Springtime is the perfect time to enjoy fresh air, sunshine and Mother Nature through a variety of sensory-friendly activities, including tons of fun for children with disabilities and/or special needs.

Studies have concluded that nature is good for one’s overall health. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, time spent outdoors enhances self-esteem and mood, improves cognitive function and memory-related abilities, and increases attention spans among children with autism spectrum disorder, to name a few of the many known benefits. It’s exciting to know that countless research studies continue to show that nature-based activities for children with special needs positively impact physical, emotional, social and cognitive development.

So, here are ten simple, yet effective sensory-friendly activities for kiddos with special needs to enjoy this spring.

1. Bubbles

There are a ton of high-tech toys now available for purchase to entertain little cuties that have special needs or developmental delays. And, of course, AmeriDisability doesn’t want to burst the bubble on these awesome disability-tech advancements! But sometimes inexpensive, basic toys create just the priceless engagement that families desire. We’re talking about the precious pastime of blowing bubbles.

Children can work on dexterity and hand-eye coordination as they dip the stick into the jug. Then, watch their oral motor skills magically create bubbles in all shapes, sizes and colors. For those who need a little assistance, either a handheld bubbler or automatic bubble machine might do the trick. And if the smell of fresh-cut grass and flowers blooming in your yard doesn’t stimulate enough, consider adding drops of scented soap or essential oils into the bubbles to achieve an enhanced aromatic experience.

2. Fruit Picking

Wouldn’t a visit to a u-pick farm to gather fresh fruit with the apple of your eye be an added cherry to top off a lovely spring day? The wide-open spaces of local farms are typically pretty comfortable for youngsters that tend to get overwhelmed by more crowded environments. Click over to PickYourOwn.org to find a list of u-pick farms with site details, seasonal produce calendars, recipes and events.

Families, and especially those with special needs, know to plan ahead. So while farms may provide containers for fruit collection, other onsite amenities may vary greatly at differing locations. Consider bringing snacks (allergy-free if needed), water, sunscreen, hats and/or sensory-friendly clothing, handi-wipes, cash (as some farms don’t take credit cards) and perhaps a cooler to transport your freshly-picked produce. It’s also important to note that restrooms may not be available or limited to port-o-lets, so consider taking a bathroom break before arrival or planning accordingly.

Children are more inclined to try new foods, including fruits and vegetables, if and when they are involved in the process. So your picky eater might just be willing to try a blackberry (or other new food) if he/she personally picked it off the bush. U-pick farms are a great way to influence the consumption of healthy foods, especially since people with disabilities can find it more difficult to eat healithy, control their weight and be physically active.

3. Gardening

According to Obsessed Lawn, an online gardening resource and buying guide, gardening can be an effective form of therapy for individuals with special needs. Not only does it get budding gardeners involved in an activity where they will accomplish something amazing in nature, but gardening also helps develop cognitive reasoning and motor skills. Little diggers can work their hands into the dirt and feel the many textures of the Earth.

Research suggests that gardening reduces stress and depression symptoms, while boosting muscle strength, mental clarity and a sense of accomplishment. Plus, similarly to the fruit picking activity suggestion, food gardeners who increase consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables can reap the added benefits of a decreased waistline and a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Accessible Gardens is a specialty outdoor company that produces versatile raised garden beds for customers with physical limitations, to make gardening engaging for most including wheelchair users. The Rhode Island-based business was founded in 2008 by Raymond LaRocque, who was eager to work his green thumb despite having an autoimmune-related spinal cord injury. Plus, there are plenty of options when it comes to accessible garden tools for all abilities.

Those interested in insects may enjoy growing milkweed plants and other pollinating plants that attract butterflies, bees and beautiful bugs. Or, build, decorate and hang a birdhouse with your little chickadees to attract the sweet, soothing chirps of colorful creatures.

4. Jogging or Biking

Sensory-seekers usually like fast, constant movement activities. Riding bicycles or scooters together is a fast-paced way to partake in fun exercise while outdoors. Families with special needs have plenty of options when it comes to adaptive bikes, tricycles, hand-bikes, ride-along seats, comfy bike trailers and so on. With gorgeous temperatures, many sensory-seeking kiddos may also love riding in a jogging stroller while mom or dad breaks a sweat.

