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Building Strong Kids in Mind, Body and Spirit

Ropes Course
Our Ropes Course and portable ropes initiatives are an essential part of treatment at BCH Residential Care. They are also fun. It provides our residents with an opportunity to stretch their comfort zones and try new things in a safe and exciting environment. Each resident will participate in at least one ropes course activity a month with their cottage. This fosters teambuilding between the resident and cottage mates. The ropes course initiatives can effectively aid the treatment of many issues: lack of trust in others, or lack of trustworthiness, anger, low/inflated self esteem, problem solving skills and leadership development.

Team Sports
Team Sports are used at BCH to address many issues with our residents. We participate as members in the Illinois Interagency Athletic Association (IIAA). The IIAA is an association of residential care facilities that meet for various tournaments throughout the year. BCH Residential Care participates in IIAA basketball, volleyball, swimming, softball, and track. This participation allows children who may never have played in school sports to experience unrealized athletic potential and/or simply the benefits of disciplined physical activity. Team sports at BCH address many issues residents struggle with upon placement: symptoms of depression, anxiety, poor academic functioning, poor stress management, lack of experience completing tasks, difficulty following directions from authorities and peer leaders, poor social skills, and low empathy. The leaders of IIAA understand that character development is an essential product of team sports. Throughout games coaches on both sides of the field stop and remind athletes to regard others in the middle of games. Aside from teaching team strategies, techniques and appropriate levels of competitive expression, team sports at BCH Residential Care highlights and rewards character.

Positive Leisure Activities
Our Recreational Specialist also creates and schedules Positive Leisure Activities for residents. Residents enter care from various areas and backgrounds. Many have not had opportunities to experience nor are they aware of the plethora of positive leisure activities that exist. The experiences can be attending major league baseball games, concerts, plays, camping, hiking, canoeing, fishing, family bowling, formal dinner/dances, and/or movies. These experiences teach residents alternatives to negative leisure activities and negative peer pressure. By fostering proactive lifestyles with positive leisure activities, BCH helps counter the sedimentary trends prevalent in the adolescent population we serve.

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• Ropes Course
• Team Sports
• Positive Leisure Activities
  
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