After School Social Skills Program | Behavioral Innovations

Social Skills Program

Your child deserves real friendships. Our Beyond the Bell program gives them the tools and the practice to build them. We provide structured sessions designed for children ages 5 and up – individualized goals, practiced in real peer interactions with BCBA oversight. We teach:

How to start and maintain a conversation
Reading facial expressions and social cues
Taking turns and sharing during play
Understanding others’ feelings and perspectives
Handling frustration and unexpected changes

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If your child wants to connect but doesn’t quite know how -you’re not alone.

Maybe your child stands at the edge of the playground, watching the other kids play but not joining in. Maybe they came home from a birthday party without talking to anyone, even though you know they wanted to. Maybe they’ve told you they don’t have any friends- and you felt the weight of those words long after bedtime.

Social challenges are one of the most common concerns parents of autistic children bring to us. And one of the most important things we can tell you is this: social skills can be taught. They are not a fixed trait. They are a set of learnable tools – and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy is the most evidence-backed way to teach them.

Beyond the Bell was built specifically for this. Not as a supplement. As a solution.

“It has been exciting to watch our clients progress in such a short period of time. This is such a fun and engaging program – I am looking forward to all the skills and friendships that will result from it.”

Molly Adams, Vice President of Clinical Compliance, Behavioral Innovations

Find our Social Skills Programs Near You

What a Beyond the Bell session looks like

Arrival & warm-up

Children arrive after school and ease into the session with a familiar warm-up activity. This transition time builds routine and reduces anxiety.

Structured skill practice

Therapists introduce or reinforce a specific target skill — initiating conversation, complimenting a peer, reading someone’s expression — with clear modeling and guided practice.

Peer interaction activity

Children practice the skill with their peers in a game, activity, or scenario — with therapist support in the background and real data being collected throughout.

Reflection & reinforcement

The session closes with a brief group reflection. Children identify what went well and celebrate each other’s progress — building a sense of belonging in the group itself.

Real skills. Real friendships.

Progress in Beyond the Bell looks different for every child – but it’s always specific and observable. Not “doing better socially.” More like this:

Your child starts a conversation with a peer at recess – unprompted.
They lose a board game and stay in the moment instead of shutting down.
They invite a classmate to play – and know what to do when the classmate says yes.
They notice a friend looks sad and ask what’s wrong.
They ask a question in a group and wait for the answer before jumping in again.

Start the conversation

You’re part of the program and that’s a good thing.

We know you’re already doing a lot. Our parent involvement is designed to work with your schedule, not add to your load. Regular check-ins with your child’s BCBA give you concrete, practical strategies to reinforce what your child is learning at home so the skills they build in our center carry into every part of their life.

We’ve seen it clearly: children make faster, more lasting progress when their families are part of the process. That’s not a burden, it’s a partnership.

Regular BCBA check-ins: One-on-one meetings to review your child’s progress, celebrate wins, and adjust the plan.

Home strategy coaching: Specific, simple techniques to reinforce skills at mealtimes, during activities, and in everyday routines.

Transparent data sharing: You see exactly what your child is working on and how they’re progressing.

Advocacy support: We help you communicate your child’s needs to their school and other providers.

Testimonials

Hear From Our Families

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The team has been incredibly supportive, patient, and knowledgeable from day one. They truly care about each child’s progress and make families feel heard and […]

Susan O April, 2026

Behavioral Innovations is one of the best decisions I’ve made for my son. I was very nervous leaving my then non verbal child somewhere for […]

Talia M April, 2026

Behavioral Innovations has changed my family’s lives! My son has been going for 2 years, and it has made the biggest difference. He loves going, […]

Jessica K April, 2026

The staff here are absolutely phenomenal with my son and have helped him in many ways. Even though it has only been a few months, […]

Shelby B April, 2026

The care provided at BI is truly exceptional. They consistently offer personalized attention to every individual, demonstrating a deep and genuine care for each child […]

Mayra B April, 2026

Having a child with autism takes a village and I can gladly say everyone here at BI is family. My son has been here a […]

Alyssa G April, 2026

Behavioral Innovations has been an amazing place for my toddler. Since attending daily, he has made so much progress in both communication and overall skills. […]

Aileen C April, 2026

My boys feel so safe and taken care of at behavioral innovations. They are constantly learning how to overcome challenges and gaining skills that help […]

Jenna V April, 2026

We absolutely LOVEEEEEE BI! Since starting at BI, we’ve seen so much improvement in her! She loves going to see her techs and she always […]

Shirley V January, 2026

We love, love, love BI! They have been instrumental in developing our daughter into a bright, curious and very vocal child. I can’t thank BI […]

Matthew W January, 2026