100 Fun & Engaging Activities for Adults with Special Needs  

This list goes beyond the cliche suggestions of playing board games, trying new card games, and making stress balls and sensory bottles (although those can be fun activities, too)!  Aiming to be age-appropriate for adults and skill—and ability-conscious, it includes ten ideas for ten life skill and leisure activity categories.  

From things to do from the comfort of home to ideas when everyone needs to get out of the house, this list will (hopefully) provide some new and exciting ideas and may even help some special needs adults learn a new skill or two!  Check out each section and determine the most meaningful activities for the adult or group you know, given their interests and abilities.   Remember, lead with THEIR interests and be open to new ideas because a new experience may be just what they need!!  

While many ideas on the list would intentionally bring together other individuals with disabilities, like adaptive sports, many different ideas are available to the general public.  

As I drafted this list, I thought of families looking for inspiration and ideas for ways to engage their young adults, especially those nearing high school graduation and exiting special education services.  Most families want to ensure their young adult with special needs has opportunities for social interaction and daily meaningful activities.   And everyone knows that connecting people with the right recreational opportunities can boost one's quality of life.  

100 Activities for Special Needs Adults 

Arts & Crafts/ Sensory Activities

Making something with your hands every day is a motto many live by because there is such a sense of accomplishment and joy from creating.   Check out these sensory and arts/crafts activities for in-home activities.  

1. Create Digital Art: Use JacksonPollock.org to immediately (and quickly) create art using a computer or tablet and Bomomo.com to create graffiti-like art with just a mouse click! 
2. Water Play and Art: ...with ice, hands, or a regular paintbrush.  Use the sink and paint the colored paper with water to see a color contrast, or pair water with white paper and markers for a watercolor-type effect.  Freeze water into cubes and use the cubes like a giant crayon to color old mail packages, then toss when everything is too wet.  Water is sensory, and whatever is created is the art! 
3. Paint: From brushless painting to mess-less painting and painting with things other than a brush and all the obvious ones in between (like painting pottery and rocks), paint is one of the cheapest art supplies and can be used in many different ways.  
4. Outsider Art:  Artists with disabilities are sometimes grouped under 'outsider artists' within the art community.  Sharing the art one creates with others can build meaningful connections and be self-fulfilling.  Google 'outsider art + zipcode' to find a gallery nearest you.  Check out this post for a few galleries highlighting outsider art. 
5. Beauty and Make-up Practice: Sensory bins, but make them adult! From face clay masts and sheet masks to press-on nails to tying out the newest moisturizer, a beauty bin can be filled with so much age-appropriate sensory-based fun.  Check out this website for ways to get free samples of beauty products and watch @DownSyndrome_Queen on Instagram for make-up tutorials.  
6. Spa Experience: Pair a warm, bubbling foot bath and heating pad with a weighted blanket for a spa-like sensory and relaxation experience.  For the hands, try out a set of moisturizing gloves.  Put on a heated eye mask or cooling eye mask, say 'Play Spa Music' into your Alexa, and you're set!
7. Scent Experience: Add fragrance to showers using a shower steamer or eucalyptus (and remember that showers can be for sensory purposes, separate from the shower for hygiene purposes), candles, and essential oil diffuser.   Make a candle without using heat and choose scents that are invigorating or relaxing.    For consistent scent in a space, check out the smart Pura air freshener that's controlled by phone.
8. Flower Arranging: Fake or real, in a glass vase or plastic, flowers can add so much to a space and can be changed out weekly or seasonally!   Flower arranging can be a sensory experience.   Real flowers have scent and fluffy petals, sit in cold water, and have hard or playable stems making them fun to bounce in one's hand.  Remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!  For real flowers, consider safety when using scissors to cut off stems.   
9. Crotchet:  With your arms, not a crocheting needle.  Check out this video for how to make a simple necklace or this video for a blanket (large, thick yarn).  Learning the first few motions may take practice, but then it's a repetitive action. 
10. Glow Toys: Turn off the lights and move!  From battery-operated glow bracelets to rechargeable blow balls and battery-operated foam glow sticks, there are lots of ways to have sustainable fun with light.  

Games & Recreation

Games and recreational activities can be enjoyed independently or in a small group.  Don't be afraid to try new things when it comes to leisure activities because you never know what will be the most engaging and fun.   