5. Kindness Rocks

Ever noticed a somewhat hidden painted rock with a positive message on it? A grassroots movement, called the Kindness Rocks Project, has gained momentum in recent years with its goal to cultivate connections within communities and lift others up through simple acts of kindness. Give it try by creating some of your own meaningful designs, get messy with the paint and focus on lifting spirits through the power of positive words. This is a beautiful way to promote inclusion and empathy. To take this idea a step further, hide the rocks throughout your neighborhood and send out an invitation for friendly neighbors to participate in a Kindness Rocks scavenger hunt!

6. Hiking

The National Parks Service (NPS) has several pass programs that grant access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the nation, including National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges and many National Forest and other federal recreation lands. A pass may cover entrance, standard amenity fees and day-use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle and may also offer other discounts. Those with disabilities should obtain an Access Pass. This free, lifetime pass is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents that have a disability. NPS also offers a Military Pass, Senior Pass and other options.

7. Park Play

Play helps children grow and learn — how they move, how their muscles work, their tactile senses, vision and hearing… all develop as they play. And physical learning contributes to cognitive development, as children hone their motor skills and spatial perception. A trip to the playground can stimulate social engagement and, of course, present many sensory exploration opportunities. Kids may love digging in the sandbox, climbing a rock wall, swinging on the monkey bars, bouncing on the seesaw and soaring high and fast on the swings, among other play opportunities. More and more communities are opening inclusive playgrounds that better foster a welcoming environment for children of all abilities. This includes wheelchair-friendly ramps, braille play stations and more.

8. Sidewalk Chalk

Art therapy, which includes exposure to color (i.e. chromotherapy), is considered an effective rehabilitative method to aid physical and emotional health. As with physical therapy, repetitive exercise (i.e. painting strokes) of weakened muscles can help people with mobility issues gain elasticity, strength and balance. For mental wellbeing, art therapy boosts creative expression, ignites a calming effect and can relieve stress. In fact, a study from University College London found that the same parts of the brain are stimulated when one looks at art as when one is in love; both release the chemical dopamine promoting feelings of affection and desire. Now that’s powerful, right?

You don’t need to be a certified art therapist to tap into the creativity of your budding artist. Informal art exposure at home ─ or, better yet outdoors in your yard ─ can help children with special needs boost energy and happiness, and decrease depression and anxiety.

Nature has a special way of inspiring artistic creation. Grab some watercolors and head outdoors to create masterpieces together. But, for easy breezy art in the sunshine, sidewalk chalk is the best bet! You don’t need any special canvases, just the sidewalk or driveway and whatever chalk color your little hearts desire. With sidewalk chalk, you can practice letters, numbers, shapes, sight words, writing affirmations and, of course, finally fine-tune your attempts at drawing rocket ships, sailboats, rainbows and tons of other pictures. And clean-up is totally simple… just shake chalk dust off of clothes, wash up in the bathroom sink and let the rainclouds organically clear your cement canvas for a clean slate for your next sidewalk chalk play date.

9. Spring Cleaning 

While maybe not the most fun activity on this list, believe it or not some sensory-seeking kids can really get into spring cleaning. The vacuum does scare some sensory-sensitive children, but those who like loud noises enjoy the labor of pushing the loud, heavy machine. And the motion of using a duster is not all that different than stroking a paintbrush. Can cleaning dishes in a super sudsy sink double as water playtime? Sure… especially if you toss a few toys in for cleaning too. And cleaning the car in the driveway is guaranteed springtime fun! You just know that hose is going to ignite a family water squirt competition.

10. Spring-Themed Sensory Bins

Sensory bins filled with textured items like beans, corn, rice, rocks, sand and water beads can make for stimulating bases to fill with scoopers and toys. To make a bin seasonally fun, opt for: (1) pebbles, plants and flower petals tossed with plastic bugs and butterflies; (2) pastel-colored sprinkles mixed with toy bunnies, chicks and farm animals; or (3) firm, blue gelatin filled with seashells and toy sea animals.

