To day we have a guest blogger from the Scavenger Hunt Guru. Her site is filled with different ideas for creating different type of scavenger hunts. Let Kids Play asked her what she would do for children with disabilities and here is her response.
Are you looking for a fun, engaging activity to do with children with disabilities? Scavenger hunts are a wonderful way to get children outside. They are experiential by nature and encourage children to interact with the environment around them. They can be tailored to meet all levels of ability.
One of the greatest feelings while doing a scavenger hunt is a sense of accomplishment. That is why they are such great activities for kids, whether they have disabilities or not. Children are able to find a list of objects, listen for sounds, find treasure, follow the theme of the hunt, etc. and then share their experiences.
Setting up a scavenger hunt for kids is relatively easy. You can choose to come up with a scavenger hunt list of items found in nature, or you can choose to hide objects in the park or playground. When coming up with natural clues, consider tying in all five senses: a prickly leaf, the sound of a bird, something that smells sweet, something smooth, etc. If you choose to hide objects outside, consider making an "unnatural" trail. The children will go down the path and point out all the "unnatural" things they see.
When facilitating the activity, it is imperative that you make it accessible to all members of the group. If some children are in wheelchairs, do not hide the objects in a place which they are unable to navigate to. If a child is unable to be in the sun, make your hunt in the shade or under a maze of shade tents. If children are unable to read, you can draw a picture of each object that they are to find. Consider partnering the children or having an adult with each group of 2-3 children to keep the hunt safe and manageable.
Remember to set a time limit for the hunt. It's best to end the activity with the children wanting more. Then arrange the group in a circle to share what they found. They will discover that each group found different smooth objects or heard different birds, that each person is unique and has a unique perspective to share with the world.
Scavenger Hunt Guru is a wonderful resource with many scavenger hunts for kids ready to go for both indoor and outdoor activites. They are also more than happy to help you brainstorm ideas for your next scavenger hunt and ways to make them accessible for all of the children in your group.
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