6 activities for children with Down syndrome
The game is one of the best tools to promote learning of the smallest, as well as to stimulate and promote all kinds of abilities and cognitive abilities. Through these activities of leisure and fun we find a way not only to entertain children but also to stimulate their intellect and strengthen ties with them.
In addition, games as a means to stimulate cognitive abilities are one of the best resources in cases of children with some type of special physical or psychological condition such as the case of Down syndrome. In these little ones, it is very important to stimulate certain mental functions to encourage their use.
Throughout this article we will present a series of activities for children with Down syndrome .
- Related article: "Types of intellectual disability (and characteristics)"
The importance of play in Down syndrome
As mentioned earlier, play is essential in all stages of child development. The reason is that Not only is it useful to entertain the little ones and make them have a good time , but also because they also favor the correct development of the personality and cognitive abilities.
Through play, all children learn to know themselves as well as everything around them, including other people. They acquire all kinds of knowledge about their body and about how objects, instruments and utensils work.
As a general rule, children without any kind of special health or psychological condition have the ability to learn to play by themselves, although the fact of doing it with an adult reinforces the ability to interact with others as well as the bonds of union between them. . However, this does not happen the same with children with Down syndrome.
In these cases the little ones they do not usually present their own initiative at the time of starting the game , so the collaboration and support of another person is recommended. Due to the physical and psychological characteristics of this syndrome, the child can manifest certain difficulties in learning to play.
As a consequence, the amount of time and effort invested to enhance the game are essential to favor all kinds of cognitive skills; from personal autonomy to language, attention and psychomotor abilities.
During the first months of life, It is advisable to start the game routines without the need to use toys . In this way, through gestures, expressions and words of the adult we favor the development of the capacity of representation and symbolization.
Children with Down syndrome require special play dynamics that emphasize these gestures and oral language, so that through imitation they can learn to perform the appropriate gestures and movements. Finally, when introducing games with objects and materials, the adult should guide the child to teach him how to use these tools correctly.
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Recommended activities according to age
As with the rest of the children, each stage of the life of the child with Down syndrome it is characterized by the acquisition and development of a series of competences , so it is recommended that the games are adapted to these periods of childhood.
1. Children between 1 and 2 years old
For children with smaller Down syndrome, it is recommended to propose these games.
- When standing, place toys or flashy objects that motivate them to move.
- Walk hand in hand placing colorful balls to chute them.
- Construction of towers and manipulative games .
- Creative games with paintings or waxes suitable for their age.
- Games to group colors, animals or objects.
- Reading of children's stories with illustrations and drawings. Ask the child about the drawings.
- Ask the child to use speech and words to ask for things.
2. Children between 2 and 3 years old
In this category of boys and girls, the type of activities proposed are the following.
- Mobility games and coordination with balls.
- Manipulative games like creating figures with plasticine.
- Listen and name sounds of the environment.
- Guessing games .
Activities according to the cognitive area
From 3 years of age, the child with Down syndrome already has the language and motor skills necessary to perform a large number of activities with them. From this age, it is advisable to carry out games that empower each and every one of the cognitive abilities .
Here we present a series of activities classified according to the cognitive area that they intend to stimulate in children with Down syndrome.
one.Stimulation of psychomotor skills
Games that promote the development of gross and fine motor skills help strengthen the muscles of the hands and limbs, which forms the basis of the development of their own autonomy.
1.1. Pass the ball through the hoop
The game consists of placing a series of balls and rings of different sizes for the child to take them and go hitting each ball in the corresponding ring . We can also try that the balls and rings are of the same colors so that the child also has to guess which ball goes in each place.
1.2. Guess the way
This exercise is very useful to enhance fine motor skills as well as memory and attention. For this, we provide the child with a sheet a series of dotted lines that you have to join by tapping with a punch .
The child should outline the outline of the drawing trying not to get out. Next, we can ask the child what form or object of trafficking.
2. Language stimulation
Like the ability to move autonomously, the empowerment of the skills that make language possible is essential in children with Down syndrome at the time of gaining greater independence.
2.1. Theater and representation activities
With the aim of working on fluency in language, memory and interaction with other people, we can stage small performances or theaters in which the child should recite small lines or phrases. We can also ask you to read fragments of texts aloud while gesturing.
These stories can show scenes of everyday life, as this will also facilitate the ability of the child to improvise.
3. Stimulation of attention and memory
Promote care in children with Down syndrome it will favor its interaction with the environment and will enhance other skills such as memory and language.
3.1. Storytelling
These are activities in which an adult reads or tells a story that is interesting or liked by the child. The objective is, then, to ask or ask to tell us your version of the story in order to favor attention and memory processes and information retrieval.
3.2. Match the cards face down
In this activity we will have a deck of cards whose drawings can be paired two by two. The cards are placed in front of the child face down and we ask him to match the cards.
The cards can only be lifted one at a time, so the child must remember where each of the drawings are placed in order to match them .
4. Stimulation of autonomy
Throughout the life of the child you will be presented with a large number of situations in which the fact of enjoy a great autonomy will allow you to be independent and be able to perform all kinds of activities and interactions by himself.
4.1. We play shopping
Games and representations that involve simulating activities of everyday life such as making any purchase will allow the child to learn how to interact in such situations, as well as granting him autonomy when carrying out operations with coins and bills, and managing his own money.
For this we can play to buy or markets, using bills and coins that can be made by the child himself or by using toys such as cash registers for children.
