Did you know that 7.3% of children in the United States between the ages of 5-17 have a disability? Children under 5 years old in the U.S. account for 0.4% of kids living with a disability.

Although this percentage might seem small, this group of kids experiencing some type of disability matter. Their need to play and have fun is very important.

As a parent or educator of a child with a disability, you might be wondering what kinds of games and activities your child can participate in without feeling like they are being limited.

There are plenty of limited mobility games for your children to play and have fun with. Here are seven options that are sure to draw some excitement.

1. Musical Games to Lift Their Spirits

There are plenty of group activities for children to enjoy and have some fun. Any type of musical game can be adapted for children with limited mobility to play with their peers who have full mobility. Most musical games can be adjusted to include more or less movement for the child with limited mobility.

An example of a fun group musical game is clapping to create a beat and rhythm. One child starts tapping on one part of their body in a specific beat and then the next child can add in a different beat by tapping a different part of their body. They continue this way until all children are participating in creating rhythm through tapping.

Musical chairs is always a great game for kids. A way to adapt this classic game to include children in wheelchairs is playing with a ball instead. The children pass the ball around and whoever’s left with it when the music ends loses the game.

2. Art Games for Their Creativity

Art is a great way to get the creative juices flowing and have fun. There are plenty of art activities for disabled students to participate in.

One fun activity is to make some homemade playdough. The great thing about this activity is that you can make something from scratch, and then use your creativity to mold the playdough into fun shapes, once it sets.

You can also turn art into a challenge. Have your child collect some flowers from your garden and help them figure out in what ways they can turn them into a work of art.

3. Change up Some Sports Rules 

Some people might assume there are no physical games for children with disabilities, but that couldn’t be further from the truth! There are many ways to adapt common sports to fit the needs of a child with limited mobility.

Basketball can be changed by lowering the hoop or creating a custom hoop for wheelchair players. You can help your child practice dribbling before starting a game.

Your child that’s in a wheelchair can also participate in adapted versions of softball or baseball. They can hit the ball and have another teammate assigned to run the bases.

4. Obstacle Courses Are a Lot of Fun

Kids in wheelchairs can definitely participate in an obstacle course game. Get creative and find ways kids of all abilities can participate. Use your driveway or a dead-end street to set up each part of the course.

You can set up a bean bag toss or some pins to knock down as part of the obstacle course. The fun is in getting the kids to come up with some ideas as well.

5. Outdoor Adventures 

Some great activities for kids in wheelchairs include doing things outdoors. There are many proven benefits to kids playing outdoors. A few of these benefits include helping kids develop cognitively and improving their immune system.

Some ideas for outdoor adventures include going to a local park to have a picnic or perhaps planning a tour of a farm. What kid doesn’t like to build a fort? Give your child some materials and help construct this hideout for them to play in the backyard.

6. Brain Games with Your Senses

Games can be fun and educational at the same time. Brain games allow kids of all abilities to participate.

Games that involve the senses require kids to smell different scents and guess what they are. Parents or teachers can also set up different objects for them to feel and guess as well. Another one to try is having the kids listen to different sounds and guess what the sound is, it might be harder than it seems.

7. Racing in a Wheelchair

Wheelchair games for kids can include racing, believe it or not. There are some great power chairs out there that offer kids in wheelchairs a lot of mobility they would otherwise not have.

Keeping safety in mind, some fun activities for kids in wheelchairs include trying to outrun each other down the driveway or an empty hall. It’s a good idea to use a dead-end road to see how fast your child can get from one end to another.

Multiple kids can race each other and if there aren’t any other kids in wheelchairs you can just time your own child, congratulating them each time they beat their score.

Limited Mobility Games for Kids in Wheelchairs

Just because a child uses a wheelchair doesn’t mean they can’t have fun and enjoy themselves with some great games and activities. The list above includes some limited mobility games that any child can play. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about our products or about activities for children in wheelchairs.