Fun & Accessible Winter Activities
Finding fun, accessible activities for you and your family in the colder months can be challenging, so ACIL has put together a list of fun, accessible activities for you to try this winter!
Visit a Museum or Art Gallery — Exploring a museum or art gallery can be a great way to spend a chilly day. The National Museum of the Air Force, the oldest and largest aviation museum in the entire world, is right here in Dayton, Ohio. Admission is free. The museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm seven days a week, closing only for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
The Dayton Art Institute has a collection of art spanning 5,000 years of history. The institute often holds special exhibitions and events appropriate for all ages. Admission is anywhere from $0 to $15 depending on age and military status. The institute is open the following hours:
Mon: Closed
Tues: Closed
Wed:11 AM–5 PM
Thurs: 11 AM–8 PM
Fri: 11 AM–5 PM
Sat: 11 AM–5 PM
Sun: 12 PM–5 PM
The institute is closed only on Easter Sunday, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Find a Good Book or Podcast — Audiobooks have become a very popular alternative to traditional reading. You can access free audiobooks through many local libraries if you have a card using apps like Hoopla and Libby. If you enjoy keeping up to date on any number of topics or issues, then podcasts are a wonderful free option for entertainment this Winter. You can access free podcasts via apps like Pandora and Play Podcast.
Try a New Recipe — Cooking or baking a new dish is a fun activity to try independently or with a group. ACIL’s Kitchen Connection, which was written about in the ACIL Happening Section of the February 2025 edition of this newsletter, is a great way for people to learn how to cook or improve cooking skills while connecting with others.
Make Music — The Winter months are perfect for learning a new hobby or skill. Resources like https://specialneedsgeneralmusic.weebly.com/adaptive-music-instruments.html have ideas for adapting instruments. If you don’t have the fine motor skills required to play an instrument, don’t worry. You can learn to play an instrument virtually for free at https://virtualpiano.net/virtual-music-instruments/.
Play Digital Games to Benefit Charity — Play digital games for free, like card games, word games, and puzzles, where each click donates money to charities at https://games.greatergood.com.
Try an Adaptive Winter Sport — Adaptive Sports Connection (ASC) helps people with disabilities enjoy adaptive sports like soccer, cycling, skiing, and snowboarding at a relatively low cost. If you are a veteran, you can join ASC sport programs for free. ASC serves 44 counties in Ohio, including several surrounding Dayton. Find out more about ASC at https://adaptivesportsconnection.org/.
Arts & Crafts — There are thousands of fun arts and crafts ideas available online, ranging in skill level from beginners to experts. Davis Art offers a free library of videos describing adaptations that can be made while engaging in arts and crafts projects to accommodate the abilities and needs of those with various types of disabilities. The videos cover gross motor-related adaptations, emotional and behavioral-related adaptations, and just about every other type of adaptation you can think of. Access the library at https://www.davisart.com/free-resources/adaptive-art-resources/.
The ACIL staff hopes that these accessible winter activity suggestions will make winter more enjoyable for you and your family. Make sure to stay safe and warm while engaging in whatever activities you choose to enjoy this season. Don’t forget, we’re here to help you even when it is very cold. Contact us at 937-341-5202 or [email protected] if you would like to keep yourself busy by working with us to achieve an independent living or advocacy-related goal this winter.