Obesity has been rising in the U.S. population as a whole and among children. People with disabilities are more likely to be overweight and less likely to be physically active than people who do not have disabilities. The percentage of people who are overweight in this country has risen as the number of hours we drive and watch TV has gone up. For teenagers, time spent in organized physical activities (sports, gym classes, aerobics class, etc.) was the biggest factor in physical activity. For young children, the picture is different, the biggest factor in the amount of activity young children get is how much time they spend outdoors. On average, children watch 26 hours of TV each week. They spend additional hours playing video games and on the Internet.
Getting children with disabilities involved in physical activity and outdoors can take some creative thought, but not necessarily much money. A terrific resource is the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability. While their site seems to focus mostly on adults, almost all of their ideas can be adapted for young children. These include:
Gardening - this is something you can do outdoors, it teaches children about basic science facts such as plant development and growth. For children who use wheelchairs, you can have a table outside with plants in pots, or have hanging plants attached to the side of the building with hooks you can buy at most hardware stores for a dollar or two. A child who does not have the physical or mental ability to react quickly playing a sport can take their time digging in the dirt. Important point - the purpose of your garden is the child's learning and physical development. So what if they step on a plant or two (and believe us, they will). So what if they pull up a plant by the roots to see whether the carrot has grown yet. Use it as a learning experience
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Best site on the Internet for increasing physical activity for people with disabilities: The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability. |