How playing challenge games with your special needs children can help their development.
More than anything else, children develop through games. Games and sports provide challenges that children can overcome and grow from one challenge to another. For most kids, success in sports correlates with success later on in life, for through sports kids acquire the same skills and self confidence that they can later use to succeed in life. For children who have special needs however playing most games and sports itself is often challenging. Children with special needs usually don't have a well developed hand - eye coordination as well as other issues which make them not well suited for most sports and games. Besides that, most sports, especially team sports create a kind of survival of the fittest environment where those who are "good" get to be in the center and get to be active in overcoming challenges, and those who are "not good" generally get ignored.
I believe that if children with special needs were given the same chance as other kids to constantly grow and develop through games and sports it can make a tremendous difference in their lives. To this end a step by step program was developed that teaches parents to play challenge games with their kids. These games challenge kids in the same way any sport does, but they take into account special needs and limitations. It further teaches the parents how to be their kids best personal coaches and how to challenge their kids in the most gradual way thus making sure that they constantly grow and develop their abilities from one success to another.
The games were developed based on exercises taken from sports such as Judo and Jiu Jitsu, which do not require a well developed hand-eye coordination, but instead rely on the kinesthetic sense - the sense of movement and body position. It's a sense that most children with special needs already possess, and it's something that can be further developed much easier than hand-eye coordination.
A sample game is like this: Lay flat on your back (on a mat or a carpet or a large blanket), and have your child sit on your stomach. Your child's challenge is to hold you down while you're trying to get up. At first you challenge your child VERY minimally - in fact you move his hands in the right place in order to help him stay on top of you (while vigorously PRETENDING that you're really trying to get up with all your strength!) Remember - in order to enjoy the game the child has to feel that he is being challenged, and at the same time feel that he is succeeding. Then, as your child gets more comfortable and better at the game, you increase the challenge very very gradually, until you increase the challenge to a point where your child has to make choices and "think on his feet", has to persevere in order to succeed, has to focus, has to think and plan ahead, in short, he has to do all the things that any sport requires of people.
Playing challenge games with your child will also tremendously help improve your relationship. "Roughhousing" in this gentle and controlled way will increase your connection with your child and make you friends for life! It will also teach you the best way to motivate your child, both in playing games and in life.
We're opening this program for fathers of children with special needs, ages 5 and up. Children who're most likely to benefit are those with Aspergers, Down's syndrome and higher functioning Autistic. The fathers don't need to be athletic, however should be willing to spend 10 - 15 minutes a day, about 3 - 5 days a week playing with their kids for optimal results.
For more information please call us: Moshe - 055-66-22254. Reuven - 0505-719-770
More than anything else, children develop through games. Games and sports provide challenges that children can overcome and grow from one challenge to another. For most kids, success in sports correlates with success later on in life, for through sports kids acquire the same skills and self confidence that they can later use to succeed in life. For children who have special needs however playing most games and sports itself is often challenging. Children with special needs usually don't have a well developed hand - eye coordination as well as other issues which make them not well suited for most sports and games. Besides that, most sports, especially team sports create a kind of survival of the fittest environment where those who are "good" get to be in the center and get to be active in overcoming challenges, and those who are "not good" generally get ignored.
I believe that if children with special needs were given the same chance as other kids to constantly grow and develop through games and sports it can make a tremendous difference in their lives. To this end a step by step program was developed that teaches parents to play challenge games with their kids. These games challenge kids in the same way any sport does, but they take into account special needs and limitations. It further teaches the parents how to be their kids best personal coaches and how to challenge their kids in the most gradual way thus making sure that they constantly grow and develop their abilities from one success to another.
The games were developed based on exercises taken from sports such as Judo and Jiu Jitsu, which do not require a well developed hand-eye coordination, but instead rely on the kinesthetic sense - the sense of movement and body position. It's a sense that most children with special needs already possess, and it's something that can be further developed much easier than hand-eye coordination.