Also try:

• Camping (at an accessible site for experienced campers, or the backyard for novice campers)
• Catch fireflies
• Glow stick dance party in the yard
• Hopscotch
• Picnics
• Stargazing
• Water play, such as sprinklers, slip n’ slid, kiddie pool, etc.

As a reminder, some people with special needs may be heat or sun intolerant due to a specific disability, condition or because of prescribed medication. Do enjoy the outdoors safely with ample shade, sunscreen and hydration.

Happy Spring! Wishing you a sensational season.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, animals can provide essential aid to people with disabilities and varying health conditions. There are three types of assistance animals: service animals, emotional support animals and therapy animals. And dogs, cats and horses no longer rule the roost when it comes to assistance animals! Bunnies are hopping into the mix to provide physical and emotional support to people in need too.

Rabbits as Emotional Support Animals

The dog is commonly called “man’s best friend” but, as it turns out, rabbits can also make people pretty hoppy (well, that’s happy). Amy Pratt is a lifelong rabbit owner who has been specializing in rabbits at the Humane Rescue Alliance. Through her website, BunnyLady.com, Pratt outlines why many animal lovers find rabbits to be ideal emotional support animals. Rabbits are gentle, quiet, clean, don’t require much space and are receptive to training, among other positive attributes. Pratt reminds her website visitors that in order for rabbits (or any animal) to be certified as an emotional support pet, documentation must be signed by a licensed psychologist or therapist.

Many people impacted by emotional stress find rabbits to be calming. This includes those impacted by depression, PTSD, schizophrenia and other conditions, according to advocates like Sandra Lee Amidon and Rebecca Clawson who serve as educators for the House Rabbit Society. Headquartered in Richmond, California, this nonprofit animal welfare organization has a mission of rabbit rescue and education, which includes the promotion of rabbits as emotional support pets and/or therapy animals.

“A person with PTSD could benefit from petting a relaxed rabbit,” Clawson suggests. For example, she says, “Interacting with an adorable nose-wriggling, tooth-purring, relaxed rabbit who responds positively to gentle pets while the individual temporarily contains their own anxiety can be soothing and healing.”

Rabbits As Therapy Animals

Therapy animals are becoming increasingly popular in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and post-trauma or disaster settings. Animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic intervention that incorporates animals into a treatment plan, and is typically used to enhance or complement the benefits of more traditional therapy tactics.

Because patients’ needs are uniquely different, goals associated with animal-assisted therapy vary. For someone concentrating on mental health, for instance, benefits may include social development, increased self-esteem, better social skills and increased empathy and nurturing skills. For someone focused on physical gains, animal-assisted therapy may address flexibility, mobility, strength or other skills.

As a survivor of traumatic brain injury (TBI), Clawson personally attests to the impact that rabbits have had on her own therapeutic journey. “Caring for bunnies has helped me with my physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs. I’m able to work on balance and coordination when I get down on floor level to pet my bunnies and play with them or groom them. Picking up their supplies and toys, cleaning out litter boxes and shaking out their beds and blankets all help strengthen me too,” she declares.

And that’s not all. “I’m able to work on cognitive processing when I need to organize their veterinarian appointments and medication schedules and any changes in their diets or put together a supply order. I’m able to shut out any worry or anxiety and just focus on my rabbits being silly or napping peacefully,” Clawson, who resides in Utah, adds.

Clawson says she also enjoys interacting with and learning from other rabbit caregivers, rescuers and veterinary professionals because this motivates her to further tackle social anxiety. In addition to TBI survivors like Clawson, people with addiction, autism, dementia, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury and many other diverse disabilities and conditions also find success using animal-assisted therapy, which may include interaction with or observation of rabbits.

Amidon explains, “They [rabbits] have a variety of different personalities, so finding one that suits each individual, their specific needs and their lifestyle is generally doable when done through a rescue organization that knows each rabbit’s personality, behaviors and medical needs well.” She continues, “Some rabbits do well sitting on your lap and being pet for periods of time which can be great for those who experience loneliness or lack of trust in relationships with others (though these rabbits aren’t as common as normally portrayed), while some have more playful personalities which allows a trusting relationship to be developed through things like clicker training and types of interaction that is more suited to those with sensory disorders/illnesses who are looking for companionship that doesn’t require exposure to sensory triggers.”

