Scrabble, Uno, Chess, Dominoes – they are all timeless and classic board games, but for many of the residents with visual impairments here at Hollybank and outside of our homes, they can be challenging to play.
In this blog, we share with you how games can be adapted to the needs of those living with disabilities, giving examples from the games that take place in one of our homes, Rowan Court, situated in the idyllic West Yorkshire Holme Valley.
Let’s find out which games the residents have been playing…
Dungeons & Dragons (D&D)
If you are at all familiar with D&D, you’ll know that it is an extremely narrative-driven tabletop game that relies heavily on imaginative worldbuilding and character creation. In some ways, being a D&D player is like being in the audience of an audio-described film at the cinema. In the same way that settings, situations, events and characters are described to people in an audio-described screening of a movie, players in D&D are given very detailed descriptions of the worlds that they are playing in and what they find and discover throughout their adventure.
There are some fans of D&D amongst the residents of Rowan Court, and their Activity Coordinator, Mary, works hard to ensure that the game is inclusive for all of those taking part. Mary told us that she makes the game choice-oriented, using choices and options on actions to take and what to do next to prompt residents to explore the world.
The Activity Coordinator at Rowan Court told us that the residents love playing any sorts of adventures that involve retrieving gemstones guarded by dragons from underground caverns and caves. They love using physical props such as jangly keys, swords, treasure chests, wands, pretend gold and diamonds and leather pocket belts to get into character.
From swordsmen to spell-casters, the group at Rowan Court love escaping to magical worlds within the game. One resident in particular is a major fan of storytelling and tabletop roleplaying games, and he is often elected as the group leader during D&D sessions!
This inclusive game with its diverse characters provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to see themselves reflected in different worlds and contexts, which can enhance self-image for people with disabilities and have a positive impact on how they perceive themselves and their potential.
Interactive Murder Mystery
Monopoly, Articulate, Snakes and Ladders – they all share one thing in common: they require sitting around a table and being inactive for an hour or so at a time. This isn’t what our residents are always in the mood for, as many of our residents like to stay active and prefer to interact with external stimulus in their immediate environment.
Mary has also put her very own twist on the classic board game Cluedo by creating her very own interactive murder mystery! Mary places cards with pictures of the suspects on and props in different rooms around Rowan Court and sets up a murder-mystery style puzzle for people to solve. Residents and their support workers have to work together to figure out which of the Cluedo characters is guilty, and it’s up to them to catch them red-handed! Mary has even created a map of the building which functions as Rowan Court’s Cluedo board!
These types of games, which involve moving around the home, can help with mobility, improve hand-eye coordination, enhance problem-solving skills, and improve spatial awareness for residents.
Escape Rooms
Mary, Activity Coordinator at Rowan Court, chooses themes for each of the Escape Rooms that she creates, and creates mini games and puzzles for people to play if they want to break out of the room. If players want to stand any chance of breaking out of the Escape Room, they must put their heads to the test!
Both the Cluedo game and Escape Rooms strike up some healthy competition amongst residents, which can help with camaraderie and uplift spirits in the homes.
Treasure Hunts
Anyone heard of the immersive treasure hunts that take place around cities? Well, at Rowan Court, the residents and support workers often head out to a local park or travel to a beach together to hunt down missing treasure! Or in this case, prizes that have been arranged by the team!
Mary and the team often place clues around the area or assign tasks to residents to think like a pirate and find that treasure chest! Clues and tasks are tailored and adapted to the interests of the residents so that they can be as engaged as possible with the activity.
For example, fans of photography amongst the residents will often be tasked with taking pictures of items on a list before being handed over the key to the winning treasure.
Specially adapted games across our homes
For those with visual impairments, tactile puzzles and giant games are a great option, as they can be solved or played by touch alone. These puzzles and games often feature raised shapes or figures that can be felt and identified by the player. One example is a giant Connect 4 game that can be found in the gardens of our homes, allowing a player to work out what move they want to make next.
Other tactile puzzles, such as jigsaws that are popular within our homes, can be used to create different shapes and figures, providing an interesting challenge for those who have disabilities other than visual impairments.
Some of our residents can also be found in the bingo hall of the home on bingo night! Residents and external visitors to our ELMS Activity Centre are partial to a bit of bingo! Rowan Court play music bingo together and on birthdays of residents, the selection of music is tailored to the music taste of the birthday person!
Inclusivity in board games is improving
For tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, there are now many free and accessible resources that can be found online, which offer tips and advice on how to create characters with disabilities, or how to make the game more inclusive. While not always the case, having the option to play as a disabled character in a way that they feel connected to and seeing other disabled characters in the world will often make a disabled player feel more immersed and have a better gaming experience.
More and more board games are now introducing braille versions of board games which are easier for those with visual impairments to play. For example, Braille Monopoly is a version of the classic game that includes braille pieces instead of traditional dice and money.