1. Make Music:  Play a real or virtual musical instrument.  As you know, some instruments require gross motor movement, like maracas and tambourine; some require fine motor movement, like drums and mbira, and others require blowing air, like a harmonica or recorder.  You can even try out instruments virtually!!!!  
2. Digital Games for Charity: Play digital games for FREE, like card games, word games, and puzzles, where each click donates money to charities!  ..
3. Adaptive Sports:  Physical exercise is important, and when it's fun, everyone is more likely to engage.  While Special Olympics is the most popular special recreation program, Move United is an organization for adaptive sports and may have a local chapter in your area!  
4. Play Tag: It's fun for adults too!  For those who love to move, playing tag can be a great way to burn off some energy while hanging out with others.  Check out the different variations of tag, which make it fun for all ages.
5. Play a Game with Friends Virtually:  If transportation is a barrier to hanging out with friends, check out this list of virtual games, like BINGO, to play with others.   
6. Take a Karate Class:  Learning karate or taking a self-defense class can be empowering and build self-confidence.  To find a local karate program specifically for people with disabilities, check out the Adaptive Martial Arts Association.    
7. Bowling without the Bowling Alley:   Use a tabletop bowling set and a hair dryer (and a switch adapter, for those who use switches)!  Or an extra large bowling set down a hallway or outside. 
8. Running & Walking Clubs:  While many running groups are training for a race, some will run just for leisure.  Many running and walking groups do not prioritize speed or require consistent attendance; they just enjoy the act of running or walking.  Google search 'running walking group + zip code' to find one nearest you.
9. Make Sourdough Recipes: You only need a glass jar, flour, water, and time to get started!  Keep the sourdough starter active by feeding it with flour/water daily or pop it in the fridge to use on a weekly basis.  Mixing bread, measuring using scales or measuring spoons, and then getting to eat what you create makes sourdough so flexible and approachable.  Sourdough starter is really hard to 'kill' once it's active, making it friendly for even beginner cooks.  Sourdough has a BIG following and it's easy to find and follow fellow sourdough-lovers on social media.  Check out Acts of Sourdough for getting started and super simple recipes!  
10. Marble Run: Build a path and watch a marble run near common home spaces, like the kitchen.  This marble run set is magnetic, which is perfect for use on refrigerators, and can be played independently or with others! 

Local Attractions

1. Community College: Check your local community college for upcoming theatre shows, concerts, and gallery openings. Many are free or low-cost! 
2. Training Schools:  Schools that train students in the trades often offer services at a low cost so students can practice and learn with real customers.  Check out training schools for cosmetology, which may offer nail and hair salon services, and chef-training programs, which may offer cheap gourmet meals.
3. Trampoline and Jump Parks: Great way to get in physical activity in a space designed for movement at a trampoline park.  
4. Zoos, Wildlife parks, Aquariums, and Planetariums:  Find nearby locations with a simple Google search and check for free admission dates or get a membership to visit more frequently. 
5. Seasonal Events:  Check flyers in stores and on community social media sites for upcoming and local seasonal activities, like a fall pumpkin patch, summer parades, spring flower shows, winter sledding hills, and tree farms.  
6. Sports to Spectate (or Play): Check out the game schedule of nearby college or university sports teams, minor league sports teams, adult leagues through park districts, and fitness center leagues for games to spectate.  Some games may be free or very low cost.    
7. Touring Productions: Sign up for the local event space's newsletter to be alerted to shows like the Harlem Globetrotters and Monster Trucks and local theatre's newsletter to see casts perform musical theatre productions.  Consider both small and large event spaces to get a wide range of options, like touring acro-cats.  
8. Concerts: Follow concert venue newsletters to learn about paid and free events, as well as local music schools that hold recitals for their students, where admission might be free.  
9. Water-Based Fun: Visit nearby beaches, lakes, and ponds to boat, canoe, or paddleboat.  Sand and rock walks can be very sensory for feet.
10. Visit New and Unusual Attractions:  If you feel like you've seen or visited every spot in your area, then check out Atlas Obscura.  This website highlights lesser-known attractions based on location.  

Outdoor Activities

There are many great indoor activities, but sometimes you just want to get outside!

