Accessible and Adaptive Activities

Accessible Family Fun in the Los Angeles and Orange County Areas

Additional Resources

Key Points to Remember

Please always speak with your neuromuscular team before engaging in any new activities.

Stretching is important for maintaining movement needed to participate in daily activities

Listen to fatigue. Avoid walking long distances or playing to the point of exhaustion. Take breaks as needed.

Not all adaptations will work for every child but here are some suggestions to help keep you engaged with peers and activities you enjoy!

  • Swimming
  • Biking
  • Fishing
  • Horseback riding
  • Music
  • Arts and crafts
  • Board games
  • Ball play: catching and throwing (a beach ball or balloon will be lighter to manage)

When engaging in stationary activities, it is best to sit in a chair at a table in order to minimize standing and having to get up from the floor. Sitting on an elevated surface (higher chair, chair with a foam pad or pillow) will help getting up not be as difficult of a task.

Use lighter equipment if possible such as plastic bats or whiffle balls. Consider using a Frisbee instead of ball for golf, soccer, or baseball.

  • Soccer
    • Be the goalie to minimize running needed
    • Minimize the field size to limit the amount of running
  • Baseball
    • Hit but have a pinch runner for you
    • Use whiffle ball which is lighter, slower, and easier to spot
    • Try using a tee for batting. Use a plastic bat which would be lighter.
  • Basketball
    • Throw but minimize jumping and running
    • Lower the basket height to minimize strength needed to shoot the ball
  • Bowling
    • Use a ramp
  • Soccer – attach a cage or open box to capture and direct the ball
  • Hockey – attach a stick to wheelchair

Beach wheelchairs are available free of charge at several Los Angeles County public beaches. They are available first-come, first serve. More information about beach locations and policies can be found at the Los Angeles County Beach Wheelchair Information Sheet (PDF).

Strength building activities

  • Do not use weights with exercises

Eccentric activities

  • Eccentric activity is when your muscle is lengthening while the muscle is still producing force, slowing down the motion as with squatting and descending stairs.

In general you want to minimize:

  • Stairs, especially going down. Take an elevator or scoot down on buttocks when going down stairs
  • Squatting type activities
  • Going down hills
  • Jumping
  • Running

In general you want to avoid:

  • Trampoline
  • Hopscotch

Los Angeles

  • Cayton's Children's Museum
    A hands-on, interactive museum designed for children 0-8 years old. Also look at their "Open door days" for special programming for children with special needs or Autism.
    6505 Wilshire Blvd., #100
    Los Angeles, CA 90048
  • Kidspace Children’s Museum
    An interactive museum that promotes exploration both indoors and outdoors. Wheelchairs available for rental as well.
    480 North Arroyo Blvd
    Pasadena, CA 91103
  • California Science Center 
    Admission to the Science Center's exhibit halls and over 100 mind-stimulating exhibits is FREE
    700 Exposition Park Dr
    Los Angeles, CA 90037
  • Natural History Museum
    Explore the Dinosaur Hall, Nature Gardens, and dioramas of animals from around the world. Check out special tours, exhibits, and talks available throughout the day
    900 Exposition Blvd
    Los Angeles, CA 90007
  • Wildlife Learning Center
    Explore 50 different species of animals from around the world. Enjoy talks from biologists about the incredible animals.
    16027 Yarnell Street
    Sylmar, CA 91342
  • Los Angeles Zoo
    The Zoo and Botanical Gardens are situated on over 100 acres near Griffith Park and the San Gabriel Mountains.
    5333 Zoo Drive
    Los Angeles, CA, 90027.
    **Visit the Los Angeles Zoo and the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach for one a discounted combination price available online**
  • Aquarium of the Pacific
    5 acres of Pacific Galleries with more than 11,000 marine animals. Be sure to check out special toddler and preschool program options as well.
    100 Aquarium Way,
    Long Beach, CA 90802
  • Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks
    The City of Los Angeles' Department of Recreation and Parks currently has several Universally Accessible Playgrounds where children of all abilities can play side-by-side. The Department has a goal of developing additional "Accessible Play" playgrounds and is working to identify more parks citywide which could be enlarged or otherwise accommodate installation of a mid-sized playground to help the vision become a reality.

Orange County

Discovery Science Center, Santa Ana
The museum offers a variety of fun exhibits as well as rotating exhibitions like Lego Castles, Bob the Builder, and Da Vinci. Bank of America cardholders receive 1 free general admission on the first Sunday of each month; Santa Ana residents receive up to 4 free admissions per address with valid ID (proof of residency) on the first Tuesday of every month
2500 N. Main Street
Santa Ana, CA 92705

Pretend City, Irvine
A hands-on experience for 0-8year olds. This mini-city just for the small set (best for 2-4 year olds) encourages kids to play grownup and be dentists, firefighters, farmers, construction workers, rockstars, grocery clerks, artists and more. 2-for-1 admission (with online coupon) on Way to Play Days: The second Friday of every month! 
29 Hubble
Irvine, CA 92618

Children's Museum of La Habra
Located in a historic 1923 Train Depot, this museum features seven galleries and fourteen different hands-on exhibits designed to engage young children
On the first Sunday of every month admission is free from 1pm – 5pm
301 S. Euclid St.
La Habra CA 90631