Are you looking for games to help raise awareness of disabilities among preschoolers? Whether you are a teacher, a specialised territorial agent working in preschools (ATSEM) or an activity leader for children aged 3 to 6, you can read this article to find solutions. We will here talk about 4 ideas to carry out a disability awareness activity with small children.
Disability awareness project in a preschool around the use of a wheelchair
Among the tools which can help raise awareness of disabilities, the use of a sport wheelchair speaks volumes to a small child aged 3 to 6. It allows them to understand disabilities in a tangible way.
Wheelchair models adapted to children
The KidsMoovin’ is the perfect manual wheelchair to help small children grasp the concept of disabilities. This plastic wheelchair is equipped with:
- A very solid plastic case;
- Footrests;
- Safety straps.
Children are thus playing in a completely safe environment.
Our wheelchairs are also certified and controlled by the CERAH (research and study centre for the equipment of disabled people). It is the only institution which is able to deliver a certificate of conformity for a wheelchair. This institution depends on the Ministry of Armed Forces.
Educational games to raise awareness of disabilities in preschool
The preschooler’s objective is to manage to move with the wheelchair. They thus measure the difficulties people with reduced mobility must face daily. Here are a few examples:
- Go through a track with a sport wheelchair where varied obstacles are placed (alone or with the help of someone to push the wheelchair).
- Reproduce daily life situations in a wheelchair (get out of bed, move around in a house, go in a car, etc.)
A disability awareness project in a preschool can be completed by the reading of books on disabilities.
Raising awareness of disabilities in a preschool with earmuffs
Using earmuffs is also an excellent way of raising awareness of deafness among small children. Here a few activities which can be carried out with it:
- Gather the children around in a corner of the classroom, introduce the earmuffs and ask a few children if they can put it on their ears.
- Say a sentence that children with earmuffs must repeat.
- Ask the children wearing the earmuffs about the sensations they have had.
- Propose other children to test the earmuffs.
The use of earmuffs allows to talk about disabilities in a global way.
Blindfolded awareness activities in a preschool
PlayMoovin’ proposes here 2 types of educational games to help young children understand disabilities.
A pitch-black snack
Eat and drink in the dark? What a funny idea! And yet this is an excellent way of raising awareness of disabilities among children at a young age.
An awareness track in the dark
Propose your pupils to go through an obstacle course where they have to step over and go around the obstacles.
Put the children into two-person teams: one of them is guiding their blindfolded partner so that they can find their way through the course.
You can also use a disability awareness kit.
You will find other resources to carry out a disability awareness project with small children on the Eduscol website.
Raising awareness of disabilities in school is essential to make our society more inclusive and it is possible to do so through games as soon as in preschool.
If you want to go in this direction, create an unforgettable moment for your pupils thanks to the renting of a sport wheelchair. Contact us if you have an idea and we will help you carrying it out!