1. GPS Game Walk: This walk blends technology and physical health benefits. Participants use their phones to augment reality as they are out and about in their community.  Check out Pokemon Go, Orna, Pikman Bloom, Monster Hunters Now, and Jurrasic World Alive. 
2. Adaptive Cornhole (Bags):  A great activity for spring, summer, and fall seasons (and even winter, if you reside somewhere warmer).  Serious players inquire here.  
3. Giant Yard Games: Play at a park, backyard, or friend's courtyard.  Larger game pieces can be easier for individuals with weak fine motor skills or low vision making the game more accessible.  Check out Checkers, Connect 4 (with lots of contrasting color options), Ring Toss (with different color options), Jenga, and Soccer.  
4. Park District and Nature Centers: This idea may be cliche (and my goal was to avoid the obvious activities), but there are often so many parks, nature preserves, and trails that can be explored.  Check out the AllTrails app or website for walking and hiking trails in your area and for when you travel somewhere new. 
5. Birdwatching:  It's no longer just for the older generation.  Learn about birds using a FREE bird-listening app, and watch birds using a birdfeeder camera, which makes this activity fun for all. 
6. Arboretums, Botanic Gardens, Conservatories, Dunes, and Other Nature-Based Sites:  Find nearby locations with a simple Google search and check for free admission dates or get a membership to visit more frequently.
7. Visit a Local Field: Whether fruit or flower, local farm fields can be fun to see, smell, and taste.  Many have U-Pick options and tours.  Examples include sunflower, lavender, pumpkin and cornfields, strawberry, blueberry, and so many more. 
8. Water Spots:  Swim parks with lazy rivers, splash pads, and public pools.  A simple Google search will reveal local options for those who love the water!  
9. Yardwork: Watering plants, spraying down furniture, picking up sticks, sweeping the garage, raking leaves, or picking garden produce. Engaging with an activity does not always mean the result needs to be a 'finished' look. Determine if the goal is simply to be outside, to engage in something sensory, to be nearby while another family member completes a task, or to complete a task.  
10. Picnic: A picnic basket and blanket are not required. Enjoying any meal alfresco and away from screens can be a nice change of pace. Consider a park bench, walking path bench, or restaurant patio to enjoy a meal.  

Social Activities

Socialization, whether meeting new friends in a group setting or connecting with old pals, is often a desire for many adults with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities. Finding ways to practice social skills can help reduce regression.  

1. Virtual Meet-Ups:  Use Meetup to search nearly any area of interest and join a group, locally or worldwide.  Search specifically by area or virtually and join most meetings and events for free.  
2. Silent Disco: A silent disco is like music therapy but with a small group of people who are usually strangers who also just want to dance.  Wear headphones, listen to dance music and dance!  A simple Google search will reveal upcoming silent discos in your area.  
3. BINGO:  Since this is a great activity for people of all ages, there is likely a weekly or monthly game played in your area.  Find the local VFW or dinner club and play!  
4. Game Cafes:  There are board game cafes, including specialty cafes for alternate reality games like EDH and X-Wing, for those who just want to sit and play a game with friends or strangers.  There may be a pay-to-play fee, but watching might be free!  
5. Sound Bath:  Just lay down and take it in! A sound bath is more about proximity to others than actual communication with others, although there may be small talk before and after the session. 
6. Local Store Events & Lessons:  Meet and learn alongside those who enjoy the same activities, like art, crafts, and books, you do.  Many stores will post events and lessons on their website or social media, so search or follow for upcoming opportunities.  
7. Visit a Cafe or Bar: Coffee shops, bakeries, ice cream shops, and bars are great places to enjoy a treat or drink and relax by people-watching or meeting up with friends.
8. Food: Take cooking classes or try a new restaurant or cuisine. Local community colleges and chef training schools may offer semester-long or one-time classes and/or food fairs. Find new and delicious restaurants with Guy Fieri's stamp of approval on his Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives directory.  
9. Fitness Class: Line dancing class, goat yoga, chair yoga, Zumba, and water aerobics are out-of-the-box examples.  For a cost-effective approach, ask about free trial weeks at local studios before committing to see if the activity would be a good fit.  
10. Make a Mocktail: Fancy drinks can be fun to both make and drink!  Watch this YouTube video and try some at home with friends, have a group of friends subscribe to a mocktail service and make the same drink over Zoom, or find a local bar or liquor store in the area offering mocktail-making classes.  Purchase a Lyre's product and check out their free 1:1 mixology class for adults of legal drinking age.  Also, alcohol-free bars are popping up in cities around the US so a simple Google search can help you find one closest to you! 

