Inclusive games to play with people with complex disabilities

We believe that everyone has the right to enjoy sports and activities and that these are vital for living full, rich and engaged lives.

The purpose

This resource is designed to give you suitable games and activities that can be enjoyed with little or no equipment or in any sized space, helping people to be more active.

Who is it for?

It has been compiled for people of all ages with complex disabilities and for people supporting them.

The benefit

Regular exercise is important to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. For people living with complex disabilities, it can provide a number of benefits including:

Making new friends
Weight loss
Keeping fit
Improving communication
Learning new skills

Top tips

Participants are more likely to engage in games if their support workers are taking part and engaged as well.
Make things more sensory e.g. by adding noise, texture or smell.
Including time at the start of each session for individuals to feel the equipment and understand the area can help.
Supporting a participant to actively take part in a way that is appropriate for them.
As with all sport and physical activity sessions, make sure you have completed a risk assessment of the equipment and space to make sure it is safe to use.

Games

Here we describe some of the skills participants will develop by taking part in these activities. This is not an exhaustive list – participants will be working on many different skills.

Balloon keep up

Good for social skills, flexibility, coordination, grip and release, and core strength. You’ll need balloons, available in most supermarkets, toy stores or party stores.

Two boys playing with a very big orange ball

Bowling

Good for social skills, coordination, grip and release. Jingling balls are great for this, but you could also use a large gym ball, basketball or a football.

Bubble pop

Good for flexibility, coordination and core strength. You’ll need a pot of bubbles, available at most supermarkets, toy stores or party stores.

A man playing cricket indoors, hitting a ball that's coming towards him

Sensory cricket

Good for social skills and coordination You’ll need cricket wickets, available at sports stores, alternatively chairs and marker cones.

Disco dancing time

Good for social skills, flexibility and coordination.

Two women - one is holding a drum and the other is striking it with a stick

Drumming

Good for flexibility, coordination, grip and release, and core strength. You’ll need drumsticks and a drum available at music stores. Alternatively, try sticks or pens instead of drumsticks, and saucepans, old chocolate tins, upturned bins, sports balls or chairs instead of drums.

Golf

Good for social skills, coordination, and grip and release. You’ll need a net, golf club or bat, available in sports stores. Alternatively, a piece of string or a blanket or bed sheet tied between two chairs or a short barrier works well instead of a net. Some people may need a lighter plastic club or they could use a plastic cricket/softball bat.

A man is holding a red and yellow parachute next to a young man who's sitting on the floor cross legged

Parachute ball roll

Good for social skills, flexibility, coordination, and grip and release. You’ll need a parachute, available at online sports stores. Alternatively, try a bed sheet or blanket instead.

Parachute run

Good for social skills, flexibility, coordination, and grip and release. You’ll need a parachute, available from online sports stores. Alternatively, try a bed sheet or blanket instead.

A laughing young boy in glasses and jeans is lying on his back propped up his hands on a green and red parachute

Parachute wave

Good for social skills, flexibility, coordination, and grip and release. You’ll need a parachute, available from online sports stores. Alternatively, try a bed sheet or blanket instead.

Shot ball

Good for social skills and coordination. Jingling balls are great for this, but you could also use a large gym ball, basketball or a football.

A young girl putting her hand on her shoulder

Sitting volleyball

Good for social skills, flexibility, coordination and core strength.

Skittles

You’ll need skittles, sold in most supermarkets, toy stores and sports stores. Alternatively, bottles filled with water, sand or rice work just as well.

Splat ball

Good for social skills and coordination. You’ll need splat targets, otherwise easels work really well for this, which you can get from most craft stores. Alternatively, instead of easels why not try making your own out of old cardboard boxes.

Target ball

Good for social skills, coordination, grip and release. You’ll need a target mat, available at online sports stores. Alternatively, try creating your own target mat using a bed sheet or some paper.

Stay connected

We’d love to hear what you think of our games. Have you adapted them in any way to meet the needs of your participants, or have you come up with any new versions? Maybe some of the participants you work with have seen improvements in their health, skills or confidence levels too?

We’d love to hear your stories, please let us know by emailing [email protected], and we’ll be in touch to find out more. You can also stay connected through Twitter by tagging @Sensecharity and including #SenseActive.

What next?

If you have enjoyed these games you can find more sport and physical activity sessions delivered by Sense Active.

This content was last reviewed in April 2022. We’ll review it again next year.