Activities for Down Syndrome Child

[amanda92]

Hi all.
I currently work in OSHC as a one on one carer with a 6yr girl with DS. I am looking for any ideas to keep her occupied in the mornings and afternoons. She loves dancing and we do discos, loves hi 5, loves playground. More looking for inside activities to do when she has had enough of being outside. Any ideas would be fantastic.

[Lorina]

Hey Amanda,

I do have a few ideas you could try out… These activities also include a couple of sensory experiences which enable the child to have fun, stay focused and use their hand movements.

-Playing With Shaving Cream : Spray a little shaving cream on a mirror or on top of a table.

-Playing With Rice: Add rice to a large box or container with a sheet underneath. Add objects to the rice , which the child has to find.

-Blowing Bubbles/Catching Bubbles: Encourage the child to blow bubbles or use a bubble machine to encourage the child to catch bubbles.

-Clay, Finger Painting, Sand & Water Play: Doing something with both hands encourages the child to stay focused.

-Threading Beads: Using large or small beads to thread onto some string to make bracelets.

Hope this gives you a few ideas you could come up with,

Cheers ,
L.A

[amanda92]

Thanks L.A will give them ago they sound great.

[fchaudari76]

lately one of the GL where i works has been adopting some montessori exercises but adapting them to suit the play based centre so she puts out in a plastic tray a jug of water a funnel and bottle and fills the jug with coloured water
the children sit there for ages just pouring water through the funnel from one vessel to the other
its a simple activity that most children enjoy and can be done inside and outside

[amanda92]

Thanks will give the water a go

[sandi28]

Hi Amanda,
Here is some ideas for all children that would also be appropriate for children with special needs.
Wonder Box
Use a large box or basket and instead of just placing the items in it, use smaller boxes, draw string bags, bags with zips, bags with buttons, little suitcases, even wrap items in gift wrapping paper or just use tissue paper to place individual items or groups of items in. This way, just discovering what is inside becomes exciting and working out how to open it becomes an activity in itself. These are just a few ideas of many. Change the items and co-ordinate to the child’s individual needs and abilities. Some items/ideas you could include are:-
• Puffer/Squishy Spiky Balls (you can get these cheap from $1 shops in different colours, sizes and shapes and ones that light up).
• Koala clip-on’s (those little Aussie Koalas that you squeeze to clip on to clothing, a box, etc.
• Cups or boxes or babushka dolls (open one to find a smaller one etc, etc.) discover each one then put them back again in correct sizes.
• Little dolls or teddies in a sleeping bag or a blanket that has Velcro so you can rewrap.
• Duck family (big and little plastic ducks) which can be used for recognising sizes big to little or counting. Also for ‘5 Little Ducks’ song.
• Plastic animals; you could have 4 of each in different sizes; horses, pigs, dogs, cats, cows, sheep etc. Play a sorting/grouping game with them.
• Little bells (different sizes and sounds).
• Smelly bags using;
Lavender (calming)
Lemon Balm (relax, helps anxiety)
Peppermint (stimulates the mind and calms the nerves)
Using little draw string bags with cotton wool and a couple of drops of the above oils.
(Store draw string bags in plastic zip lock bags to keep smell in and stop smell from over powering everything else.)
• Bag of pebbles, Fluffy and smooth powder puffs, Scourers, Sponges- to explain soft, smooth, hard and soft.

Other Ideas;

• Discovery bottle; ½ fill a 1 litre plastic bottle with sand and add items that will fit through the top like; things from the sea, fish, shells, starfish, crabs etc. (flowers, plastic jewels or anything else you can come up with.) Screw cap on tightly and use glue or tape to secure.
• Magnet fun; Using a magnetic board and numbers, alphabet, girl figure and clothes (dressing activity), story- telling or any other idea. Buy pieces with magnets or make your own by placing self adhesive magnets on felt pieces etc.
Hope you can use some of these ideas. Sandi

[amanda92]

Thanks sandi, have tried a few of the ideas from everyone with great success

[darrenb]

The following activities and games may be suitable:
Domestic activities
Activities with both hands
Provide enough physical exercise
Lying on top of different materials
Swaddling or wrapping up in a blanket
Towing on a blanket
Skating on rugs
Something to feel
Hiding under cuddly toys
Hiding in a playhouse or under a large piece of cloth
Playing in a box
Playing with chestnuts
Massage with different materials
The use of the foot massage bath

source:sensoryprocessingdotinfo/games/choose-8-down.html

[andrewop]

hello
you are welcome here
first of all
you have to know her hobbies which contain physical activity
so it is easy to her to play that game, it means she will be physically activated
another singing songs, dancing and other.
Loving care and training can help most of these children to learn many skills under a program for early intervention. Your doctor will refer your child for such training. Drugs will not be of any help unless the child has proven deficiency of the thyroid hormone or has an infection to which they are more prone than normal children.

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