Adults with developmental disabilities can benefit significantly from art and various forms of artistic expression. No matter the process or the visual result, art therapy and activities for adults with developmental disabilities are an important part of leading a healthy and fun life.
In this article, we gathered the top five activities for adults with developmental disabilities that are easy to make and will have a positive impact on their lives. Plus, they can enjoy their art pieces whenever they want since they’ll last forever.
Make a Unique T-Shirt
Making t-shirts is one of the best art activities for adults with developmental disabilities because it is something they can wear whenever they want.
It's not complicated, and you just need a few plain t-shirts (preferably white) and some paint. Adults can either grab a brush and start painting, or they can dip their hands into the paint and press them onto the t-shirt.
After the paint has dried, it's recommended that you iron the t-shirt so the design can last longer.
Art therapy for individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities has shown incredible results over the years, which is why everything related to art will always be of great help.
Bug Hotel
A bug hotel is an excellent art activity, especially those who love insects. In essence, a bug hotel is a wooden box filled with different branches, flowers, and other nature-found materials that will attract bugs and provide them with a place to stay in winter and summer.
To make a bug hotel, you simply need a crate or wooden box, bamboo strings, and items such as sunflower heads, pinecones, leaves, or other similar objects. Drill two holes on each side of the box, attach a string, and tie your box to a tree or any tall location.
Place the leaves and other nature-found materials tight but not too tight so that bugs can still get in. After this, you’re done! Regularly check your hotel and observe bugs as they come and go.
Glow Jars
If you’re looking for innovative activities for adults with developmental disabilities, this next one will come in handy.
Glow jars are an incredible art activity because they combine the great feeling of doing something on your own and having a one-of-a-kind art piece that lights up any room.
To make glow jars, you need a few glass jars, glow-in-the-dark paint, paintbrushes, glue, glitter, and paper. The first step is to paint the interior of the jar with paint and paintbrushes, and you can use the paper as an easel.
After painting the jar, let it dry. Once it's completely dried, place your jar in a sunny location to help activate the glow-in-the-dark paint. Then, grab the lid of the jar, pour some glue on the inside, and add glitter.
Finally, put the lid onto your jar, and you’re done. You now have a sparkly glow jar that will light up any room.
Sandpaper Masterpiece
Sandpaper art is a wonderful activity for adults with developmental disabilities and will bring out the creativity of every person that tries it. And the best part? It doesn’t have to be perfect to be great.
This art therapy requires an assortment of colored chalks crushed into a thin powder. Once you have crushed the chalk, place some of the powder into a piece of sandpaper attached to a loofah, so they can easily paint without hurting their hands.
You can either grab a piece of cardboard or let them spread the powdered chalk on concrete floors or walls (outside). After they’re finished, everything can be cleaned up with a simple water rinse.
What’s great about this art activity for disabled adults is that they can have fun and express their feelings without thinking about the result.
Stress Ball
Everyone loves a good stress ball, whether they’re stressed or not. The small ball is so satisfying to squeeze that we had to include it in this list of activities for adults with developmental disabilities.
It's very simple to make, and you just need a small balloon, a cup of cornstarch, a funnel, scissors, and a permanent marker to draw your design.
The first step is to partially inflate the balloon until it is around five inches in diameter, but don’t tie it. Pinch the balloon with your fingers to prevent it from deflating. Grab your funnel, place it into the mouth of the balloon and add the cup of cornstarch.
After filling it with cornstarch, carefully remove the air from the balloon. Once that is done, tie your balloon and cut the mouth with scissors. You can grab a marker and draw on it or leave it plain. Have fun with it!
About Easterseals Arkansas
Exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy are offered by Easterseals Arkansas to assist people with disabilities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities.
For more than 75 years, Easterseals Arkansas has been assisting people with disabilities and special needs, as well as their families, to live better lives. Easterseals provides a range of programs to assist persons with disabilities in addressing life's obstacles and achieving personal objectives. These services range from child- development centers to physical therapy and employment training for people with disabilities.
The Artistic Realization Technology program (A.R.T.) in Arkansas enables those with limited or no hand function to paint and produce stunning works of art. Participants, referred to as artists, work with trained volunteers, referred to as trackers, who paint in accordance with the instructions of the artist. The A.R.T. program results in artwork created by people who otherwise would not have the ability to paint on their own. See the positive impact A.R.T. has had on artists such as Jacqualin.
