On the second episode of the eSpecial Needs podcast, host Katherine Blanner talked with Kelly Behlman, founder of the Disabled Athletes Sports Association in St. Louis, MO. In this transcribed and edited excerpt from the show, she gives us tips on physical exercise and activity ideas for the whole family. 

KELLY BEHLMAN: One of the easiest things for a family to do is be involved as peers. Don’t try to manipulate an environment to fit the child with a disability instead have the urge for the child the disability to fit your environment. Maybe we’re going to fit their environment instead. If they’re in a wheelchair, get them out or get them outside.

Put something simple like if you can get outside and you said, of course, riding on the path the pay’s path right on the gravel right in the grass just that different sensory input is something different. We don’t always feel that because we’re walking. We always feel it but all of that sensory input is different. Get them out of their chairs roll them in the grass!

You can do simple things, like taking the cushions off the couch and building a tower. The whole family does it take some effort some coordination. Now you’re building a tower. Now somebody has to knock the tower down. Do you knock it down with your feet while you’re standing and you’re challenging your balance or do you knock it down with your wheelchair? How fun is that?! Because your little brother just built a tower of the couches and now you just ran it over with your wheelchair making just an inclusive play time is the best way.

If there’s not an adaptive sports program in your community try to get involved in the recreation or program Parks and Recs programs in your community. Most communities do have an inclusion specialist. So if you want your child to participate at a YMCA or a rec center, there are inclusion specialists that work for the city. That will come in and help the staff understand how to help your child be successful.

But again I would emphasize: it’s not just about your child could somebody put other kids in that child’s setting. Get them involved there is some way for other children other mostly children.

There is another point if you’re working with a child if we’re talking about your child. Have other children play in the same environment too many times where like in the school system or at home it’s it’s the paraprofessional or the teacher or the parent that is playing ball with that child over in the corner of the gymnasium. Make everybody be part of that playing ball and if it’s not a ball and it’s a balloon if it’s they’re allergic to latex then you get something that’s soft. Even balls of yarn or rolls of toilet paper are fun.

If anybody is listening to this at home here’s the most fun thing to do. Just T.P. your house. It’s awesome. Give every kid a roll of toilet paper. Start throwing it all over the place. It’s very light. It’s not going to hurt anybody. It’s the easiest thing for somebody with the least amount of strength to throw or roll they can roll it roll off of their tray or they can throw it. And then there’s the pickup. The pickup of the trash is can be therapeutic. They’re cleaning the house but while working their muscles by squatting to stand up or you’re reaching with your arms. There’s a lot of movement that happens and keeping your living room. And it’s fun. So T.P. the living room tonight! It’s a lot of fun to do that.

If the babysitter has all the kids take all the cushions and the pillows off your couch and then T.P. your living room and it’ll be the most therapeutic thing you’ve ever done.

All these ideas and more can be found on our eSpecial Needs podcast. Listen here: