Benefits Of Playing Sports In Summer With Disabled Children
Sport in summer is very beneficial for everyone, regardless of age. Therefore, it is advisable to try to take advantage of the various activities and games both to have fun and to develop various skills: cognitive, motor and even social. There are options for all tastes.
When the June holidays arrive, it is necessary to find a hobby that is fun and educates the little ones at home in a healthy and safe way. However, when the child has a disability, they tend to have many more doubts about it.
Although it is true that you have to be careful with the choice of the activity and with its respective development, this does not imply that the child should be deprived of fun. It’s all about finding a way to appropriately adapt to your needs. In addition, the tastes and preferences of children must be taken into account.
Sports in summer for children with mental disabilities
Sports in summer can be practiced with the family or in specialized vacation plans. If they are practiced as a family, it is necessary to take into account the environmental factors that may influence the day, such as heat, for example. Make sure the little ones stay well hydrated before, during and after exercise.
Below we will tell you what are the activities that children with some type of mental disability usually enjoy and to what extent these can benefit them.
1. Cross
Crossing adapted for disabled children is just as fun and allows them to experience some adrenaline. Therefore, they have a lot of fun and are motivated to try to reach the goal first.
2. Bicycle or tricycle
Depending on the type of disability the child has, this may be a good option. With patience and dedication on the part of the guide, the little one will learn to pedal correctly and to use the brakes. There are adapted bikes and support wheels that can be beneficial. So they will enjoy outdoor bike rides as a family.
3. Swimming
Swimming is ideal as a sport in summer for children with motor disabilities, because the aquatic environment greatly facilitates the development of the limbs. This sport also serves to strengthen the muscles, improve breathing and bones.
4. Horse riding
Summer sports that include contact with animals can be extremely rewarding for them. Of course, these must be carried out in specialized centers that guarantee docile animals and an attentive staff that helps the correct development of the activity.
5. Hiking
This activity is very relaxing, as it allows you to travel any path, such as tree-lined paths or mountains, you can do it both as a family or with other people dedicated to this.
What are the benefits of doing sports in summer?
Sport in summer for children with disabilities is the best option to spend time on vacation. The benefits that your little ones will receive are the following:
- Exercising helps release toxins.
- Similarly, sport reduces or eliminates anxiety, tensions and worries. This is why it improves the quality of sleep.
- They not only serve to improve physical health, but also contribute to the education of children. They teach them values such as responsibility, discipline.
- In addition to that, it allows them to interact and integrate with the people around them.
- Doing it often helps them develop motor skills. Your children will learn to work in coordination and will have more confidence in themselves.
Set small, short-term goals
When playing, the most important thing should be to have fun and share with others. Even so, setting goals when doing sports in the summer and achieving them becomes even more important since it provides great personal satisfaction. These goals can be simple and easy to achieve so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Summer goals can be the following:
- Make at least one new friend, whether they have a disability or not. Get to know him well and invite him to spend time together.
- Learn to follow the rules of the games.
- Strive to learn even one thing per session and then write it down.
- Identify the natural space that surrounds the place where the sport is practiced.
- Write down on a piece of paper what you enjoyed the most for each of the sessions and at the end of the summer, review them.
Children with disabilities are not exempt from the enjoyment of summer since, regardless of their condition, there are many (positive) possibilities for them. Best of all, they will enjoy it, learn new values, and achieve goals.