COOPERATIVE LEARNING GAMES FOR KIDS: BLIND PLAY

How many times have you told your child to “turn on his listening ears?” Well, this activity makes learning to listen fun as children explore their environments together.  The only catch is – one friend is blindfolded!  You’ll definitely want to add this activity to your arsenal of learning games for kids!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED: Blindfold, balls, basket, or any additional objects to incorporate into the game

WHAT TO DO: Designate a clear, safe space for this activity and be sure to have an adult supervising! Children take turns being a leader and a follower. When it is the child’s turn to follow, they are blindfolded…no peeking! The leader gives the blindfolded friend directions to move around the room.  For example, he may say, “take 4 steps forward” or “turn to your right.”  You may need to assist the leading child with their directions until they catch on…be creative!

HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-Choose any combination of partnering including an adult with a child, a friend with a friend, or a sibling with a sibling
-Start by practicing without the blindfold, listening to the directions, and seeing where they’re going
-Direct the blindfolded child to move across the room to reach a designated spot.  Try varying the child’s movements (e.g. skipping, jumping with two feet, bear crawling, etc.)
-Direct the blindfolded child to carry a ball or object across the room to place into a basket
-Interject additional directional words such as “place the ball under the pillow” or “beside the chair”, or have the child “step over” or “duck under”

SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: cognitive skills, proprioception, motor control, sensory integration, social skills

Want to take a closer look at the skills kids are using in this activity?  Check out our Clinical Closeup page, where we break down the skills listed below in terms everyone can understand.

Looking for more inspiration?

• 
  Row, Row, Row Your Boat: 3 Fun Movement Activities!
• 
  “Snow”cicles Fine Motor Skills Challenge
• 
  SENSORY PROCESSING: 5 THINGS OTs WANT YOU TO KNOW

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Lauren Drobnjak

Lauren Drobnjak is co-author of The Inspired Treehouse blog and a pediatric physical therapist who currently practices in the educational environment. She has been a physical therapist for 18 years, with 17 of those years specifically in pediatrics. Her drive to make a difference in the lives of kids has led her entrepreneurial spirit in the direction of creating opportunities for play-based wellness and child development. She is a busy mama of 3 who thrives on chaos. To come down from the stress, Lauren enjoys exercising like she’s still 20, yoga, chocolate, a great book, browsing Pinterest, and anything crafty!

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