40 Adaptive Outdoor Games and Activities for Special Needs Kids
Today really reiterated to me that I need to get back to the outdoors and get my kids outside. I had my son at the eye doctor and she is an expert in her field.
She said that they are seeing an increase of kids who are developing crossed eyes or a wandering eye from playing on a screen for too long with it held too close to their faces. Getting kids outside is a priority for our health.
Think about that! Parents are actually allowing kids to do permanent damage to their eyes by playing too many video games.
We are strict in my house about screen times and I am going to revisit these ways to get your kids excited about being outdoors. Being stuck inside has led to a huge increase in screen time for many families.
- Fishing Programs for Disabled Kids
- Backyard Bird Activities and DIY Feeders for Kids
- Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for Kids (4 Free PDF Pages of Ideas)
- Nature Sensory Activities for Kids (Free PDF List)
Autistic Outdoors Activities
The outdoors is not always accessible to children with disabilities. And adults! I’m not just talking about maneuvering over terrain, but sensory issues and other things can make it more challenging.
Many kids with autism and other disabilities struggle with executive functioning skills. Included in that would be thinking up a new activity to do, planning it, and initiating it. We might take for granted that our non-disabled kids can think up a game in a playset or outside.
How to Get an Autistic Child to Go Outside
For some families, the problem isn’t finding outdoor activities for an autistic child. It’s getting the child to go outside in the first place.
And no, “Put down the tablet and go play outside” is not a strategy.
Autistic children may avoid going outdoors because of sensory issues, anxiety, difficulty with transitions or executive functioning challenges. Wind, bright sunlight, bugs, grass and unpredictable noises can all make being outside uncomfortable.
Start by figuring out why your child avoids going outside. You cannot accommodate or support a need you haven’t identified.
Then start small. Eating a preferred snack on the patio counts. Chalk on the sidewalk and sitting outside for five minutes counts. The goal is not to turn your child into an avid hiker by Tuesday.
| If your child avoids… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Bright sunlight | Hat, sunglasses, shaded activities |
| Grass | Patio, pavement, blanket or outdoor mat |
| Wind | Sheltered porch or enclosed yard |
| Loud noises | Headphones or quieter times of day |
| Bugs | Screened porch or bug-repellent clothing |
| Unpredictability | Visual schedule and familiar locations |
| Messy textures | Tools, gloves, cups or paintbrushes |
Outdoor Activities for Special Needs Kids
Sensory Playground: Many more playgrounds are becoming accessible. An autistic child may be sensory averse and avoid things like grass, sand, snow and wind. But, there are many outdoors activities that sensory seekers love. Think trampoline, swing, rolling down a hill, chalk, water play or splashing in a stream. They even make adaptive bikes for disabled teens and adults.
And, here’s a tip–we got our trampoline from Make A Wish. So if cost is an issue, there are options out there. Outdoor sensory fun doesn’t have to be expensive. You just need a plastic tub and some paper cups to have some water play.
I really don’t care what people think about ages. If you enjoy something and you’re not hurting anyone, if someone is bothered by that that’s their problem. My teenager loves to play in water, why would I deprive him of fresh air, sunshine and water?
National Park Junior Ranger program: This is a great program available at most National Parks, National Monuments, National Historic Sites and so on. Kids complete a series of activities in a booklet and then show their work to a park ranger. That ranger will then give them a badge if they have completed the work.
There are over 200 badges that you can earn, and in some cases you can do the work at home (print the booklet from online) and then send it in to receive your badge. Being at the park would be ideal, but sometimes budget doesn’t allow for traveling. We have done three so far and many of the activities are about conserving the environment.
I have been informed by park rangers that even though this program was designed for kids, they are aware that many adults do them too. If that is too babyish, they have a National Park Passport program.
Create a certified Outdoor Habitat at your home: This task is easier than you think. If you can create shelter, a place for water, place for food and do a few other tasks, you may be able to get certification from the National Wildlife Federation. Once your area is certified you can order a nice sign to post in your yard on our your apartment patio and that will be a daily reminder that you are helping the environment!
Grow your own food or tend a garden: With today’s big box stores, it’s easy to forget that our food (should) come from the land. Everything we buy is sterile and in bright packages. Grow some food even if it’s just one or two container plants. You can start with something easy that will almost guarantee success. This will remind your kids that food comes from the Earth, which is just one more reason we should take care of it. You can even grow microgreens indoors, if you need a stepping stone to enjoying an outdoor garden.
