There are many gaming activities and competitions. However, due to various restrictions, not all of them are suitable for children with disabilities. Of particular importance in this list are games related to the physical activity of children. In this context, properly organized leisure has a positive effect on socialization and the formation of a future independent citizen from a child. The task of not only federal, but also local authorities, associations of owners of apartment buildings and other management organizations is to properly organize playgrounds and complexes, including those suitable for children with disabilities.
Entertainment Variations
It is important to understand: competitive and entertainment programs developed and periodically conducted by social assistance centers and volunteer organizations are important, but they are not a panacea. During this period of time, children are surrounded by attention and care, but most of the time the disabled child is left to himself and his parents/guardians. Therefore, it is fundamentally important to think through a format of games that the children themselves can organize, including without the participation of adults. This can also be some kind of individual entertainment (for example, a swing), when you don’t have to wait for a friend.
Let us make a reservation that this article is mainly aimed at describing games and competitions from the point of view of platforms, which play an important role in socialization. Board and computer games, as well as other sedentary fun, have their place, but everything is good in moderation. In order for the child not to be left alone with his problem, not to feel doomed and useless, it is necessary to create conditions for his constant interaction with peers through live communication and acceptable physical activities.
Games and competitions for disabled children can be classified on several grounds:
- organizer (adults or children themselves); — number of participants (individually or in a group); - Venue (indoors or outdoors).
Volunteers
Anna Pinskaya: The main thing in our project is volunteers! These people create our holidays. They are the ones who bring joy and warmth to children. The main idea of the project is that everyone can help others. Help does not have to be measured in money. Anyone who cannot participate financially can always help with something else: organization, connections, with their own hands, in the end.
Someone can bring a child, someone can buy a gift, someone can give a good idea, and someone can introduce them to the owners of a restaurant for a holiday. The rule of six handshakes applies everywhere. It turns out that from the small deeds of a variety of people, one big one is born.
We are young, active , everything is good in our lives, and we think it’s right to help others
We are not a foundation, and that suits us: we all have our own jobs. I am a translator and do a little confectionery business, Olya is the director of an advertising and event agency. We are all volunteers and we think it's great. We are young, active, everything is good in our lives, and we think it’s right to help others.
Olga Fleur: We don’t do any accounting, because, in fact, we don’t spend money on anything. We sometimes need some supplies for master classes. Then one of the volunteers or we ourselves go to the store and buy it. If children need gifts, then all willing volunteers buy them. The same happens if some unforeseen expenses arise: for example, you need a professional animator. Then one of the volunteers either allocates money for this, or finds someone who is ready to host the holiday for free. As for culinary master classes and tea parties, everything is provided by restaurants. It turns out that our resources are now limitless. We can organize a large-scale event because we know that we will always find those who will help.
A variety of people come to us: both acquaintances and those who simply saw an ad on a social network. For example, in our team there is a girl from Kira Plastinina’s PR team, there is a guy from Rospotrebnadzor, there is a girl who is a restaurateur, and there is my brother who works in a bank. In general, people come to us from a variety of fields. Most often, of course, girls come to help. But this is because they are more impressionable.
We also have one guy on our team who works at Solyanka’s face control at night. You certainly wouldn’t think about someone who, after a shift, could go by car and pick up a child with disabilities from Izmailovo. There are businessmen, a manicurist, and a girl from Interview magazine.
In general, it turns out that most often girls who come to us are 25-30 years old, successful, financially independent, socially active. Many have already become friends with each other. Some come to us on holidays not only to help, but also to see friends.
Corrective and educational games and their analogues
The essence of active children's entertainment for children with limited physical or intellectual capabilities is its health value. Psycho-emotional stress associated with physical exercise is one of the best means for a child’s development. For any person, including young people, the need for movement is inherent at the genetic level. Therefore, correctional and educational games not only adequately develop children, but also significantly improve their health. Many things seem insurmountable and incredibly difficult to children with disabilities. However, during the game they forget themselves and sometimes willingly perform even difficult tasks. Through well-thought-out movements, motor and other disorders are corrected, the autonomic systems of the child’s body are adjusted to the right mood.
The list of fun activities may include various exercises: running, walking, climbing, tugging, jumping. Play complexes can integrate swings, carousels, spring swings, slides, rope structures, houses, sandboxes, sports elements, outdoor exercise equipment, benches and tables, educational panels, and traffic rules elements. The playgrounds themselves can be designed in the form of thematic structures. The models “School”, “Post Office”, “Kitchen”, “Cafe”, “Theater”, “Gas Station”, wall for throwing balls “Ghosts”, “Apple” are very popular. Children come up with their own games and are passionate about fun every day. Parents and social services can hold competitions and various entertainment events at such sites.
