Games and activities with sustainable materials to promote adapted and inclusive physical activity

How can a child with Down syndrome, with autism or one who needs a wheelchair play? The professors and researchers of the University of Navarra Leyre Gambra and Apolinar Varela, together with the student of Master's Degree in academic staff Celia Alzate, have edited a guide with activities and educational materials that can be applied to adapted physical activity and inclusive sport for people with intellectual disabilities. The publication is aimed at teachers of educational centers or professionals of Education física.

The guide (available here) contains six activities and the guidelines to carry them out, what goal is achieved with each of them, their estimated duration and a link to a demonstration video. "The purpose is to provide teachers, coaches, volunteers and, in final, to all professionals in the field educational and sports, a guide with simple and accessible materials to promote the internship sports of people with disabilities, often forgotten for lack of training and tools," explains Leyre Gambra. The publication arises from the innovation projects professor "Adapted sport as tool of Inclusion in people with intellectual disabilities" and "Alternative sports materials for Adapted Physical Activity and Diversity", led by professors Leyre Gambra, Apolinar Varela and Arantza Azteca, also professor of CEE Isterria. These projects culminated in the Inclusive Sports Conference held at the University of Navarra in April 2023, which brought together more than 50 students of the mentions of Education Physical and Attention to Diversity of the Degrees of Education, and 37 athletes from high school Isterria and the organization Aspace.

The activities proposed in the guide have recycled and sustainable materials, elaborated by student body of the University of Navarra for this workshop and later donated to CEE Isterria. Celia Alzate, student of Master's Degree at academic staff, collaborated in the elaboration of this .
of this guide. "I focused on synthesizing and layout the information provided by the student body of the Menciones de Atención a la Diversidad and Education Física, as well as participating in the essay of the final document". Celia also did research on the possibilities of Adapted Physical Activity "to promote an inclusive sports internship from a leisure perspective", a topic on which she carried out her Final Thesis work Degree , "identifying the barriers and facilitators faced by athletes with intellectual disabilities".

A methodology that fosters creativity, cooperation and inclusion The activities proposed at guide follow the methodology of approach based on the self-construction of Materials (EBAM). As the authors explain, EBAM fosters creativity, cooperation and inclusion through the creation of materials and games by the students themselves. "Not only does it improve motivation and commitment to Education Physics, but it also promotes a Education in values, including those related to the environment," they stress. In addition, this methodology promotes creative thinking and task solving, work teamwork, curiosity, motor skills and physical abilities, critical thinking, etc.

"These strategies highlight the importance of adapting the training professor in this area. The inclusive Education Física and Education Física Sostenible offer unique frameworks that, with the right support and the training of teachers, can significantly contribute to the creation of more inclusive, sustainable and enriching educational environments for all children, both with and without special educational needs", says Apolinar Varela.