Post #19 Creative Activity Assignment (Week 11)

 

Creative Accommodation Activity

 

Activity: Storybook Sensory Play

Plan: All participants will participate by performing a skit using theater props and music while adhering to the needs of the disability displayed by simulating a limitation with accommodations.

Materials/Props:

·         Costumes with zippers or ties.
·         Hula Hoops.
·         Jump ropes.
·         Ribbons.
·         Stuffed animals.
·         Pillows.
·         Speaker for music.
·         Phone with Bluetooth ability.
·         Blindfolds.
·         Eyepatches.
·         Slings.
·         A Pop-up theatre made from boxes and dollar store curtains.

Description: For this activity, my family and I participated in the play on our family home evening so that each of us could participate in the limitation simulation. Each kid chose what they would use for the limitation and so did my husband and me. Two of my kids used eyepatches and the other two used blindfolds, my husband and I had used arm tied behind our backs to participate.

Benefits: This activity is very doable for everyone. It is accessible, adaptable, and inclusive. It helps with empathy, teamwork, communication, and expression through play.

Challenges experienced: The simulation had brought on some challenges as my kids, who wore eye patches and blindfolds, sometimes would bump into each other and take a little longer for the skit. My husband and I used the one-arm technique. We both found it difficult to manage costumes and needed to help each other with one arm to get dressed. Communication was ok. We had to speak clearly and concisely so that everyone understood what we were trying to communicate.

Time to set up: The setup took about 20 minutes.

Skit play time: We did various skits that took about 40 minutes to 60 minutes, as they had to produce a new idea for a skit and act it out with our limitations.

Time to clean up: Clean up took  20 minutes.

Understanding: Storybook sensory play was not just a good family activity, but it was a reminder that art and music are accessible to everyone and are inclusive. It may cause certain challenges, but it is definitely doable. With some accommodations, it would be a great activity for everyone. The activity gave me a greater understanding of creativity and inclusivity. Some key takeaways are that an adaptation is required, empathy, and inclusion foster deeper connection and encourage those to celebrate the victories, whether small or big.

Total time: 1 hr and 40 mins give or take.