Field Day is one of the most exciting events of the school year and is often a favorite for teachers and students alike. A whole day dedicated to fun and physical activity is a great way to engage all students. Use these activities and ideas to make your field day more fun for all students, including those with disabilities.
Field Day Inclusion: 5 Ways to Plan for Students with Disabilities
Make field day a memorable, enjoyable experience for all your students. These tips may help to make the field day less stressful and more successful for students with disabilities.
Prepare Students by Pre-Teaching the Field Day Schedule
Giving students a chance to look forward to and plan for a change in schedule may help prevent sensory overload and meltdowns on field day. Staff should take the opportunity to pre-teach the field day schedule so that students know what’s coming. Use a picture schedule when possible. Research indicates that students on the autism spectrum, in particular, exhibit better engagement and follow-through, which makes for good universal design.
Organize Small Groups & Scheduled Rotation
Students with disabilities are likely used to going through their day with a small group of classmates. Organize familiar small groups to participate in field day activities together and structure the rotation. The consistency in time between activities helps to keep students on track, and the field day experience will be smoother for everyone involved.
Be sure to include a visual timer at each station and with each small group, which may help reduce anxiety and promote smoother transitions between activities.
Create a Regulation or Calm-Down Space
Even with pre-teaching and a scheduled rotation, some students may become overwhelmed and need time to regulate. Create a plan for students who may need to step out of the rotation to participate in self-regulating sensory-based activities.
Try to create this space far enough from the hustle and bustle of activities, but not so far that students feel left out. Sensory calming tools, such as hearing protection headphones, oral-motor chewies, and weighted stuffed animals, should be included in the calming space to promote self-regulation.
Offer a Mix of Active, Sensory, and Creative Activities
Traditional field day activities, such as relay races and balloon tosses, can be modified so that students with disabilities can participate by practicing the necessary skills. They can still experience success and learn by completing a task without competing with others. Backward chaining, which initially involves the student participating at the end of the task or activity versus completing a series of complex steps, can reduce frustration and promote feelings of success.
Mix some of the active games in with time for sensory exploration and creativity. One great way to inject some creativity is to have students decorate their participation awards or field-day T-shirts. Then they can take it home as a memory of their successful field day.
Consider Some Indoor Activities
For students who may struggle with the daily schedule change, as well as the added time outdoors, consider setting up some indoor stations or activities. Indoor time may help calm students who are feeling overstimulated by the outdoor group activities, and the more controlled environment may make it easier to complete creative projects.
Check out how this school district came together to provide a fun and active day for students:
More Tips & Ideas for A Successful Field Day
If you’re looking for more ways to engage students and get them moving on field day, be sure to check out related blog posts on the Physical Education topic page and Field Day tag page.
Then head over to the online store to find all the products and supplies you need to make your field day activities fun and exciting for all students. Teacher Favorite Sportime products offer value and a wide selection, all available in one convenient location.
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