Learn: If a child has homework, or you’re working on practicing skills at home, why not move them outside? There are many things you can do outside to piggyback on what they are learning at school. And, chances are, I bet if you give a child a choice of doing homework indoors or out, they’ll choose out!
Join a 4-H or Scouting group: 4-H groups are not just for farmers. Many of them do other outdoors related activities in addition to farming. 4-H has even branched out to encourage kids in STEM education concepts. Baden-Powell scouting is a relatively new scouting group.
But what I love about it is that it is secular and all inclusive. Plus, it’s gets back to the true roots of scouting and fosters a love for the outdoors.
Let them pursue their passion. Introduce them to many different outdoors pursuits and so that they will find one that they are passionate about. Bird watching, hiking, kayaking, fishing, walking, bicycling; there are just so many different things to do.
Normalize It: I don’t want this to sound like I am encouraging you to have your kids watch TV when I’m talking about being outdoors. But as a society that watches waaaayyyy too much TV, TV normalizes things for us. When we see something over and over, even if it’s something very rare or unusual (like random kidnapping, which is really rare!) it seems like it’s normal.
Make being outdoors normal. We are watching Sesame Street videos on the Grand Canyon, since we just went there. If you’re going to watch a movie, try to find one with an outdoor theme. Read about it, talk about it, make it a part of every day life instead of TV and video games.
If you’re not already active, start small, with just doing more reading and eating on your patio. Move up to walks, then hikes, bike rides and other fun stuff. Look online for your local, state and national parks. You just might find some hidden gems that become family traditions!
Make a plan: Plan it. Have screen free days or screen free weekends. But turn it around to the positive. Instead of thinking of it as giving up something (screens) make it “family outdoors play day” or something else. Create a schedule such as “30 mins of screen time for every hour spent outside playing.”
Outdoor Games for Disabled Children
- Water transfer game (dixie cups and buckets of water)
- Sidewalk chalk obstacle course
- Bubble popping game
- Nature scavenger hunt (25 sensory friendly ideas in that PDF!)
- Color hunt
- Outdoor I Spy
- Bean bag target toss
- Adapted bowling with plastic bottles
- Balloon volleyball
- Roll-the-ball games
- Follow the leader
- Simon Says, adapted for special needs
- Red Light, Green Light
- Parachute games
- Water balloon target toss
- Sponge toss
- Cup stacking outdoors
- Chalk tic-tac-toe
- Nature bingo
- Outdoor matching game
- Freeze dance outside
- Treasure hunt
- Sensory nature hunt
- Leaf or rock sorting game
- Shadow tracing
- Water painting with large paintbrushes
- Backyard mini golf
- Pool noodle obstacle course
- Ring toss
- Outdoor hide-and-seek
Outdoor Activities for Autistic Adults
Outdoor activities are not just for autistic kids. Autistic kids grow up to be autistic adults.
And sensory needs, executive functioning challenges and a need for predictable activities don’t magically disappear on someone’s 18th birthday.
Many of the outdoor activities for autistic kids listed above can also be enjoyed by autistic adults. There’s no age limit on water play, swinging or other sensory activities. If an autistic adult enjoys an activity and it’s safe, who cares if someone else thinks they’re “too old” for it?
Other outdoor activities for autistic adults may include:
- Gardening or container gardening
- Bird watching
- Fishing
- Walking a familiar route
- Hiking
- Adaptive biking or cycling
- Kayaking
- Nature photography
- Geocaching
- Visiting National Parks or historic sites
- Outdoor water activities
- Sitting or eating outside
As with autistic children, consider the person’s sensory preferences before choosing an outdoor activity. Bright sun, wind, bugs, heat, crowds and unexpected noises can make outdoor activities unpleasant or inaccessible.
And remember that executive functioning can be a barrier too. Telling someone to “go outside and find something to do” requires them to choose an activity, plan it, gather what they need and initiate the task.
Sometimes making a specific plan—“We’re going to walk the trail at 10 and then get lunch”—is much more successful than simply encouraging someone to spend more time outdoors.
The goal is not to force autistic adults to enjoy hiking, camping or whatever outdoor activity Instagram says we’re all supposed to love this week. It’s to find outdoor activities that are accessible and enjoyable for that individual.
See you out there!