Hobbies And Interests
Sports
Handicapped children can play adaptive sports, which are sports in which the equipment and rules are modified to suit their capabilities. Some of the sports that handicapped kids can play are volleyball, wherein the kids sit on the floor and play on a smaller than customary court with a softer ball and a lower net; wheelchair tennis, wherein the ball is allowed to bounce twice instead of once; and golf, wherein the golf clubs are shorter and have a larger head and the golf balls are larger than customary. Other adaptive sports include wheelchair basketball, baseball with substitute runners and wheelchair soccer.
Games
Handicapped kids can play board and puzzle games and group games to enhance their social and learning skills. Look for board games for children where they have to work with color and shape recognition as well as problem solving games and games that enhance their reading, vocabulary and spelling skills. Some board and puzzle games include Monopoly, Scrabble, chess, Sudoku and crossword puzzles. Group games include hot potato and water balloon relay races, in which kids in wheelchairs can carry the balloons on their laps instead of running.
Outdoor Recreation
Disabled children can participate in outdoor recreational activities that, similar to sports, are adapted to suit their needs. Kids can go camping, sailing, kayaking, snow boarding, snowmobiling, cycling, boating and fishing using adaptive equipment. They can ski sitting down, ride a bike with hand pedals and skydive while harnessed to an instructor. Kids with physical disabilities can often swim and scuba dive because they can move freely underwater in the absence of gravity. Children in wheelchairs can participate in gardening activities and work with raised-bed gardens as well as water, rake, plant and weed, which, according to the Shriners Hospitals for Children, helps builds muscle strength and improves hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Arts and Crafts
Handicapped children can create different kinds of art and crafts that they can complete on their own. They can express themselves by making crafts such as tissue paper or macaroni art, sponge paintings and finger paintings. They can draw, color and make jewelry by stringing beads. Children who can't use their hands can attempt to paint by holding a paintbrush between their toes. Even children who are visually impaired can create crafts by sculpting objects out of clay.