Children move and play at different speeds and in a variety of ways. Some children may use special equipment to help them move around their environment. Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and braces are some examples of adaptive equipment that people may use to be more independently mobile. Children transfer out of their mobility devices to do things like sleep, take baths, swing, and slide. Some people can do this on their own and others may need assistance. The purpose of this activity is to promote direct interaction between children, solicit a reaction and response to another person through the use of an object, and create awareness about how everyone moves and participates in physical activity in different ways.
Directions (Ideal for grades PreK - 1st)
Ask children to choose an item. One child will be positioned at the top of the slide and the other child waits at the base of the slide - standing, kneeling, or sitting. The child at the top of the slide will "deliver" the item by rolling it down the slide. Encourage children to communicate through eye contact, gestures, or words when they are ready to send and receive the object. After the child receives the "delivery" at the bottom, they switch roles and go to the top of the slide, as the other child slides down the slide to take the position to be the receiver. The pair continues to take turns delivering and receiving. This constant movement and exchange of items helps keep the game interesting, while promoting patience, physical activity, and cognitive anticipation.
More Fun Inclusion Tips
- Alter the type of object to be delivered to meet the individual needs of the child. For example, a scarf or stuffed animal will slide slower than a ball. Add multisensory features to the items (Ex. balls can be different sizes, textures, colors, and densities). Larger items may be easier to see, visually track, and grasp than smaller items.
- Limit the number of objects children are presented with based on the children's abilities and attention levels.
- A basket or bag at the bottom may be useful for children with difficulties processing and reacting to the speed of the sliding item, and/or assist children who have difficulties with hand grasp, fine motor skills, or who use mobility devices.
- Pockets, baskets, and bags can help carry items if necessary.
- Children that use mobility devices may require additional assistance from caregivers with transferring to go down the slide, or may choose to remain at the bottom or top of the slide.
- Challenge the children to see how many times they can exchange an item within one minute or two minutes.
Additional Equipment Needed
Variety of small soft items to send down the slide (Ex. bean bags, stuffed animals, balls, natural loose parts such as leaves, pine cones, or recyclables such as toilet paper tubes, paper, or small plastic bottles).
"Sliding and catching was fun to do with other children!" - Michelle, Age 5