How everything works
Anna Pinskaya: At one time I worked at a charity foundation. There I was involved in organizing various events for children with disabilities and developmental disorders. After some time, I went into the confectionery business. And I quickly realized that I really lack good deeds in my life. This is how the idea was born to hold children’s culinary events in the “Daily Bread” coffee shops. I reached an agreement with the chain’s management, and almost every weekend we began gathering children with disabilities in one of the coffee shops. Together we baked buns, pies and generally had a good time. The holidays were usually attended by my friends, who also brought their friends. We formed a kind of volunteer project: everyone did what they knew how to do on a voluntary basis. For example, he taught the children to draw or sang songs with them. At one of the holidays, we met Olya through a friend: she also came as a volunteer, painted face painting on the children’s faces and made balloon figures with them. We found a common language and decided to organize holidays together. After some time, we realized that it was time to expand: to attract more people to the project and hold events not only in “Daily Bread”. Thus, in September 2013, Handmade Charity was born.
The most popular games and competitions for disabled children
Let’s make a reservation again: in this case we are talking about outdoor games that can be played on the playground. Some of them require the participation of an adult and several participants, while others can be played by children independently or even individually. The competitive component involves awarding points for successfully completed actions.
"The Missing Item"
The essence of the game is to search for a missing item that was previously present on the site. The inventory consists of 4-7 different items: skittles, balls, hoops, toys, etc. Participants are first asked to remember their location, and then, within the allotted time, identify the missing ones. The finder is awarded additional points.
"Catch the ball"
Sharpening coordination skills and developing attention. The arrangement of participants can be in a circle or in a chaotic order. The point is to gradually carefully throw the ball to each other. The game can use a feature of the site (as elements that complicate the task).
"Locomotive"
During this game, the type and shape of the playing area is of decisive importance. If space allows, as well as located elements, use a small gymnastic stick or other similar oblong apparatus that you can hold on to. Changes in position and movement are determined by the leader. A good option for training and developing motor skills.
“Try to catch up!”
The essence of entertainment is catching up. This game requires increased activity of participants. Therefore, you should choose it in case of suitable conditions, taking into account the condition of the children and the mandatory presence of adults. If there are significant restrictions on the musculoskeletal system, objects like a ball (for throwing) can be added to the game.
"Get to know a friend"
Participants (3-5 children) are located on the playground. The main participant is asked to remember the location of the others. Then his eyes are closed, and everyone else changes places. Through tactile sensations, memory and auditory attention, it is proposed to find and recognize your friends.
"You can!"
Most playgrounds contain elements and equipment for physical activities. One child or several children who rarely play and visit them are invited to exercise in a playful way and perform actions that previously seemed inaccessible.
“Touch to...”
Any number of players. The participant is invited to find and touch a certain element or objects on the playground. Entertainment can be complicated by the color, size, shape and other properties of objects.
“Repeat without error”
The essence of the game is for the participants to repeat the movements and actions of the leader. There can be any number of players (including one child). It is important to repeat certain exercises and movements exactly. The less accurate and attentive is eliminated.
About parents
Anna Pinskaya: During every event we always have a tea party - it is organized by the restaurant. Parents of children participating in master classes usually gather for tea. They can have a snack and chat. Most often, this is also a holiday for them. Most parents spend the whole day with their children; they have no opportunity to relax and communicate with new people. First of all financial.
Russia is a country without people with disabilities , it is not customary here to see people with disabilities in public places
Newcomers often find it difficult to leave the child even for a second, then they relax and realize that if they sit ten meters away, drink tea and chat with people around, nothing bad will happen.
Parents today cannot afford to go to a cafe with their child, even if it is inexpensive and has a ramp. Russia is a country without people with disabilities; it is not customary here to see people with disabilities in public places. Sometimes we call friendly psychologists who are ready to talk with parents for free.
Why is the playground better?
The one-time purchase and installation of the appropriate gaming complex is beneficial in many ways. First of all, there is no connection to any programs or organizers. A complex event requires many participants. So, in children's centers, presenters, clowns, animators, musicians, technical and other related personnel are invited for this occasion. In this case, it is possible to hold games and competitions by the children themselves, including without the participation of adults. Moreover, this does not require additional financial costs. Universal play complexes are perfect for courtyards of apartment buildings, children's and social centers. The special value of the sites is the ability to quickly change game situations and scenarios.
In the age of digitalization, gadgets and the Internet, the opportunity to spend time outdoors while a disabled child enjoys playing on a safe playground is worth a lot. Our products are designed to meet current requirements, use environmentally friendly materials, and offer a wide variety of models. Depending on individual preferences, professional consultants will select a suitable playground and answer all questions.
Participating restaurants
Anna Pinskaya: As a rule, we find restaurants through friends. Usually one of the friends has access to the owners and managers. Often cafes themselves offer to host the holiday.
