Programas y servicios – Aqua Alternatives

Program Descriptions by Miguel Blanco

Basic Sports Skills

As a physical therapist, behavior therapist, and Special Olympics coach with over 15 years of experience, I designed this Basic Sports Skills program to meet the real needs of children on the autism spectrum. Skills like jumping, balancing, throwing, catching, and coordinating movements aren’t just physical actions – they’re foundational for both motor development and social participation. Each session goes beyond exercise; it becomes a space for children to express themselves, build confidence, learn teamwork, and enjoy the learning process. This program is easy to apply at home, school, or therapy, with step-by-step visuals, games, and clear goals to promote active engagement. Most importantly, every activity is grounded in neuroscience, designed to build and strengthen brain connections through play and movement.

Adaptive Cycling

Riding a bike might seem simple for many, but when it comes to children with autism, we know each step presents a unique challenge. That’s why I created this program based on both my personal and professional experience, focusing first on holding the handlebars, then pedaling, and finally balancing. Every phase is built to respect the pace of each child, using positive reinforcement and trauma-free techniques.

As a certified aquatic rehabilitation therapist (ATRI), I also integrate multisensory strategies that help children understand how their bodies move in space. This program goes beyond teaching a bike skill—it promotes independence, confidence, and safety through movement.

It’s an experience that not only changes the child’s life but also brings joy and progress to their entire family.

Adaptive Golf

Golf is one of my favorite tools to work with children on the spectrum because it combines calmness, focus, and controlled movement in a single setting. In this program, we teach children how to strike the ball with precision, wait for their turn, and follow simple rules—all while having fun in a structured and peaceful environment.

As an adaptive sports coach, I’ve seen how golf can significantly improve self-regulation, coordination, and motor planning without causing sensory overload. This program is filled with visual strategies, functional exercises, and a lot of motivation to help kids progress step by step.

Every swing becomes a chance to strengthen the mind-body connection and create new paths to inclusion and social engagement.

Our program is specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of the neurodiverse population. Through play-based tasks and activities, we focus on facilitating body movement, balance, vestibular stimulation, and proprioceptive feedback. By engaging in these interventions, participants learn self-regulation, reducing obsessive, repetitive behaviors and promoting overall well-being.

Here’s a breakdown of the areas of skill development we target in our program:

Behavior

Participants engage in various tasks that help them process information and follow directions within the water environment, promoting cognitive and behavioral development.

Physical

Our program emphasizes functional movements that support overall physical development, optimizing muscular tone and increasing range of movement.

Verbal and Oral Motor Skills

Participants work on oral motor movements, developing body awareness, safety skills, breath control, and confidence in submerging underwater. Through activities like blowing bubbles, participants enhance oral motor muscular development, which aids in functional speech, eating, and swallowing skills. They also build glottis control and overcome any fears associated with submerging in water.

Gross Motor Proficiency

We focus on improving coordination and motor skills by teaching participants proper strokes for horizontal movement in the water. Crossing midline exercises, alternating hands, and following directions enhance coordination and engage both hemispheres of the brain.

Inferior Limbs Coordination - Kicks

Participants learn how to kick with alternating legs or both legs simultaneously, developing gross motor skills, coordination, balance, and attention. Following guidance from our facilitators, participants also work on crossing the midline, improving sensory-motor control and body awareness.

Vestibular Stimulation - Spatial Orientation Floats

Through body position changes, rotations, and floating experiences, we stimulate the vestibular system, which enhances spatial orientation, body awareness, and learning skills such as concentration, attention, and following directions.