Inclusion of young children with intellectual disabilities (ID) in organized social activities has received relatively little attention in the literature to date. Twenty-one parents of children with or at risk for ID were interviewed during their child's transition into school. Information from the first time point (pre-school entry) indicated that respite service use was the only variable that predicted participation in social activities. Family income and parental education level were also positively correlated with their child's participation in social activities. Parents of children who participated in social activities reported being more satisfied with their child's quality of life. Directions for future research are discussed.