Games to Make for Special Needs Children at Preschool

Rope Loop

• Lay a rope on the floor in a circle if your group of students has range of motion and can walk, skip and practice going back and forth with their legs. Turn on some music and instruct one child at a time to step in and out of the loop at their own pace a few times. Ask them to then try to skip, hop or jump in and out of the loop once they have mastered walking. Keep a record all year of the student's progress as they increase. Give the student a reward each time you play.

Bean Bag Tic-Tac-Toe

• Make a large and colorful easy tic-tac-toe game with six round swim rings of the same size and pipe cleaners. Blow the swim rings up. Tie several pipe cleaners together to tie the swim rings together in three rows of three, in the shape of a tic-tac-toe board. Once you have them tied together, find easy to throw bean items, such as small beanie babies or hacky sacks. Hold the swim rings steady for the students as they toss items. Move the rings to make the game more challenging or easier, as needed.

Walk the Plank

• Place a piece of tape on the floor or draw a plank on the sidewalk outdoors with sidewalk chalk. Lay items, such as crocodiles and fish you made of construction paper, on the ground off to the side of the plank. Allow the student to wear a pirate's hat just before she walks the plank. Instruct her to walk the plank without accidentally stepping off and "falling into the water." Once they walk to the end of the plank, they must turn around and walk back to the "ship" to get to reach into the treasure box and choose a reward. Cardboard treasure boxes can be purchased inexpensively at teacher supply stores. Place rewards, such as bookmarks, pencils and candy inside the box.

Ball Rolling

• Depending upon the special needs the children have in your class, divide them into pairs of two. Blow up beach balls or use small lightweight balls. Instruct one group to sit together facing each other on the floor or to sit at a table. Students should roll the ball to their partner without rolling it out of bounds. Students on the floor, for example, are not allowed to use their hands, but are only allowed to kick the ball with their feet. Students at the desks may roll the ball straight, bounce it in a group or whatever goal you choose.