A sample game is like this: Lay flat on your back (on a mat or a carpet or a large blanket), and have your child sit on your stomach. Your child's challenge is to hold you down while you're trying to get up. At first you challenge your child VERY minimally - in fact you move his hands in the right place in order to help him stay on top of you (while vigorously PRETENDING that you're really trying to get up with all your strength!) Remember - in order to enjoy the game the child has to feel that he is being challenged, and at the same time feel that he is succeeding. Then, as your child gets more comfortable and better at the game, you increase the challenge very very gradually, until you increase the challenge to a point where your child has to make choices and "think on his feet", has to persevere in order to succeed, has to focus, has to think and plan ahead, in short, he has to do all the things that any sport requires of people.
Playing challenge games with your child will also tremendously help improve your relationship. "Roughhousing" in this gentle and controlled way will increase your connection with your child and make you friends for life! It will also teach you the best way to motivate your child, both in playing games and in life.
We're opening this program for fathers of children with special needs, ages 5 and up. Children who're most likely to benefit are those with Aspergers, Down's syndrome and higher functioning Autistic. The fathers don't need to be athletic, however should be willing to spend 10 - 15 minutes a day, about 3 - 5 days a week playing with their kids for optimal results.
For more information please call us: Moshe - 055-66-22254. Reuven - 0505-719-770
FAQs
Q: I'm not at all athletic. What abilities are required of me in order to be able to play these games with my child?
A: The games were designed with this in mind, so that everybody would be able to benefit from them. All the abilities required are for you to be able to walk on your knees, and to be able to lay flat on the floor (on a soft mat or a carpet) and roll sideways. If you're able to do that you'll be able to play all the games.
Q: My son already does sports as part of his school program. How are these games different?
A: The school's sports program is most likely a group sport, and that provides relatively little growth opportunity for a special needs child. Challenge games allow YOU to be your child's personal coach, and the growth he can reach with you as a coach is far far greater than in a group sport.
Q: How many sessions does it take?
A: The first session will teach you a few of the games that you can immediately start playing with your child (and you will play them during the session itself). Generally speaking, four or five sessions will be enough to give you enough tools to do this program for a long time.
Q: How long is each session?
A: Each session is between half an hour to an hour long, depending mostly on the child (it's important not to overwhelm the child, so the beginning sessions are usually kept short).
Q: I don't have that much room inside my house to do exercise. How much space do I need to play these games?
A: If you have 4 square meters of space it's more than enough, you can even manage with 2 meters.
Q: Do I need any special equipment for these games?
A: All you need is a soft surface to cover the floor. It's best to get mats from a sports store such as Reem Sport, but even a carpet or a blanket will do.
Q: Are the classes separate for men and women?
A: All group classes are separate for adults, but fathers can bring their daughters and mothers sons. For private classes both parents can attend. (Note: As of now, we have classes only for fathers. We're working on bringing a female instructor to work with women, stay tuned.)
Q: I'm not at all athletic. What abilities are required of me in order to be able to play these games with my child?
A: The games were designed with this in mind, so that everybody would be able to benefit from them. All the abilities required are for you to be able to walk on your knees, and to be able to lay flat on the floor (on a soft mat or a carpet) and roll sideways. If you're able to do that you'll be able to play all the games.
Q: My son already does sports as part of his school program. How are these games different?
A: The school's sports program is most likely a group sport, and that provides relatively little growth opportunity for a special needs child. Challenge games allow YOU to be your child's personal coach, and the growth he can reach with you as a coach is far far greater than in a group sport.
Q: How many sessions does it take?
A: The first session will teach you a few of the games that you can immediately start playing with your child (and you will play them during the session itself). Generally speaking, four or five sessions will be enough to give you enough tools to do this program for a long time.
Q: How long is each session?
A: Each session is between half an hour to an hour long, depending mostly on the child (it's important not to overwhelm the child, so the beginning sessions are usually kept short).
Q: I don't have that much room inside my house to do exercise. How much space do I need to play these games?
A: If you have 4 square meters of space it's more than enough, you can even manage with 2 meters.
Q: Do I need any special equipment for these games?
A: All you need is a soft surface to cover the floor. It's best to get mats from a sports store such as Reem Sport, but even a carpet or a blanket will do.
Q: Are the classes separate for men and women?
A: All group classes are separate for adults, but fathers can bring their daughters and mothers sons. For private classes both parents can attend. (Note: As of now, we have classes only for fathers. We're working on bringing a female instructor to work with women, stay tuned.)