In all this time, only one restaurant refused us. We are friends with certain cafes and spend holidays there on an ongoing basis. Now there are about ten restaurants, including Lettuce, Honest, Zupperia, the kosher Chokoladnitsa and Michel's Bakery. “Shokoladnitsa” even invites us to organize parties for the birthdays of the children with whom we work.
OLGA FLEUR: In some establishments, holidays are held only once. One day we were invited to the Buono restaurant on the top floor of the Ukraine Hotel. We usually hold events in affordable places, but here we were invited to an expensive establishment. We were a little scared: there was a completely different audience there, how would they perceive it all, how would the parents react? However, everything went surprisingly well, the holiday turned out wonderful. It turned out that the restaurant has a very kind and open manager, who initiated the celebration. No one felt any discomfort: neither children, nor parents, nor restaurant guests. As a result, the children of Buono visitors joined our event: they were all nice kids, unspoiled and understanding.
The importance of outdoor games for children with disabilities
Games as such are very important for any child. Through this type of activity, the baby develops, learns about the world around him and himself. This is a means not only of entertainment, but also of recreation, education, and sports (permissible exercises). A variety of quizzes and other activities should not replace entertainment related to physical activity for children with disabilities. It is important for them, like no one else, to constantly train their body and body, constantly offering it exercises for coordination and endurance. These can be either entire game programs/plans or individual games. This kind of activity has a positive effect on the child and contributes to his comprehensive development. In this case, the type and degree of violations should be taken into account. These can be both physical and intellectual features. Many of the high-quality and well-designed playgrounds offered are created taking into account the possibility of their visiting and use by children with disabilities. This is not just a comfortable and safe environment for year-round fun, but also a place to create a friendly atmosphere among peers. The psychophysical activity of such special children, taking into account positive emotions and feelings, leads to incredible results in their integration into society and adaptation to adulthood.
Outdoor games must be appropriate to the condition and age of a child with disabilities. The range of gaming complexes presented in the catalog of our website allows us to take into account the intellectual, motor characteristics and personal interests of specific children. Exercises must be filled with correct motor skills, suitable physical qualities, and measures of complexity. Thus, children who have mastered simple movements and games can move on to more complex entertainment.
The list of entertainment can include both games conducted by adults (repetition of movements, quizzes, competitions, games with objects, intellectual exercises and fun, much more), and individual fun. The good thing about the playgrounds and complexes we offer is that there is no mandatory connection to any specific game. It all depends on the imagination and desires of the children.
Methodological development of a game program for children with disabilities
Scenario
of the game program
“Book Name Day”
Date: March 19, 2020
Venue: Boarding school for blind and visually impaired children.
Time: 10.00
Characters:
Klepa
Toffee
Princess Nesmeyana
The sound of a trumpet, Klepa and Iriska run out
Klepa
: Hey guys! Hi all! Were you waiting for us or not?
Toffee:
Oh, so many kids!
Klepa
: Hey, let's get acquainted! I am Klepa!
Toffee:
And I am Toffee! Just be careful not to confuse it: not a sausage, but a toffee.
Klepa
: Guys. We really need your help. Do you know the fairy tale “Princess Nesmeyana?”
Toffee:
So here it is. For those who don’t know, let me remind you. In one Russian folk tale, the king gave birth to a daughter - a princess. Since childhood, the girl was very spoiled and capricious. And then the king had a fight with Baba Yaga. I wanted to drive her away from the territory of the kingdom. So she bewitched the princess and said: The princess will cry until then. Until someone cheers her up. Until now, no one has been able to cheer up the princess. And now all hope is on you and me.
Klepa
: Will you help us? Well then we will succeed.
The crying gets louder. Sobbing. Princess Nesmeyana comes out. Sits on a chair. He blows his nose loudly and sobs.
Toffee:
and here she is (curtses towards the princess) Good morning, your Wetness! What's your mood?
Princess:
Bad (sobs)
Klepa
: Wouldn’t you like to see how happily the children play?
Princess:
Undesirable. Sobbing
Toffee:
Although moldy, she is still a princess. Guys, let's show how we can play. I’ll tell you what Klepa and I saw at the zoo, and if you believe it, then say loudly in unison: We saw it, we saw it. We saw it at the zoo,” and if you don’t believe me. then “This is just nonsense”
- Behind the bars at the gate, a huge hippopotamus sleeps. (Yes)
- How ferocious and fierce is the beast of prey - the big camel (no)
- Monkeys are hanging on their tails. The kids are so happy (yes)
- Ponies, little ponies, how beautiful the horses are (yes)
- Do chickens with horns walk across the seas, across the valleys? (No)
- Penguins suddenly flew above the sky and the aspen tree (no)
- And yesterday - what a deal! Ryusha flew across the sky. (no)
The last time, “This is just nonsense,” the princess shouts along with the children, the leaders turn around. The princess begins to cry loudly.
