Teens & High Schoolers (Ages 13–18)
Community & Education
Why it matters:
Teen years are a time of increasing independence, interest development, and identity-building. Community-based activities can also support vocational exploration and social-emotional growth.
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Teens may be developing specific skills and interests, exploring hobbies outside of school, and building connections with others.
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Participating in recreation and leisure activities in safe, supervised, and structured environments can help promote healthy habits and lifestyles.
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Programs may also offer a pipeline to job training or youth employment or mentoring opportunities.
“What to know before you go”
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Activities and programs may focus on teaching and learning specific skills and be interested oriented (STEM, sports, creative arts, life-skills).
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Activities may be designated as recreational or competitive, with expectations for specific skill-level and regular attendance for activities or programs that focus on competition, training and performance.
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Activities or programs may focus on community-building and social connections creating supervised, safe and healthy social spaces for positive youth development.
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Programs and activities may offer 1:1 instruction or lessons or offer programs and activities that are provided in small groups or large groups.
You may see programs designated as “sensory-friendly”. This means there are features that support a more relaxed experience, such as reduced admission capacity, availability of sensory tool kits, and information guides.
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Sensory-friendly programs or events are designed for youth who may benefit from quieter environments with less stimulation, noise, or crowds.
You may see programs designated as inclusive or adaptive. This means there are features either built into the program or adaptations that can be made to better support individualized participation.
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Inclusive or adaptive programs are designed for youth who would benefit from more attention, supervision or support from staff or volunteers (often who have specific training for working with neurodivergent children), the availability of adaptive equipment or devices, environments with less stimulation or fewer attendees, or provide more time and support for skill development and instruction.
Suggested Activities:
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Special Olympics Washington – Unified Sports and Young Athletes Programs
www.specialolympicswashington.org -
Seattle Parks Teen Adaptive Recreation – Inclusive programs and events for teens with disabilities.
www.seattle.gov/parks/find/special-programs/adaptive-recreation -
Northwest Adaptive Sports Program (NWABA) – Youth sports events and clinics across the region.
www.nwaba.org -
The Arc of King County – Transition-age social groups and events
www.arcofkingcounty.org -
Camp Stand by Me (Gig Harbor) – Overnight inclusive camp for youth and teens with disabilities.
https://www.easterseals.com/washington/
Tips for Choosing Activities
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Ask about staff training in neurodiversity or special education.
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Look for sensory-friendly hours, visual schedules, or social stories to help prepare.
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Consider the size of the group – some kids do best in small or 1:1 settings.
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Start with short-term or drop-in events to test the fit before committing.
See our Pathways to Play Recreational Guide and Recreation Decision-Making Guide for more information about choosing play and recreation activities in your community that are right for your child and family.
Want to Explore More?
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Seattle Children’s Resource Directory:
https://www.seattlechildrens.org/clinics/autism-center/resources -
King County Parent Coalition Resource Hub:
https://informingfamilies.org
Check out the Find Resources Near Me map on AS360 for activities and programs near you.