Music and movement
Here at The Children's Trust, we have been running an enrichment programme for the children we support during the school Easter holiday. Activities have included music, movement and dance, giving the children the opportunity to work towards rehabilitation goals, enjoy new or existing hobbies, and have fun with their family and friends.
Making music
This fully immersive experience run by Colourscape, gives children the opportunity to create music and light using accessible technology.
Sensors respond to the children’s movements to change light and sound in the room, enabling them to impact their environment and get creative. This activity promotes the children’s independence and encourages them to make movements. The children love hearing their voice in the microphone and have lots of fun using their hands or feet to swipe a sensory board to produce an array of colour and sound.
The joy of dance
Kalpesh from KZ Dance is a firm favourite here at The Children’s Trust, and his dancing sessions are full of energy and fun! Children, parents and staff are brought together across an action-packed day, as Kalpesh teaches Bollywood, Indian folkdance and bhangra dances, making sure movement is accessible to all. A highlight for the young people we support is always the parent and staff dance number that is performed for them.
The day ends with a festival of colour, where everyone heads to the garden for a riot of colour and fun. The sessions are full of smiles, and fantastic for the wellbeing of the families we support. Everyone also ends the day suitably exhausted after lots of movement and exercise!
Football mania
We welcomed Josh Evans Soccer School to our specialist centre in Tadworth, who ran a series of accessible ball skills and football workshops. These sessions are a great opportunity for the children we support to work towards their rehabilitation goals with the support of a therapist. It’s also an opportunity to work on their gross motor skills, develop their confidence and have fun with friends and family.
Yoga and sound bath
With all this activity, it’s important that the children we support also have time to rest and restore. Our trained yoga instructor hosted yoga and sound bath sessions, enabling the children to relax and allow their bodies to move and stretch and change position.
The sound bath is an opportunity for the young people spend time out of their wheelchairs and comfortably relax in a sensory room, with a calm and quiet atmosphere for them to unwind. The children listen to various sounds and feel vibrations that help to release stress and tension from their bodies and create a mindful experience.
A cracking Easter celebration
Of course, no Easter holiday is complete without an egg hunt. Families were given a set of clues and set the challenge to find them around our 24-acre heritage site. Once they had found the clues and collected stamps, they were awarded a prize! This fun activity encouraged families to spend time together in the fresh air, whilst the children worked on their communication and problem-solving skills.
The sun came out for our Easter bonnet parade, where the children we support got to display their fantastic creations. Making bonnets was a great way for them to work on their fine and gross motor skills, whilst having the chance to get creative and let their artistic expression flow. It was great to see children, parents, staff and volunteers come together to celebrate their achievements and the end of a very busy week!