Clawson believes anyone who can safely interact with a pet may respond well to rabbits. “A person with occupational therapy needs could benefit by gently stroking a snuggly rabbit’s forehead or ears, or by brushing the rabbit’s fur. They could also work on dexterity by picking up a toy or treat and offering it to a rabbit,” she says. And Clawson further offers, “A person with weakness issues could benefit from playing apple stick tug-of-war with a rabbit. They just hold the apple stick while the rabbit tugs, wins and scampers off with their prize.”

Additionally, a person receiving speech therapy might benefit from reading out loud to an inquisitive rabbit or by practicing saying the rabbit’s name.

Before You Hop to It

Before adopting a rabbit to serve as an emotional support pet or a therapy animal, animal lovers should do detailed research to find the best fit.

During the Easter season, rabbit sales significantly increase; but, sadly, far too many rabbits (plus chicks and ducks) are then abandoned at shelters within weeks of the holiday. In fact, rabbits are the third most frequently surrendered animal at shelters and the third most euthanized. That’s why the House Rabbit Society works to combat the common misunderstanding that rabbits are just easy starter pets or simply holiday gifts for children observing Easter.

Rabbits can be wonderful pets and, as highlighted in this article, serve as excellent emotional support pets or therapy animals. However, as the House Rabbit Society notes, it’s important to consider the following before making a holiday-inspired impulse purchase:

• Rabbits have an average lifespan of 8-14 years. Ownership is a commitment.
• Rabbits need to be spayed/neutered to prevent cancer and unwanted litters. Up to 80% of female rabbits will develop uterine cancer by age 4-6 if not spayed.
• Rabbits require a diet of hay, pellets and fresh vegetables.
• Rabbits should live indoors, inside a family’s home for their safety and health, with 2-4 hours of exercise time in a bunny-proofed environment each day.
• Rabbits need regular veterinary care by a vet with additional training in exotics, which can be expensive.
• Rabbits need an annual RHDV2 vaccine.
• Rabbits are not “low-maintenance” pets — they need as much care and attention as dogs and cats. It can also take longer to bond with them since they are prey animals and can be more fearful.

Interested in learning more about animal-assisted therapy? Check out these articles:

• Island Dolphin Care Makes a Splash with Animal-Assisted Therapy
• Miniature Therapy Horses Are Just What the Doctor Ordered
• How to Become a Service Dog Trainer

By Ayana Young

The smell of spring is in the air. Blooming trees, fresh-cut grass and the crisp, clean scent of, wait, what is that? Marshmallow peeps, sugary fruit slices and matzah?!

Yes, they are here, too. And just like the daffodils, those delightfully decadent treats that come with Easter and Passover can simply not be denied.

Diabetic-Friendly Holidays

But, if you have Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) or a tiny T1D in the house, this time of year brings both squeals of excitement and gasps of deep concern. How much is too much?

As with anything, it’s all about moderation – and monitoring the carbohydrates. So as you enter these holiday days, keep the following carb counters within reach to make sure you – or those you love – are not consuming too much.

This time of year also brings a certain amount of adult toasting and glass clinking. Moderation is needed here, too, as alcohol also is loaded with hidden carbs — and other potential unwanted effects. So, keep this Drinking Safely with T1D tip sheet handy, too.

PRINT THIS Easter candy carb counter in English or Spanish.

credit: JDRF as a part of the JDRF-Beyond Type 1 Alliance

PRINT THIS Seder plate carb counter in English or Spanish.

CLICK OVER to this Passover candy, food and wine carb counter.

Here’s to anything dipped in chocolate! Happy Holidays.

Editor’s note: This content was originally published by JDRF as a part of the JDRF-Beyond Type 1 Alliance.

For more Easter content, read the following articles: 

• Egg-Allergy? Dye-Allergy? Here are Egg-cellent Easter Adaptions for Inclusive Celebrations
• 8 Ways to Make Easter Egg Hunts Accessible
• Rabbits Make Remarkable Therapy Animals and Emotional Support Pets