Games

Leisure and gaming can be sometimes overlooked when considering the needs of an individual. But it can be an important part of a young person’s development and help enable inclusion into society. For children the benefits of play have been shown to build up imagination, promote social skills, advance physical development and develop problem solving skills etc. Here we look at what resources are out there and how we can make leisure time and gaming more inclusive to a wide range of abilities. There are now many options for accessible toys, game consoles and switch adapted toys.

At the bottom of this page you can find Enable Ireland’s National Assistive Technology Training Service document "Accessible Apps, Games and Toys". This document gathers information on a wide range of accessible toys, games and apps.

Games Examples

Hurdle Champion

Choose a character and take part in a hurdle race against the computer. Works with a single switch or by touching the screen. This game provides a motivating way to develop switch and timing skills. Choose from three levels of difficulty to give you a chance to improve your performance. A clear visual clue is shown to tell you when it is time to help your runner clear the hurdles by pressing a switch or touching the screen.

 

Hurdle Champion on the App Store (apple.com)

Space Shooter

Stop the alien invasion with your space shooter – a real blast from the past. Features to help children with special needs, this game can be played with a tap anywhere on the screen or by using a single external switch to zap the aliens.

 

Space Shooter on the App Store (apple.com)

Train Traker

Train Tracker wherever you go! Touch and switch accessible, uses one or two switch scanning. Compatible with all currently available iPad switch interfaces. Build your track and set your train on its way.

 

Train Tracker on the App Store (apple.com)

Other Apps

HelpKidzLearn have created motivational Apps specifically for children and designed to meet a range of special educational needs including switch access for those with physical disabilities. 

 

                        HelpKidzLearn

Strange Attractors

Strange Attractors was created for a "One-Switch" competition. Just because the only button used by the game is the space bar (and Esc to exit) doesn't mean the game play isn't complex and unique. Pressing the spacebar activates the gravity drive of your craft and creates an attractive force between yourself and the other objects in the game. Your goal is to sling and bounce yourself from the bottom of the level through the portal at the top.

 

                                                              Ominous Development

Minecraft

An old favorite of the internet. As above, it’s focus is more on exploration, resource gathering and building. It’s best described as a digital Lego box (and looks about the same). There’s no real requirement for input speed and accuracy is as much about placing blocks on each other so there’s no time pressure.

Available in all platforms

 

Accessible games online resources

 

 

 

 

  • Oneswitch.org.uk has a large resource on accessible gaming and accessible game consoles.  OneSwitch

 

 

 

 

  • CBeebies games is a pre-school brand by the BBC for children aged six years and under that provides a range of pre-school games designed to encourage learning through play in a consistently safe environment.  CBeebies Global

 

Enable Ireland’s National Assistive Technology Training Service document "Accessible Apps, Games and Toys"