2. Effectiveness of Play in Developing Skills among Children
with Disabilities:
Introduction
Playing is a natural and enjoyable way for children to keep active, stay
well and be happy.
Play helps children and young people’s healthy development.
To have good physical and social skills, they need various play
opportunities that enhance their skills.
3.
4. Sensory play:
Sensory play is essential to learn how their bodies work.
It can help children develop fine motor skills as they use the small
muscles in their hands and fingers.
Through sensory play children can discover what materials and
textures they like and dislike in a safe, fun environment.
It helps in strengthen their senses to explore world.
5. Signifigance of developing skills through play
Social-emotional skills
Play and friendships help your child learn about sharing, cooperating,
working out what other people are feeling and making friends with other
children.
• Friends are fun and can be caring too.
• The child will get to know that they can rely on other children for support.
• This can be good for the child’s self-esteem.
6. Communication skills
Children with disability have many different ways of communicating.
They might use speech, signing, gestures or communication devices.
By being with other children, children with disability can learn new ways
of talking, listening and communicating.
7. Physical skills
Friendships can encourage the child to join in with fun social physical
activities like running, jumping, throwing a ball, climbing or building things.
Getting involved in physical play can improve the child’s muscle tone and
gross motor skills, as well as confidence.
8.
9. Play therapy
Play therapy incorporates the child’s physical abilities, cognitive
functioning levels and emotional needs in a safe, supportive environment.
It is a therapeutic and psychological intervention that uses play to help
children with disabilities develop a better sense of inclusion using both
directed and non-directed play.
It builds self-confidence, interaction, and sense of self.
Playing is the activity that brings the most joy into the young lives of
children; play therapy capitalizes on that interest to help a child function.
11. Benefits of play therapy
• Increased self-confidence
• Improved decision-making
• Improved feeling of control over their environment
• Enabled adaptive play
• Resolution of emotional barriers
• Reduced feelings of anxiety, depression and anger
• Developed cognitive problem-solving
• Increased autonomy
• Increased relaxation
• Increased learning
• Improved self-expression
• Decreased feelings of separateness
12. Conclusion
• Play and friendship can help children with disability develop social,
communication and physical skills, feel good, and have fun.
• We can help the child to practise skills for playing well with others through
everyday play and communication together
• We can help the child practise play skills like listening, sharing,
cooperating and taking turns.
• We can help playdates go well by choosing appropriate toys, setting up
play areas, and guiding children through tricky situations.
