Riding: The therapeutic riding lessons are specialized to meet each rider’s physical, social, communication and independence goals. Private, semi-private and group lessons run once a week for the term of each session.
Website | Email: office@sari.ca
Martial Arts
Heroes Circle Therapeutic Martial Arts - Kids Kicking Cancer: The Heroes Circle Paediatric Healing Program teaches martial arts meditation, non-contact movement and breathing techniques designed to empower children to take control of the pain and stress. Children with any paediatric illness, special needs or disability, and their siblings, are eligible for the program.
Website | Email: liam@kidskickingcancer.ca
Skating
Special Olympics London - Figure Skating: Figure skating is one of the few judged sports in Special Olympics. It features impressive feats of strength, precision, and artistry, and the interpretation or rhythm and tempo of music through dance steps on ice.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Special Olympics London - Speed Skating: Speed skating is a popular Special Olympics sport that showcases athletes' strength, speed and coordination
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Skiing/Snowboarding
London Track 3 Ski School - Ski, Snowboarding and Sit Ski: Provides a safe, enjoyable and rewarding downhill skiing or snowboarding experience for persons with a variety of physical and/or intellectual challenges.
Website | Email: info@londontrack3.ca
Special Olympics London - Alpine Skiing: Alpine skiing is an exciting winter sport that challenges athletes’ downhill racing ability and coordination while barrelling down a mountain
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Snowshoeing
Special Olympics London - Snowshoeing: Snowshoeing offers athletes an excellent cardiovascular workout and allows participation for athletes of every ability level. It builds tremendous strength in the athletes while offering a fun and challenging workout.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Soccer
Western Unified Soccer Program: Unified soccer is offered in partnership with the Special Olympics brings together individuals with and without disabilities to play together on the same team.
Special Olympics London - Soccer: Instruction is provided to teach kicking, passing and ball handling techniques, as well as teamwork and game rules.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Swimming
London Aquatic Club - Intro to Para Swimming: The Intro to Para Swimming Program aims to introduce individuals with physical disabilities to competitive swimming, starting at whatever level of experience and skill a swimmer may possess. To participate in the program, swimmers must be comfortable in the water and have a desire to improve their swimming skills.
Website | Email: introtoparaswim@gmail.com | Phone: 519-857-7946
YMCA - Swim-Able Program: Geared towards children and youth with behavioural or learning barriers. This small-group aquatic program will accommodate different learning styles while providing a fun and safe learning environment in the water.
Website |
Phone Numbers:
- Bostwick - 519-907-3300
- Central - 519-667-3300
- Stoney creek - 519-667-4400
Special Olympics London - Swimming: Swimming offers a wide array of events that are appropriate for athletes of various ages and abilities.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Volleyball
Special Olympics London - Volleyball: Athletes participating in Special Olympics Volleyball benefit from the camaraderie that comes from competing in a team sport, as well as the training that enables them to successfully serve and return a volleyball.
Website | Email: london.registrar@specialolympicsontario.ca
Camps
Boys and Girls Club of London
School Year Day Camps and Summer Day Camp: Inclusion program provides integrated camp opportunities for children with disabilities with specially trained counselors who give the individual support, encouragement and care your child may need.
Website | Email: inclusion@bgclondon.ca | Phone: 519-434-9115 ext. 277
City of London Recreation
Surprise Day Camps: a specialized summer day camp program to support youth between the ages of 12 to 21 years old with special needs. These programs operate in a 1:3 staff to camper ratio. Surprise day camp staff can support lifts/transfers, feeding, changing, and toileting. Participants partake in several activities, such as crafts, movies, nature exploration, board games, and more!
Day Camp Inclusion Support: To be eligible for 1:1 designated inclusion support, your camper must meet at least one or more of the following criteria found here: https://london.ca/daycamps
basketball is an inclusive sport in which both athletes with a disability and able-bodied athletes compete together on a level playing field.