Quiet Activities

A great time doesn't always need to involve a lot of noise and sound.  

1. Stretch:  While there is adaptive yoga, stretching can feel more approachable because it's seen as less of a physical fitness activity.  This video is a 10-minute slow stretch for beginners.  Check out Powered to Move on YouTube for more workouts and dance lessons!  
2. Color: But not with crayons, with stickers!  Check out this one using pictures of music icons or this one with cats and flowers.  For those with stronger fine motor skills, try these reverse coloring workbooks and this one too!
3. Plant Care: Checking plants and watering is a daily activity that is both good for any indoor or outdoor space and the mind!  Check out this squeeze watering bottle, and extended neck squeeze watering bottle,  slow-drip plastic water bottle, plastic bottle watering attachment, and pump-style watering container to make watering and plant care more accessible.  
4. Meditation: It's a sit-and-get type of quiet activity, and meditation and sleep stories can be calming for those who listen to the voices and/or sounds they hear.  The Calm app is the most popular, but try the Healthy Minds Program for a free option.
5. Optical Illusion Devices: These optical illusion objects can be pleasing to the eye and fun and engaging. Check out the spinning ball,liquid in motion, and twisting device in mature colors. 
6. Night Sky Projector:  You'll feel like you're sitting under the night sky, but with the warmth and comfort of the inside.  Check out this night sky projector and this cheaper option.   This is a great way to change up an environment or routine.  
7. Puzzles: Without the guessing!  With large, thick pieces and a visual guide to help with assembling, these puzzles are great for beginners.  
8. Find it!  Books: Similar to Where's Waldo, but for an older crowd.  Check out this find-it book for those who love comics or a story-based seek-and-find.  For a personalized find-it book, check out Namee's Seek and Find the book.   
9. Folding Paper: Use any paper, even those free flyers and advertisements that come in the mail, and follow along this slow visual tutorial of origami.  With no words to accompany the steps, the video can be calming to watch and moves at a more suitable pace for those who want to follow along.  
10. Find the Difference:  Find the difference between two very similar-looking pictures with minor differences.  You can find these visual games in some newspapers, like The Washington Post, or grab a Find the Difference book.   Check out an online version of Find the Difference (must create a new account (free) to play). 

Giving Back

Finding ways to give back is a great way for disabled people to get involved in their community and feel a sense of purpose.

1. Cut Up Old Denim for Charity:  Sole Hope provides a meaningful way to pay it forward (and clean out the closet of old and too-small/too-big clothes) for those with strong scissors and fine motor skills. If there are no jeans to use at home, visit a local thrift store, like GoodWill, to find the cheapest pair.  
2. Donate Handmade Cards:  Creating art like handmade cards can be both fun and relaxing.  This blog post lists places to send handmade cards.   
3. Crush Cans for Money:  Taking used aluminum cans, crushing them down, and recycling them to earn cash is one way to help the community and donate to local charities in need.  Collect cans from home or partner with local businesses, like office buildings, schools, or any other place in the area, to gather cans.  *Rinsing, drying, crushing, and then hauling them to the recycling center for cash are also needed steps and are meaningful life skills and physically engaging for those who benefit from more heavy physical input.   
4. Volunteer Time and/or Skills:  Check out ElderHelpers to give back with time or skills to local elderly citizens and Idealist for one-time or repeating volunteer opportunities.  There are even virtual options to volunteer from home on VolunteerMatch.
5. Clean Up the Community:   Join Adopt a Block by requesting and volunteering to clean up your own block or blocks in your community.  Trash and litter pick-up is important for the community and environment.  *Consider traffic and safety risks before volunteering. 
6. Walk & Donate to Charity (Anytime):  Go for a (free) walk and donate money to charity using the Charity Miles app.  
7. Make To Donate: Check out this long list of specific items to make and donate to those in need.  
8. Volunteer for Local Large Events:   Big events, like marathons and city-wide productions, often require volunteers to hand out participant bags, hold cups of water for runners, or do other small tasks to assist with the day-of operation.  While this isn't an activity to engage in daily, it can be extremely helpful to the organization and become part of a yearly volunteer schedule.  Consider your area and large event throughout the year to find just the right fit.  
9. Religious, Spiritual, and Places of Worship Volunteer Needs: Check in with leaders at your local religious organization and see if they have any volunteer needs that could be filled. Depending on the communities they support, they may need help washing bed sheets for homeless shelters, packing food into bags at the food bank, or cleaning the children's playroom. 
10. Write a Review:  If you've ever used Google Reviews or Yelp to find out if a place was accessible, then you know how important crowdsourced feedback is.  A simple bullet point list of accessibility features, including nearby handicapped parking, accessible bathrooms, paved walkways, doors with automatic openers, clear signage, etc, can help so many.  Also, a 5-star review is tremendously helpful (and hurtful) to small businesses, so consider this before posting a lower rating.     

