These activities are well-designed to integrate physical movement with educational objectives, which is beneficial for children with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Down Syndrome, and ADHD. Here’s a more detailed outline and some additional tips to enhance these activities:
Activity One: Coloured Ball Rebound
Objective:
- Enhance hand-eye coordination and focus through repetitive throwing and catching.
Instructions:
- Setup: Place several coloured tennis balls in a bucket. Each ball should be a different color.
- Procedure: The child selects a coloured tennis ball, throws it against a rebound board, catches it, and then places it back into the bucket.
- Goal: Repeat this process with each coloured tennis ball in the bucket.
Tips:
- Use clear and simple instructions.
- Adjust the distance from the rebound board based on the child’s skill level.
- Offer encouragement and praise for each successful catch and throw.
Activity Two: Sorting Challenge
Objective:
- Develop colour recognition, sorting skills, and reaction times.
Instructions:
- Setup: Mix the coloured tennis balls so that each bucket contains balls of different colors.
- Procedure: The child throws and catches a coloured ball, then places it in the correct coloured bucket.
- Goal: Correctly sort all the tennis balls into their respective buckets as quickly as possible.
Tips:
- Use visual or verbal cues to help children remember the colours and their matching buckets.
- Introduce a timer if you want to add a competitive element, but ensure the activity remains fun and pressure-free.
Activity Three: Spelling with Throws
Objective:
- Improve spelling and reinforce letter recognition through physical activity.
Instructions:
- Setup: Choose a colour (e.g., red). Have the corresponding tennis ball ready.
- Procedure: The child throws and catches the ball, with each catch representing a letter in the colour’s name (e.g., r, e, d for red). If the child drops the ball, start from the beginning of the word again.
- Goal: Complete the spelling of each colour’s name using the balls.
Tips:
- Use a chart or sign with the colour names to guide the children.
- Provide visual aids or reminders for each letter to help children follow the activity.
- Consider using different colour balls to teach different words or names.
Additional Tips:
- Visual and Verbal Cues: Use signs with coloured stars or symbols to guide the children through each activity and provide clear instructions.
- Rewards: Offer small rewards such as star stickers or certificates to motivate and acknowledge the children’s efforts.
- Adaptations: Adjust the complexity of the activities based on each child’s needs and abilities. Some children might benefit from additional support or simplified instructions.
By integrating these educational activities with physical movement, you can create an engaging and supportive learning environment for children with diverse needs.
Activity One.
The child takes a coloured tennis ball from a bucket then throws and catches a rebound, he/she then places it back in the coloured bucket. The activity continues until the child has thrown and caught from all coloured balls in the buckets.
Activity two.
Mix the coloured tennis balls up in the wrong matching bucket. Now the children have to throw and catch the coloured tennis ball and then place it back in the correct coloured bucket.
You may wish to have a competition to see who can do it the fastest, with the throws one metre away from the Board, timing the child. Hey of course another child can time you.
Activity three.
Choose a Coloured tennis ball, eg. red, next throw and catch the rebound once for r, once for e and once for d, this makes red. Continue until you’ve used all coloured tennis balls. Note if you were throwing the yellow coloured tennis ball if you threw and caught y, e and l and you dropped the rebound in l, you then start back at y for yellow again. Also note the tennis balls must be put back into the correct coloured bucket after each go.
To help certain children out maybe have a coloured tennis ball in your hand to prompt the different Activities. Maybe even just a sign ( s ) with coloured stars to initiate certain Activities. The star ⭐ will make the kids feel special. Or a sign ( s ), with red written on it etc. For spelling activity. A reward, coloured stars to go on their shirt or maybe even a certificate with stars on it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐?.?
Teacher’s here we are using Art Curriculum & Physical Education Curriculum and spelling of colours.
Throwing and catching, hand eye co-ordination, focus, concentration, decision making, reaction times, vision, & strategies.
