Modifications for Kids with Special Needs in the Community

Affiliate and Referral links are used below to promote products I love and recommend. I receive a commission on any purchases made through these links. Please see my disclosure policy for more details. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

There are many ways that kids with special needs can be involved in their communities. Community involvement is an excellent way to work on social skills, encouraging empathy, job related skills and many more. You will need to consider some modifications for kids with special needs in the community if you are looking to get them involved, so here are some ideas!

This post is also part of the Functional Skills for Kids Therapy blogger series, so check the bottom of the post for links to all the other blog posts on community skills this month.

Modifications for kids with special needs in the community, plus activity and job ideas in the community.

Community Ideas for Kids with Special Needs

Before we look into modifications, what types of community service or community involvement activities are ideal for children with special needs?

  • Park clean up days
  • Soup kitchens
  • Assisting the elderly
  • Support group activities such as movie nights, carnivals, or dances
  • Exercise groups
  • Field trips
  • Sports
  • Volunteer at the local special olympics
  • 4-H Club

If you have difficulties finding a program or activity that your child can participate it, consider starting one yourself and asking other families of special needs to come and join you!

Modifications to Consider for Community Outings or Service

Many children with special needs have difficulty with focus and attention during activities. Physical limitations may also be a concern. Your child may also some sensory sensitivities that need to be taken into consideration. If you are wanting to start an activity for kids with special needs in the community, here are some things you will want to consider:

  • Is there ADA friendly access (ramps, wide doorways, bathrooms acccessible, wheelchair accessible grounds)?
  • Do you need to have shorter volunteer times with sensory breaks or breaks as needed?
  • Is there a buddy(ies) that the children with special needs can be paired up with for support?
  • Do you have visual schedules available with all the jobs listed so children know what is coming next and what needs done?
  • Are there jobs or activities available for all regardless of physical or cognitive limitations (more suggestions on modifications for activities below).

When looking at your list of activities or available jobs, here are some things to consider:

  • Will the child be able to complete it independently, or will assistance be needed? If they need assistance, consider partnering up with buddies for each job or activity.
  • Can the activity or job be broken down into different parts and be divided among multiple children with various skill sets? Maybe you have one child in a wheelchair or another with a lower cognitive abilities, so having a group of children complete various parts of one task can be helpful. This will also help set them all up for success and encourage them to come back and participate.
  • Will a visual schedule or directions be helpful for any child participating in the activity or job? Many children will be able to complete the activities or jobs independently if they are provided a visual of what to do next or what needs done next.

Many children with special needs benefit from repetition and activities or jobs that do not change but are done the same way each time. A job that may present surprises or changes depending on circumstances may not be the best fit. Again, it will depend on the children involved and their skills.

It is always a good idea to be prepared for various activities or jobs based on skill sets or abilities. As I stated earlier, this will help to build confidence in the child, knowing that there is a job or activity that they can complete and do well. All children, regardless of their abilities are valued members of the community and each can play a part in it. They just need to be provided with the opportunities to help them grow.

Resources:

Involving Your Child with Special Needs in the Community – SpecialEdResources.com

Inclusion of Children with Disabilities – American Occupational Therapy Association

Functional Skills for Kids : a 12 month blog series by OTs and PTs.

Check out the rest of the posts in this month's Functional Skills for Kids series.

How to Support Your Child’s Core Strength Development Every Day | Miss Jaime, O.T.

Modifications for Kids with Special Needs in the Community  | Growing Hands-On Kids

Calming Games and Activities for Outings  |  The Inspired Treehouse

Working on following Directions When Out  | Therapy Fun Zone

Using Community Activities to Develop Your Child’s Social Skills  |Your Kids OT

Follow Heather | Growing Hands-On Kids's board Occupational Therapy Tips on Pinterest.

Heather Greutman, COTA

Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant with experience in school-based OT services for preschool through high school. She uses her background to share child development tips, tools, and strategies for parents, educators, and therapists. She is the author of many ebooks including The Basics of Fine Motor Skills, and Basics of Pre-Writing Skills, and co-author of Sensory Processing Explained: A Handbook for Parents and Educators.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

One Comment

  1. Hi,
    Do you have any ideas how I can create an adaptation in the classroom for a preschool child with duchenne muscular dystrophy? It can be a fine motor or a gross motor activity. Thank You

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant.
All information on the Website is for informational purposes only and is not a replacement for medical advice from a physician or your pediatrician. Please consult with a medical professional if you suspect any medical or developmental issues with your child. The information on the Websites does not replace the relationship between therapist and client in a one-on-one treatment session with an individualized treatment plan based on their professional evaluation. The information provided on the Website is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.

Do not rely on the information on the Website as an alternative to advice from your medical professional or healthcare provider. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment as a result of any information provided on the Website. All medical information on the Website is for informational purposes only.

All activities outlined on the Website are designed for completion with adult supervision. Please use your own judgment with your child and do not provide objects that could pose a choking hazard to young children. Never leave a child unattended during these activities. Please be aware of and follow all age recommendations on all products used in these activities. Growing Hands-On Kids is not liable for any injury when replicating any of the activities found on this blog.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY The Website was developed strictly for informational purposes. You understand and agree that you are fully responsible for your use of the information provided on the Website. Growing Hands-On Kids makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees. You understand that results may vary from person to person. Growing Hands-On Kids assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions that may appear on the Website.