Get your game on!

Inclusive games for the whole family

To celebrate Family Fun Month throughout August, national disability charity Sense has compiled a list of inclusive games designed for families of all ages and abilities. From sensory bowling to disco dancing, these activities are adaptable and enjoyable for everyone.

If you’re looking for games for the entire family to enjoy this summer, aged eight, eighteen, or eighty, no matter your abilities or additional needs, we have some great ideas for you!

Here at Sense, we support children, young people, and adults living with complex disabilities to take part in life – and the Sense Active team have dreamed up inclusive games that everyone can play in the way that best suits them.

The four activities suggested here can all be adapted as you go, to make them simpler or more challenging. Your family can make the games more sensory too, by adding noise, textures, and extra twists.

Ready, steady, GO!

Sensory strike

Have fun taking turns to knock down all the skittles, collect points as you go with this exciting bowling game.

Why not try to stimulate the senses by using different coloured skittles and balls?

What you’ll need

• A ball.

• Skittles.

How to set up

• Set up the skittles in a classic triangular formation.

Rules of the game

• Players take it in turns to roll the ball at the skittles.

• Count the skittles knocked down to get a players’ points for each turn.

• Players get two tries per turn.

• Reset the skittles after each turn.

Encourage players to grip the ball where possible.

Other ways to play

Make it more sensory with differently coloured skittles and balls – and consider the background you are aiming at, and whether it contrasts with the skittles.

Try using different sounds when the skittles are knocked over.

To make it easier, use a ramp to help roll the ball.

Disco dancing

It’s disco time! Put on your favourite music and move your body to the beat with this fun sound-based activity, which can be modified to include dance challenges or learning a routine.

What you’ll need

• Music and a speaker.

How to set up

• Beforehand, prepare a music playlist with upbeat music that’s good for dancing.

• Dim the lights.

How to play

• Put on your upbeat music playlist and get everyone up and dancing.

• Encourage participants to come up with their own dance moves or teach each other dance moves.

• For inspiration, you could use animal inspired movements, letters of the alphabet, or focus on using different parts of the body.

Top tips

• Have fun with sensory glow sticks, disco lights, and bright colours.

• Dancers could be encouraged to try out using just one movement throughout the activity.

• Make it more challenging by asking dancers to come up with a routine as a group.

Seated volleyball

Two teams take turns to pass the ball back and forth over the net in this seated version of volleyball. If it’s a big group, try using more than one ball to keep everyone engaged.

What you’ll need

• A ball – a beach ball is perfect.

• A net or similar.

How to set up

• Divide the group into two teams.

• Set up the net at a low height, with one team on each side.

Rules of the game

• One team starts with the ball. The participants must try to hit the ball back and forth over the net using any body part.

• You could add some competition – if a team drops a ball, the other team gets a point.

• Encourage participants to stretch up for the ball and shuffle across the space.

Other ways to play

• Use different coloured balls – bright colours are great.

• Make it more sensory with balls that have bells in them or have different textures.

• Lighter or heavier balls will change the difficulty.

• If it’s too easy, try moving the teams further away from the net, or closer for a less challenging game.

• You can also try raising or lowering the net.

Bubble pop

It’s lots of fun seeing how many bubbles you can pop with this simple game – all you need is a pot of bubbles. If you have a bubble gun machine, you can use that instead to make things more fast-paced and exciting!

What you’ll need

• Pots of bubbles (or a bubble machine if you have one).

How to set up

• Find a clear space for the activity.

Rules of the game

• Blow the bubbles near the player and encourage them to reach out and pop as many as possible.

• See how many they can pop in a set amount of time.

Top tips

Adapt the game by adjusting how close or far the bubbles are blown near the player.

Players can be encouraged to blow bubbles to each other.

Why not play some music or sounds in the background?

Remember to blow the bubbles near the participant, and not directly at them.

For more ideas, visit www.sense.org.uk/inclusivegames