The Gift of Play: Children With Physical Disabilities
The Gift of Play: Children With Physical Disabilities
Movement is especially important in this age range, as children learn to crawl, stand, and walk, says Davitt. Try dancing to music, using just the upper body if your child's physical challenges make lower body movement difficult.
At this stage, your goal as a parent is to help your child feel more mobile and have access to his surroundings, says Trish Cox, a certified child life specialist and social worker who is an adjunct professor of child life at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, and an educational consultant for Portsmouth School District in New Hampshire.
Introduce board games that are age appropriate for this particular stage, Doschadis suggests. And audio books are often beneficial for children in this age range, as well.
Between ages 3 and 6, children become much more social, yearning to be with other children and make friends. So you can bring other children into your child’s regular play sessions. But be prepared for questions from your child’s playmates about why he is moving differently, Davitt says.
Give simple, age-appropriate answers to these kind of questions, she suggests. And as your child gets older, he can provide the answers to his playmates himself.
Playtime for Children With Physical Disabilities
Play Tips: Ages 1 to 3 continued...
Movement is especially important in this age range, as children learn to crawl, stand, and walk, says Davitt. Try dancing to music, using just the upper body if your child's physical challenges make lower body movement difficult.
At this stage, your goal as a parent is to help your child feel more mobile and have access to his surroundings, says Trish Cox, a certified child life specialist and social worker who is an adjunct professor of child life at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, and an educational consultant for Portsmouth School District in New Hampshire.
Play Tips: Ages 3 to 6
Introduce board games that are age appropriate for this particular stage, Doschadis suggests. And audio books are often beneficial for children in this age range, as well.
Between ages 3 and 6, children become much more social, yearning to be with other children and make friends. So you can bring other children into your child’s regular play sessions. But be prepared for questions from your child’s playmates about why he is moving differently, Davitt says.
Give simple, age-appropriate answers to these kind of questions, she suggests. And as your child gets older, he can provide the answers to his playmates himself.
