What is play? - Carson Street School

Topic 4 – Why is play so difficult for children with
disabilities?
Having a disability can affect:
• how a child plays,
• the kinds of play the child participates in and
• the learning that the child takes from the play activity
Depending on the type of disability a child has one or more areas of development
may be affected. It is important to be aware of individual differences in the
development and use of play skills as each child will have unique play abilities.
Hence, careful observation of children's interactions with objects and with people
will provide a better picture of how a child's disability affects her play. Following is a
summary of some of the reasons why playing is so difficult for children with
disabilities. This section discusses some of the difficulties that can arise in the
acquisition of play skills when a child has one or more of the following disabilities:
1. Physical Disability
2. Communication Disability
3. Intellectual Disability
4. Sensory Integration Disability
5. Sensory Disability
6. Emotional, Behavioural and Social Difficulty
1. Physical Disability: A physical disability is any condition that permanently
prevents normal body movement and/or control. There are many different
types of physical disabilities. Some of the main ones include Muscular
Dystrophy, Acquired brain and spinal injuries, Spina Bifida and Cerebral
Palsy.