Children with disabilities often have challenges when engaging in play activities. These problems are more explicit when they are with other children who do not suffer from the same disabilities. While younger children with disabilities may have extensive coping mechanisms where they try to play with whatever they can for as long as they can, older children often feel left out. This is as a result of the difference in cognitive functioning, which is brought about by the child’s perception of the social setting that he or she is in.
While helping children with disabilities to engage in play activities fully and comfortably, one has to understand the disability and the limitations that it advances to the child and those around the child. Where the child is unable to engage positively with the rest of the children in a playset, it is often helpful to identify complementary play activities where cooperation does not rely on director communication. This is because the social aspect of growth is common in all human beings, despite their physical or mental condition. There should, however, be clear guidelines for engaging in play activities for the older children who have advanced cognitive and perceptive abilities to protect them from personality issues that may result due to resentment of their disability. This may be rooted in the conception of their condition or what they hear or see from their peers in the playset.
Where the child is physically unable to use some play materials due to physical disability, it is often advised that a teacher or guardian identifies alternative play materials that may suit the child’s physical abilities. Children can compensate for particular physical disabilities by applying their remaining abilities to perform tasks that may otherwise be impossible. For instance, a child without the ability to use his or her legs may often adopt the use of his or her hands to achieve some level of mobility. This means that while it may be advised that such children should be encouraged to participate in play activities that involve less movement, they may be stubborn, in which case they should be guided through play activities to ensure comfort rather than logic.
Children often exhibit some personal interests that have to be identified due to their level of comfort. The child should be allowed to engage in play activities that he or she shows a deep interest in and the appropriate amount of guidance should be provided to ensure his or her success in the play activities. The fact that play activities often appear to be too complex for children with disabilities, means that they have to be closely monitored throughout the play activity. The teacher or guardian may also have to engage in more indirect play with the child rather than letting the child play free on their own or with other children. Other play activities may be modified to suit the abilities of the child. Where the child’s disability may not be a problem such as engaging in art and crafts in the case of children with disabilities involving their mobility, cooperation with other children should be highly encouraged to boost their social abilities. Finally, the safety of the child is paramount in all play activities.