Therapeutic Recreational Activities for Children with

Disabilities

By Rachel Brown

Intended for the Recreational Therapist

or an individual looking for activities to

do with disabled children!

Therapeutic Recreation: What is it?

Services and recreational activities for individuals with disabilities or illnesses

Techniques improve everyday skills with leisure activities

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos082.htm

Therapeutic Recreation in Different Settings

Healthcare:

Hospitals

Rehabilitation Centers

Long-term Residential Facilities

Community:

Park and Recreation Departments

Special Education Programs for School Districts

What Therapeutic Recreation helps overall

Reduce stress, anxiety, and depression

Build confidence

Recover basic motor functioning and reasoning abilities

What Therapeutic Recreation Helps Overall (cont.)

Socialize effectively

Improve and maintain physical, mental, emotional well-being

Eliminate effects of disability or illness

Sports

Arts and Crafts

Dance and Movement

Music/Body Awareness

Techniques

Games

Relaxation

Animals

Techniques (cont.)

*These techniques & others can be found at:

http://www.recreationtherapy.com/tractv.htm

Sports

Help regain mobility

Hand-eye coordination

Promotes physical well-being

Activity: Throwing a ball

Teach left-handed people with left-side paralysis how to use unaffected right side to throw a ball

Arts and Crafts

Way to relax, feel sense of accomplishment – self esteem booster

Maintain an alert mind – hand eye coordination, following directions

Activity: Wheelchair Painting

Spread large sheet of paper on floor

Pour paint on the sheet

Let wheelchair patients run their wheelchairs all over the paint

Sign and date!

Dance and Movement

Increase socialization skills & physical movement

Provide opportunity for independence during the activity

Express feelings

Activity: Expressional Movement

Leader says topic – descriptive words, animals, sport, etc.

Leader can say to move to the floor, shake, move slow or fast

Child has to imagine and move to what they think goes with it

Music/Body Awareness

Can incorporate playing music while learning to be aware of body

Helps because sometimes disabled children cannot distinguish different body parts

Activity: Musical Play

Have child play an instrument – in front of their bodies, down by their feet, over shoulders, etc.

Games

Learn to play games with others – if isolated or have limited social skills

Initiate and enhance communication

Have to make decisions

Activity: Bingo

Have printed Bingo cards and distribute

Call out letters/numbers

Let children mark their card until someone wins!

Relaxation

Reduce stress and tension

Stretching exercises

Proper body mechanics

Pacing and energy conservation techniques

Activity: Stimulating Relaxation

Lower lights in room/close eyes

Can turn on a lava lamp

Play calm music

With lights on, can read a book

Animals

Act as companion/able to connect

Can teach responsibility

Generates good feelings

Activity: Interaction

Setting up allotted time to play and pet animals such as cats, horses, dogs, etc.

Could go to a park to play with a dog

Therapeutic Recreation is very important for incorporating leisure activities into a disabled child’s life

Wide variety of different techniques to be used – always new ones

Fun and memorable way to interact with disabled children

In Conclusion …

The End!