Activity Wall

Activity Wall at Penrickton Center that include both pegboard and fabric types.
Activity Wall at Penrickton Center that include both pegboard and fabric types.

Pegboard can be mounted on a wall to create an activity wall.  Items are attached to the pegboard or suspended with elastic protected by plastic tubing, so that the learner can explore materials independently.  

If multiple children will be using the activity wall, it is best to mount objects at a range of different heights. That way, they can be manipulated by a user in various positions (standing, seated in a wheelchair, on the floor).  

Objects should be selected according to their properties (metal, wood, plastic, bumpy, smooth, sound-producing, etc.) just as you would for any Active Learning environment or activity.  Be sure to include a variety of sizes as well to match the hand size and skill of various learners who will use the wall.

Mounting more than one item together encourages the learner to engage with the objects using different play schemes.  It is also nice to have an activity wall next to a HOPSA dress for the learner to explore, if they are unable to stand.

A young boy explores with his feet while in a HOPSA Dress.
A young boy explores with his feet while in a HOPSA Dress.

There is no single correct way to make your own Activity Wall.  They can be made with a hinge attached in order to change the objects or built on a frame a few inches out from the wall, where it is possible to reach behind and change the items.  It is also possible to “pre-string” the items, so that they can be pulled through a hole in the pegboard or attach small carabiners to the pegboard to clip the pre-strung items to the wall.

 

Activity Wall