Technology

Options for technology-based fun include ideas that require the internet and those that don't. 

1. Watch an Animated Short Film:  An animated short film is a movie that is much shorter (usually less than 20 minutes) and there are many animated short films without dialogue, making it easier for some individuals to interpret and enjoy.  This is a very popular animated short film on YouTube, and here is another one about family.  
2. Watch and Listen to an Audiobook:  For an audiobook with different voices for each character, sound effects, and background music (and even some have graphics to support the plot), audiobooks have come a long way.  Check out GraphicAudio and this list of books with multiple narrators to find books like these and ask your local librarian for more recommendations.  
3. Watch TV (for People with Disabilities): AMI+  is a FREE Canadian company with TV, movies, and podcasts that centers individuals with disabilities.  
4. Watch Animals Remotely:   For those who love animals but can't make it to the zoo due to transportation, accessibility, or cost, watch animals from home!  Check out this list of zoo cams or try a subscription service for even more animal viewing.  
5. Take In Good News: Want some uplifting, good news for a change?  Here is a list of websites, apps, podcasts, and print newspapers ($) sharing good news!     
6. Photo Album with Audio Playback:  Use printed photos and record a short story using this photo album with audio playback.  There will definitely be fun when creating and looking through it.
7. Virtual Reality (VR) Headset:  VR headsets allow users to work out, play games, and explore simply by wearing a pair of goggles.  Check your local library to see if they offer VR headsets for check-out before making the big investment!    Also, consider spatial awareness and safety risks when using VR headsets.  
8. Music on Spotify:  Spotify is a great, free website that streams music.  To expand one's music library, Spotify can be used to find new music and artists, give feedback for played songs, create new playlists, and check out playlists created by others.  Accounts are free; for ad-free listening, pay a monthly subscription.  Also, check your local library to see if they have a recording room and sign up for a slot to take karaoke to the next level! 
9. Share Pictures & Email: Send emails, pictures, or links to fun websites to friends and family- no typing required.  Use voice-to-text or the built-in Share/Send buttons on phones and computers to connect with others.  
10. Automatic + (Interest): Technology allows so much to be automatic or automated.  Take the individual's interest, like getting their back scratched, and Google search 'Automated back scratch' to see what device or program already exists that can meet the need.  For this example, the Google search results for 'Automated back scratch' revealed electric back scratchers for less than $20, telescoping back scratchers, back massage devices, and wood wall-mounted back scratchers.  

Community Activities

Ideas for switching up the usual routine of local community sites! 

