Adaptive Recreation
Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks offers a wide range of adaptive recreation programs available for people with developmental disabilities. Check out our programs and services below!
All Abilities Resource Fair
Event Details:
Thursday, February 19, 2026 from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center – Grand Rooms:
5600 85th Ave N., Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
This FREE event provides community members of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn about inclusive community resources, services, and programs that are offered within the community. Some of the areas that will be represented include but are not limited to: educational and family support, adaptive sports and camps, extra-curricular activities, transition programs, resource groups, housing services, and more.
Language Interpreting Services, including American Sign Language, will be available.
District 279 Educational Support Professionals will provide supervised child care in the sensory room while parents, guardians, caregivers attend the Resource Fair. District 279 Case Managers will provide a ‘Make & Take’ activity.
Adaptive Recreation Program Offerings
Adaptive Fitness – Ages 13+
Join us for an active session of adaptive fitness! This class is intended for individuals ages 13+ with a developmental disability. Participants will enjoy staying active through various fitness games and activities, modified for all abilities. We will focus on learning different exercises and techniques within a fun group dynamic! Please bring a water bottle and wear tennis shoes.
Winter Session:
Wednesdays, January 21 – March 18 | 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Community Activity Center
$81.00 Residents | $97.20 Non-Residents
Aquafinners – ages 5-14
This group lesson is designed to meet the needs of children who have developmental disabilities and want to learn how to be safe in and around the water. These lessons will be held during quiet pool time to minimize sensory overload and distractions. We will focus on learning basic water safety and introduction swimming skills in an inclusive and supportive environment.
Winter Session: *Registration opens Thursday, January 8 beginning at 10 a.m.
Tuesdays, January 27 – March 17 (No class 2/3) | 5:15–5:50 p.m.
Brooklyn Middle School Pool
$91.00 Residents | $109.20 Non-Residents
Saturdays, January 24 – March 14 | 2:15 – 2:50 p.m.
Jackson Middle School Pool
$104 Residents | $124.80 Non-Residents
Aqua Fun Fit – Ages 15+
Join us for a fun and active aquatics class! This class is specifically designed for teens and adults with developmental disabilities who already have a sense of water safety and basic swim skills and are looking for a fun way to stay active in the water with their peers. Participants will engage in various games and activities, modified for all ability levels.
Winter Session: *Registration opens Thursday, January 8 beginning at 10 a.m.
Tuesdays, January 27 – March 17 (No class 2/3) | 6–6:40 p.m.
Brooklyn Middle School Pool
$91.00 Residents | $109.20 Non-Residents
Beauty Within: Adaptive Art – Ages 13+
Explore your creative side in our new Beauty Within – Adaptive Art Class! Participants will engage in guided art projects each day that they will take home at the end of class. At the end of the session, participants will create one larger art project together as a group. This class gives participants the opportunity to create art and socialize with their peers in a fun and inclusive environment. Family Members/ Personal Caregivers are welcome to attend. All class materials will be provided.
Winter Session:
Thursdays, January 22 – March 19 | 5–6 p.m.
Community Activity Center
$81 Residents | $97.20 Non-Residents
Registration
About Inclusion Services
We welcome people of all abilities to participate in our programs! Please let us know if you require an accommodation specific to a disability-related need, a behavioral support, an allergy, or other need for inclusion services. Please register early to allow adequate time to process requests.
The inclusion process is as follows:
- Register for program, indicating a need online or to the person taking your registration.
- If you are registering a new participant requesting inclusion services, you will be contacted to discuss strategies for inclusion and to gather participant information. Returning participants will be contacted as needed to determine inclusion services.
- Inclusion plans will be developed based on individual need. Inclusion staff come from the Brooklyn Park Recreation staff or Reach for Resources.
Adaptive Recreation, community partnerships and opportunities
Reach for Resources
Reach offers a variety of adaptive recreation programs specifically adapted to meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities in Brooklyn Park and the surrounding areas! The programs are designed to promote physical health, gain confidence, enhance team building skills and to have fun! Reach offers a non-competitive environment and programs are designed for a variety of ages.
Our adaptive recreation program is a cooperative effort with these cities: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Chanhassen, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Louis Park. If you live in another city, please pay the non-resident fee upon registration.
Reach also works with city recreation & parks departments to provide inclusion services within a variety of recreation programs.
Reach counseling, therapy, and community services
Reach offers in-person and virtual individual therapy and group therapy services to adults, adolescents, and families of all abilities in need of emotional support. Community living services include: Employment Support, Housing Services, and In- Home Supports. Reach also offers community- based mental health services for children and adults.
For more information on Reach for Resources services or to register for Reach for Resources programs, call 952-200-3030, email info@reachforresources.org, or visit reachforresources.org.
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Adaptive Sports and Recreation
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Adaptive Sports and Recreation offers a wide variety of recreational and competitive sports programs and events for youth and adults in northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Wisconsin, and the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Courage Kenny worked in partnership with the City of Brooklyn Park to develop the only dedicated competitive wheelchair softball field in the five-state area. Todd Anderson field is located at Northwoods Park in Brooklyn Park.
Brooklyn Park Recreation & Parks and Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute Adaptive Sports and Recreation have partnered since Summer 2020 to offer adaptive recreation program opportunities for youth and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities. Check back for more opportunities to come in Summer 2025!
For more information or to register for programs, call 612-775-2277, email CKRIsportsrecreation@allina.com, or visit their website.
FUNdamentals in Nature
A nature-based Occupational Therapy Services. FUNdamentals in Nature offers occupational therapy evaluation, individual summer nature-based OT sessions, parent consultation, and year-round nature-based therapeutic programs for kids ages 4-22 in the Minnesota twin cities metro.
Brooklyn Park and FUNdamentals in Nature partner to offer Camp FUNdamentals, a therapeutic day camp program for youth and young adults of ALL abilities, supported by a Pediatric Occupational Therapist through FUNdamentals in Nature. Campers work on skill building in the areas of motor skills, emotional regulation and social connection through FUN, nature-based activities. Review the Brooklyn Park Adaptive Recreation registration page for more information.
Special Olympics Youth Athletes
Special Olympics Young Athletes is a sport and play program for children with and without intellectual disabilities (ID). Young Athletes introduces sport skills including running, balancing, jumping, kicking, and throwing through a series of various games and activities. Some examples include obstacle courses, I Spy, Follow the Leader, Animal Movement Games, and Target Toss and Catch.
Young Athletes offers families, teachers, caregivers, and people from the community the chance to share the joy of sports with all children. Young Athletes provides children with activities and games that meet their individual skill and ability levels, while allowing them to play together in a fun and inclusive environment.
Brooklyn Park and Special Olympics partner to offer Youth Athletes programming in Brooklyn Park. Review the Brooklyn Park Adaptive Recreation registration page for more information.