A new Social Skills class series kicked off in the new year, focusing on building social skills among The Arc’s children and teen participants.

The classes run every Tuesday, with ages 5 to 10 meeting from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and ages 11 to 15 meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Opportunity Zone in Maplewood. They are scheduled weekly through the end of March.

Each class, led by social worker Casey Dickson, starts with greeting peers and answering social questions. Then the group will zero in on the lesson of the week, with topics such as taking turns and sharing, or respecting personal space. They will then practice what they learned either through hands-on activities or role playing. Each class concludes with a period of free play, where participants get to enjoy supervised play and social time and are encouraged to implement the lessons they were just taught.

There are still limited spaces available; call Toshonda Johnson-Hall at 973-535-1181 ext. 1275 to see if your child is eligible. The program is offered free of charge by The Arc of Essex County and enrollment is coordinated through the Life Management Program.