Website | Email: inclusiondc@london.ca
Easter Seals
Discovery Overnight Camp: Discovery Camp is an introductory program for campers with physical disabilities. Discovery campers have the opportunity to take part in all of the great programs as older campers, while learning about everything camp has to offer. Easter Seals Camp is offered at Merrywood in Perth and Camp Woodeden in London.
Website | Email: camp@easterseals.org | Phone: 1-800-668-6252 ext.325
YMCA
School Year Day Camps, Summer Day Camps and Overnight Camps: YMCA camps offer kids a chance to explore places, activities, and ideas outside their normal lives. At camp, they discover new talents, new interests, and new friends. The YMCA of Southwestern Ontario operates day camps throughout the city, and two overnight camps - YMCA Camp Henry and YMCA Camp Queen Elizabeth. Inclusion support is available for children with special needs and/or disabilities that are eligible and require assistance to successfully participate in all camp programming.
Website | Phone: 519-453-8858 |
Emails:
- Day Camps: daycamp@swo.ymca.ca
- Camp Henry: camp.henry@swo.ymca.ca
- Camp Queen Elizabeth: cqe@swo.ymca.ca
Fitness &
Recreation
TVCC
Therapeutic Recreation: Helps children, youth and families experience and enjoy their leisure, sport and recreation to the fullest. By working together to support and create meaningful opportunities, we enhance opportunities for participation as fully and independently as possible at home.
Website | Email: TR@tvcc.on.ca | Phone: 519-685-8700
Bike Clinic (year round): Biking with family and friends is a great way to enjoy being outside, exercising and simply having fun! At the Bike Clinic, the TVCC Bike Team will work together with your family to find out the type of bicycle, adaptations (things we can change) for your bike.
iCan Bike: iCan Bike uses adapted bicycles, a specialized instructional program and trained staff to enable individuals with disabilities to learn to ride a conventional two-wheel bicycle. Riders attend one 75 minute session each day for five consecutive days where they learn to ride while accompanied and encouraged by volunteer “spotters”.
Website | Registration Open
- DATES: Monday - Friday, July 10 - 14, 2023
Adapted Fitness Program: Offers individualized virtual or in-person fitness assessments, personalized virtual or in-person fitness program development, virtual services will be explored on a case-by-case basis and an assessment may be required in person
Good Life Kids Foundation
MOVE by GoodLife Kids: This program has been designed exclusively to get youth with disabilities active and is offered free to families. Once registered, participants get access to 3 live online small group sessions each week led by one of our passionate coaches. MOVE is for youth ages 12 – 21 years with intellectual disabilities or autism
Website | Email: move@goodlifekids.com | Phone: 226-377-2155
Playgrounds
Check out the Interactive Map!
The following map shows parks in the City of London with a variety of accessible features. This map was created using information made publicly available by the City of London. To learn more about these features, click on the
symbol in the top left corner of the map, and select the park. This will provide a description and photos. Please note that some park features such as ground covering may not be accessible for all users.
For more information on parks within the City of London check out their website.
Other
Resources
Canadian Disability Participation Project
Physical Activity, Active Living, and Sport Resource Catalogue: Includes resources that promotes, educates, and facilitates healthy living behaviours, physical activity opportunities, as well as adaptive sport.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart
Resources for parents, including activities that parents can use to help keep their kids active and grant options to help cover the costs of registration fees.
Family Centres & EarlyON
Family Centres: Bring together parents, families, service providers, neighbours and friends to connect, play, and make the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of raising children and youth just a little bit easier.
EarlyON programs: An initiative of the provincial government, offering free information, programs, and services to all parents and caregivers with children from birth to six years of age. Locations are available across the City of London.
KidSport London
Provide grants to help cover the costs of registration fees so that all kids aged 18 and under in London can play a season of sport. Accepts applications and administers grants of up to $250/child/year for kids who live in London
Rick Hansen Foundation
Programs and initiatives to enhance accessibility and inclusion for all.
The Ability Toolkit
Developed by the Canadian Disability Participation Project, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, ParticipACTION, Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research, and stakeholders including parents of children with a disability, the toolkit offers information regarding the content of the guidelines, provides examples of activity modifications, and details additional community resources that may be helpful to parents.
