10 Wheelchair Inclusive Games to Play with the Family
Whether you’re planning a birthday party, family get-together or need some inspiration for the Christmas holiday season, it’s important to set up games where everyone can join in on the fun, no matter physical ability. Playing a game together can be a great icebreaker at events and encourage bonding between family members.
From outdoor games for when the sun is shining to indoor games for the colder months – here are our top wheelchair and limited mobility friendly games you can play with the whole family:
Outdoor Games
1. Croquet
Croquet is a sport which can be easily adapted to suit wheelchair users. The backyard game involves two teams (up to six people) hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through six wickets. The aim of the game is to get each ball around the course in the correct direction until you reach the peg point. You can set up your very own custom court in the comfort of your backyard or local park.
2. Kubb
Kubb is an excellent type of ‘skittles’ lawn game which originates from Sweden. It involves having two teams or people throwing batons to knock down standing wooden blocks on the opposite side of the pitch. In the middle is the ‘King’ block which is knocked down last, declaring the winner of the game.
3. Quoits
Quoits is a popular ring throwing game world over with several variations. Some sets include rubber, metal or rope rings which are designed to be tossed to reach a wooden spike. Anyone can easily play and set up this low maintenance game on a lawn, verandah or even inside a games room.
4. Table Tennis
Table Tennis has long been a loved sport across the world, featuring in the Olympics and Para Olympics. So why not bring some competitiveness into your own backyard for your next family get together? Even when your family isn’t around, tennis tables can be set up against a wall so anyone can practice their solo skills.
5. Bocce
Bocce or otherwise known as Bocce Ball, or Bocci, is a ball sport similar to Bowls except it’s played on a shorter, narrower field. This is fun game the family can play together in the backyard or a great excuse for getting everyone out of the house and down to their local community centre. There are several benefits that come with playing Bocce, from improved coordination to releasing stress. You can grab as few as 2 to 8 players and divide yourselves into separate teams. The aim of the game is to achieve a set closest to the first ball thrown, known as ‘the jack.’
Indoor Games
6. Jenga
Jenga is a crowd pleaser and can be played by any number of players. The objective of the game is to remove one block at a time from the Jenga tower and stack it on top. The last player to stack a block on top without making the tower fall over wins!
7. Scrabble
Most of us are familiar with Scrabble but what you might not know is that the game was invented by an architect! Scrabble is a classic game that every member of the family can play with up to four players at a time. Scrabble is not only fun and educational but it’s a useful mind strengthening game for people of all ages and abilities to play.
8. Uno
If you’ve got a larger family, playing Uno is a great pastime for all members of the family to get involved in. The card game accommodates 2 to 10 players, ages 7 and over. The aim of the game is to be the first player to score 500 points by getting rid of all your cards. Typically, each game lasts about 10 minutes but you can play as many rounds as you like.
9. Monopoly
An oldie but a goodie! Monopoly remains one of the most popularly played boardgames of all time with over 275 million sets sold in 114 counties and 47 languages! For those of you who aren’t familiar, it’s a fantasy real estate trading game, and a great opportunity for people to learn valuable lessons about investing while bonding with the family! Monopoly accommodates 2 to 8 players at a time with the average game lasting between 60 and 90 minutes.
10. Tenpin Bowling
Bowling is an enjoyable game which can be wonderful upper body exercise. The aim of tenpin bowling is to knock all 10 pins down as often as possible to achieve a ‘strike!’ You can play tenpin bowling at any local venue across Australia. For those who are really interested in making it a hobby, you can join a league with Disability Sport Australia.
At Automobility we are dedicated to enabling life’s journey! We design our Wheelchair Access Vehicles (WAVs) to meet the specific needs of each individual.
If you’d like to know more about how a WAV can benefit your lifestyle, you can contact our team here. We are more than happy to support you along the way.
