Manhattan Children’s Center (MCC) is proud to announce an exciting campus expansion that goes beyond traditional classroom learning. They have launched a fully functional life skills apartment, designed to help students with autism thrive in real-world scenarios. They thoughtfully renovated a 700 sq. ft. space that mirrors everyday home life.
This initiative strengthens MCC’s commitment to independence, life preparedness, and holistic development. From occupational therapy to social interaction, this expansion highlights why MCC stands out among the best autism schools in NYC.
Inside MCC’s Life Skills Apartment: Learning Through Living
The heart of MCC’s campus expansion lies in its newly launched one-bedroom apartment on 95th Street, featuring six distinct areas:
- Living room/bedroom
- Kitchen
- Dining area
- Bathroom
- Home gym
- Access to a laundromat
Each zone replicates authentic daily tasks, giving students hands-on experience with home life. These experiences foster confidence, autonomy, and adaptive life skills.
1. Living Room & Bedroom Combo
At this multipurpose space, students learn to fold clothes, make a bed, and perform household chores like dusting and vacuuming. They also learn to organize personal belongings. With a futon, dresser, and closet, students make choices about clothing and develop independence in self-care. This practice strengthens fundamental life skills that contribute to long-term independence.
2. Kitchen: The Heart of the Apartment
Cooking activity is considered an ideal therapeutic and educational activity for people with autism. Here, students practice cooking with everyday appliances such as a microwave, toaster oven, blender, air fryer, and stovetop burner. With these, they are taught to make healthy dishes. This training enables them to accomplish recipes, food portioning, and cleaning after the meal.
3. Dining Room Experience
Following cooking, students share communal meals and learn good habits of socializing and sharing responsibility. Whether enjoying a homemade meal or ordering takeout, this experience builds communication and interaction skills. In warmer months, students also dine on patios, simulating family-style meals outside the home.
4. Home Gym: Promoting Healthy Habits
The home gym encourages students to develop physical fitness and discipline. This room is fitted with a rowing machine, exercise bike, treadmill, yoga mats, resistance bands, and free weights. It promotes a healthy lifestyle and disciplined habits. A wall-mounted TV provides access to fitness tutorials, while also allowing students to enjoy shows during exercise sessions.
5. Social and Leisure Skills
Beyond chores and fitness, the apartment provides a space for students to socialize and enjoy leisure activities. Additionally, the students are involved and engaged in games such as Nintendo Switch. They share meals and do household chores to understand teamwork. In an apartment setting, students with autism develop a range of interpersonal and leisure skills. These are essential indications of the learning process; their performance goes through as they transition into adulthood.
Occupational Therapy in Real Life
At MCC, education extends far beyond books. The Life Skills Apartment directly supports occupational therapy by offering a routine-based setting for hygiene, meal preparation, home maintenance, and fitness. Students engage in activities such as doing laundry, sweeping, brushing teeth, or making lunch—each carefully chosen to support sensory regulation, motor planning, and executive function.
Therapists and instructors work together to tailor lessons to each student’s individual needs. This personalized approach ensures that students not only learn essential tasks but also strengthen cognitive and adaptive skills. This is one of the primary aims of occupational therapy programs in NY.
Additionally, students engage with smart home technology such as the Amazon Echo Show, which aids in:
1. Following video-guided exercises or recipes
2. Receive visual and sound reminders for tasks
3. Exercising guided breathing and meditation
4. Use voice or Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to build independence
This environment, enabled by the latest technology, prepares the students of the future equally. It adheres to the mission of MCC, which is to be innovative and adapt to the inclusion of all.
Admissions: Why MCC Is a Premier Autism Education School
MCC Manhattan is more than just a school—it is a transformative environment where autism education connects with real-world preparedness. The Life Skills Apartment exemplifies MCC’s values: experiential learning, community integration, and futuristic programming.
For families seeking speech therapy schools, autism education, or inclusive environments that offer strong occupational therapy for autism, MCC’s approach is unmatched in NYC.
This apartment reflects MCC’s philosophy of teaching everyday tasks in unique and supportive ways. It prepares students to progress into adulthood by allowing them to role-play adult life roles in a safe environment, thereby preparing them to take on real-life roles.
Every activity—whether cooking, cleaning, or engaging in group interactions—becomes a step toward greater independence. MCC ensures that all students have the opportunity to grow and thrive.
Conclusion
The expansion of the campus for MCC marks a turning point for families seeking autism schools in NYC that genuinely teach children the intricacies of daily life. The Life Skills Apartment is a new place that serves as a launching pad to independence, self-assurance, and holistic development.
By embedding therapeutic practices into everyday living, MCC ensures that its students are not only ready for the next academic level but also for life beyond school. With advanced occupational therapy programs, social learning, and tech-assisted routines, MCC is setting a new benchmark in special education.
Schedule a tour or contact MCC admissions today—and prepare your child not just for the classroom, but for life.