Princess
Bad game, boring. Only children play such games, and I’m already big. I am not interested.
Klepa
: Yes, it didn’t work the first time.
Nothing. Dont be upset. We'll come up with something now. Guys, what do you like to do? ( children answer)
Toffee:
Hurray, hurray, I know how we can cheer up the princess now. Let's show how we can dance. Maybe she will want to dance with us and have fun.
Dance of little ducks"
At the end of the dance, the leader begins to call or drag the princess by the hands. She succumbs to the clogs and moves sluggishly. When the music ends, Nesmeyana sits down and begins to cry.
Princess
I don’t want to dance, I won’t! I don't know how to dance like the guys. (sobs)
Klepa
: You should not cry, your seriousness, but study.
Princess:
And how to study. I can't…
Toffee:
. We will ask you riddles, if I tell you correctly, clap, if not correctly, stomp. Agreed? And you are with us, Your Excellency.
- Crucian carp live in the river. (They clap.)
- Mushrooms grow on a pine tree. (They stomp.)
- The bear loves sweet honey. (They clap.)
- A steamer is heading into the field. (They stomp.)
- The rain has passed, but puddles remain. (They clap.)
- The hare and the wolf are strong friends. (They stomp.)
- The night will pass and the day will come. (Clap)
- Mom is too lazy to help you. (Stomp)
- You will spend the holiday together. (They clap.)
- And you won't go home. (They stomp.)
- There are no scattered among you. (They clap.)
- Everyone is attentive here. (They clap.)
Klepa
: Well done.
Princess
: I don't like your game. This is not a royal matter.
Klepa
: If you don’t like this one, we know another one.
A game. “Guess the object from which fairy tale”
Princess:
Well done! We completed all the tasks. Can you handle mine?
Toffee:
. Of course we can handle it.
Klepa
: Guys. We can handle it, right??
Princess:
Guys. Do you like to read?……. Do you know fairy-tale characters?... But now I’ll check...
Puzzles
1) Treats small children, Treats birds and animals, The Good Doctor looks through his glasses... (Aibolit)
2) What kind of strange wooden man is looking for a golden key on earth and under water? He pokes his long nose everywhere. Who is this? (Pinocchio)
3) Near the forest, on the edge, Three of them live in a hut.
There are three chairs and three mugs. Three beds, three pillows. Guess without a hint, who are the heroes of this fairy tale? (Three Bears) 4) The grandmother loved the girl very much. I gave her a red cap. The girl forgot her name. Well, tell me her name. (Little Red Riding Hood) 5) He walked through the forest boldly, But the fox ate the hero, He sang goodbye, poor thing, His name was... (Kolobok) 6) He lived in Prostokvashino, And he was friends with Matroskin, He was a little rustic, The dog's name was... ( Sharik) 7) He beats and tortures poor dolls, He is looking for a magic key, He has a terrible look, This is a doctor... (Karabas) He is a big naughty man and a comedian, He has a house on the roof, A braggart and an arrogant, And his name is... (Carlson)
Toffee:
Your Wetness, how are you feeling? Did you enjoy playing with us?
Princess
: Liked. I'm just tired of sitting here!
Klepa
: Hurray, hurray. Happened. Come to us quickly, Your Highness. Let's play a game with us.
Game “If you like it, then do it!”
Princess:
Thank you guys for making me laugh, honestly, I couldn’t laugh before, and now even my dress is dry. And as a sign of gratitude, I would like to give you small gifts.
About children and charity
Olga Fleur: One of our tasks is the integration of children with disabilities into the environment of ordinary children. This is why we always invite our friends with children to the holidays. Believe me, children do not see any difference; they are equally friendly with everyone.
We always ask restaurant owners not to close it during our events. It often happens that during the holiday the children of ordinary visitors join us. We're all for it. Many parents thank us for this: after the holiday, the child often asks why the guys he played with are different.
ANNA PINSKAYA : That is why we decided to hold the holidays not in cultural palaces, but in restaurants - in a social environment where there are always a lot of people. It is important for us that those around us get rid of prejudices about people with disabilities. We want to show that being around children with disabilities is not scary, but, on the contrary, pleasant, because they are incredibly grateful, open and kind.
We want to dispel the myth that helping others is scary and very difficult
Olga Fleur: Most people are accustomed to the fact that charity means taking things to an orphanage, putting money in a box, or visiting children in a cancer center. We have a different perception: if you want to have breakfast on a weekend in a nice cafe, come early and you can help the children. We want to dispel the myth that helping others is scary and very difficult. Those few hours that can be spent on a child with disabilities mean nothing to most of us. But for children it is very important and pleasant.
When I first went to Anna’s party, I was very worried: I didn’t know how I would react to such children. But my fears quickly dissipated: I realized that these children are the most carefree and pure of all those I have met.
