After school care and holiday programmes
Filter Resources
Active Choice Exercise
Active Choice Exercise (ACE) is an award winning fitness and nutrition programme designed for disabled young people living on Auckland’s North Shore.
Activities for young people
Here’s a great list of things to do for your school aged child after school, during the weekend or on school holidays. The list was compiled by Disability Connect, a Disability Information Advisory Services (DIAS) in Auckland.
Auckland Council Leisure and Pools
From school holiday programmes, out of school care (OSCAR) to term time recreation programmes, Auckland Council runs a a series of activities all-year round to keep tamariki and adults active.
Auckland for Kids
The Auckland for Kids website is a resource designed to help families find activities, events, and services tailored for children and young people in Auckland. It offers information on a range of activities including educational programmes, recreational opportunities, and community events. You can plan for events happening during the weekend, this month or next month.
Auckland Zoo
People with disabilities can take their carers with them to the zoo, for free, if they have an annual zoo pass.
If you have an Annual Auckland Zoo Pass, you also get discounts on day admissions at MOTAT, Stardome, SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium, and NZ Maritime Museum.
Functional Adaptive Movement
This is a strength and conditioning program with specifically designed to increase the overall health and wellness of disabled people. The programmes are designed to elevate balance, coordination, confidence, strength, endurance, concentration, communication, capability, and life skills of people of all abilities.
Glass Ceiling Arts Collective
Glass Ceiling is an art programme for young people with disabilities. Their services are available in the North Shore, Rodney, West and South Auckland.
Interacting Disability Theatre
Weekly drama (the good kind!), filmmaking and hip hop classes throughout school term for a wide variety of people.
Interactive drumming sessions
Rhythm for the Soul provides drumming sessions for young people with disabilities. These are lively 1-hour sessions packed with play, music, singing, dancing, and games, all aimed at teaching life skills in a fun way.
Kidzacool Adventures
A programme for children aged 5-12 years, where they can play, relax in a fun, safe and sociable environment while carers work, take a break or catch up with friends and family.
LifeKidz
LifeKidz offers after school care, holiday fun and day programmes for young people of all abilities.
OSCAR subsidy
Out of School Care and Recreation (OSCAR) is a WINZ subsidy which helps families with the costs of before and after school care for up to 20 hours a week, and school holiday programmes for up to 50 hours a week.
Parafed Network
Disability Sport Auckland (formerly Parafed) is New Zealand’s oldest and largest disability sport organisation. They lead a network of 15 sports clubs and activity providers catering for 300+ members. They look after all physical disability sport in Auckland, providing pathways and opportunities for beginners, all the way through to Paralympic Champions.
Phab
Phab provides weekly social experiences for people with disabilities aged 16 and over. They run weekly social groups, holiday programmes, exercise programmes and life skills day programmes and more. They are based in Takapuna.
Recreate NZ
Recreate organise camps, getaways and all kinds of outdoor adventures across Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Christchurch for young people with disabilities. From cycling the Otago Rail Trail to a night out for dinner and a movie, they have something for everyone.
Please note that due to popular demand, you may need to be on the waiting list to join their activities. Please contact them first before making any plans.
Special Olympics
Anyone with an intellectual disability is welcome to take part in the Special Olympics programme (this different from Paralympics New Zealand).
Special Olympics also have afterschool and holiday sports programmes in many areas across Auckland that are designed to meet the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Their programmes are highly social and give people opportunities to make friends in their community. They open doors to a wide range of sports and even provide some basics health screenings and services to athletes.
Spectrum Care Media Lab
Courses that teach people how to make music and create YouTube content.
Spectrum School Holiday Programmes
Available to all Special School students, their holiday programmes include planned daily activities such as arts and crafts, cooking, age-appropriate games, sports and outings to interesting places.
Tai Chi and Qigong
Movement for Calm offers inclusive Tai Chi and Qigong programmes for children and young adults with disabilities and mental health challenges. The programme teaches breathing and relaxation methods, self-regulation, balance, coordination and core strength.