1. Scavenger Hunts:  Print a worksheet and hunt around a community space to become more familiar with the space.  Grab this one for FREE!  LINK & add educator/other disclaimer and No Parent tag.  
2. Walking Groups:  Check the local mall (aka mall walkers), community college campus, or large event space/community centers for hours and walking groups.  For young adults who need regular physical activity and want to enjoy a different environment than their local fitness center, there may be a local mall walkers-type group that they could join for free and attend when it works for their schedule.   
3. Library Maker Space: Check to see if your local library offers 3D printing services, as this can be fun to do or just soothing to watch. Also, check out the section of their website for adult programs, as there may be opportunities for informal socialization with welcoming locals.  
4. Coin Machine at Local Bank: Check your local bank to see if they still have a coin machine for community use.  Dump the coins in, watch the total add up, and then get bills in exchange.  
5. Visit the Touch Section of a Local Gallery or Museum:  Designed to be inclusive of all visitors, a growing number of museums and art galleries are offering exhibits that visitors can actually touch.  A simple Google search using 'museums and galleries with touch + zipcode' can reveal the options within the closest distance. 
6. Special Recreation Association: Special recreation associations specialize in offering programming and services to individuals with disabilities of all ages.  Many have Special Olympics teams and short-term and single-visit programming.  Use Google to find the special recreation association closest to you.  Here is a link to the special recreation associations in Illinois. 
7. Sensory Rooms:  Multi-sensory rooms are a great way to engage all the senses.  Search 'multi-sensory room + zip code'.  Search results may include Snozelen rooms, which is a type of sensory room.  Sensory room reservations may be limited due to a participant's location and often have a per-visit rate.  
8. Listen to Live Music:  Live music can be fun, relaxing, or a sensory experience.  Some music events are free and others may require a paid ticket.  Check out local parks, restaurants, bars, and concert venue websites for schedules and costs.  
9. Submit Local Weather:  The National Weather Service relies on local citizens to submit weather information.  Check out the ways you can submit local information just by peeking outside your window!  
10. Visit an Escape Room: To stretch your problem-solving skills, try an escape room in the area with others. You can also do a free virtual escape room at home!   

At Home/Life Skills

Engaging in daily life skills tasks not only contribute to the functioning of the family unit, but can provide a personal sense of accomplishment as the 'things' being used and done are in the family home.  And remember, don't let perfection get in the way of good enough.  For even more ideas for activities, check out this list of pre-vocational skills (LINK to blog post) as so many check the box of life skills too.  

1. Put In/Take Out Activities:  Put laundry in the basket, or washer, or dryer, or back into the basket.  Unload some or all dry dishes from the drying rack or dishwasher, such as just the silverware or cups.  Put dirty/used dishes in the sink, and increase the two-step task by running water for 3 seconds to 'soak' the dish.  Take grocery bags out of the car and set them on the kitchen table or counter.  Prep small bags of snacks from larger bags of food, like chips or carrots (use a sliding Ziploc bag or reusable silicone bag with a simple press to close for those with lower tone or weak fine motor ability).  Filing a pet's bowl with food.  Take out all the food from the fridge or cabinets to make weekly clean-outs of expired food and shelf crumbs easy.  
2. Rote Skill Tasks: This means the skill is repetitive, the same motion over and over again.  Folding towels, folding blankets, hanging shirts on a hanger, and lining up shoes.  For simple folding, use a folding jig. 
3. Matching Tasks:  Matching shoes, and socks, matching people's names on mail to the person or picture, and sorting into piles.  
4. Sorting Tasks:  Sorting laundry by colors, clothes by family member, and paper bags vs plastic bags are grocery shopping.    
5. Cleaning Tasks:  Find the right tool to support cleaning accessibility.  Consider Swiffers for sweeping, hand-held vacuums for quick pick-ups, and Swiffer hand dusters and lint rollers for dusting. 
6. Make the Bed:  If all the sheets and cover connect, then making the bed is as easy as pulling a zipper!  The most popular is Beddy's brand ($$$), and this Beddy's option is on Amazon.
7. Personal Hygiene:  Adding a fun or special flair to routine tasks can make them a little more enjoyable.  Add scented Epson salt to a bath or shower steamer to a shower; toothbrush sanitizer; face washing brush or hand-held silicon scrubber.  
8. Tear Down Boxes:   For families who get a lot of packages delivered (like Amazon members), individuals can safely break down boxes for recycling using a safe box cutter.  
9. Calendar:  Updating the calendars around the house, like this daily tear-off with funny pictures, block and card-style dates, and monthly flip calendar can be visually helpful for the whole family.  Also, keeping track of family and friend's birthdays and sending messages or cards can provide an extra fun perk of keeping the calendar.
10. Compost: Rotating a compost bin daily can be part of a daily routine.  Composting helps to reduce garbage and the compost can be mixed into soil for future planting. To get started with composting, check out this small compost bin.