Fun Summer Activities




With summer officially here, it is a wonderful time to engage your children with summertime activities. Summer offers many meaningful opportunities for children with special needs, especially while enjoying the outdoors! Here is a list of ideas you can do with your family during this lovely summer.


Scavenger Hunt

Turn your walk into a fun mission for your kids to accomplish! A nature-themed scavenger hunt can make an ordinary walk outside full of amazing discoveries. It is a great way to tune into our surroundings with our five senses and be present in the moment with our loved ones. A scavenger hunt will give children the opportunity to express and describe what they are experiencing, whether it’s cloud-watching, smelling the flowers or listening to all the unique animal and insect sounds. Make your own list or find many printables available online, such as this one:


https://www.freekidscrafts.com/summer-scavenger-hunt




Homemade Popsicles

An easy way to get your children involved in making a healthy treat. The benefit of making them at home is you get control over the ingredients. This hands-on activity will allow your child to boost their self esteem as they are able to feel accomplished from making their own delicious treat. Simply mix together your choice of fruit and/or vegetables and a base liquid (e.g., juice, coconut water, yogurt), and enjoy!






DIY Sensory Bottles/Bins 

Make your own inexpensive sensory toys, with the added luxury of working outside to enjoy the weather and avoid a big mess. Sensory toys can be a useful calming tool for children with sensory needs and sensitivities. You can fill your choice of container (we recommend a plastic bottle or bin) with materials - a main filler and whatever items/objects you’d like!


Ideas for materials

Main Filler - rice, glitter, glue, oil 

Small items - small toys, foam shapes and letters, beads, pom poms, sequins 





Outdoor Yoga

Take advantage of the nice weather and get some stretching and exercise done outside! Yoga can help build and improve body strength and awareness, motor skills, concentration and attention span, and deep breathing which helps with self regulation. There are plenty of child-friendly yoga videos online, check out Cosmic Kids Yoga for fun themes and visuals paired with the yoga session.





Water Play

Water exploration can provide a calming, sensory experience for children with ASD. Water activities can promote imaginary play, independent leisure time and opportunities for communication. Set up a water table with different tools for pouring, scooping and squirting water. You can even try using food colouring! 





No matter the activity, summertime is a wonderful time to spend quality time with our family and create memories. Gifted People Services wishes you a safe and happy rest of summer!

- Gifted People Services



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Preparing for Vacation: Tips for Families with ASD

Image
  Going on vacation may seem like an overwhelming task for families with ASD. A trip, full of new and unpredictable experiences, though exciting and fulfilling, may seem out of reach. While it may take a lot of work to manage a smooth, successful trip, it will certainly be worthwhile for kids with ASD to experience new things as well as overcome the challenges of travelling. Luckily, there are many resources, both anecdotal and expert advice, that can help support you in preparing for your big trip. Here are a few of GPS’ tips: Be in tune with your child’s needs and set realistic expectations The first step to taking a vacation is planning it. In the midst of planning for a trip, it is important to consider your child’s needs, likes and dislikes. Plan for plenty of breaks and rest in between activities. It may also be a good idea to have a planner on the trip - it will be useful to see your planned out activities visually, and to take notes of what worked and didn’t work. Most importa
Read more

Understanding ADHD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

Image
Understanding ADHD: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment Introduction: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both children and adults. It is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD can have a significant impact on various aspects of life, including academic performance, work productivity, and personal relationships.  In this blog, we will explore in detail the symptoms, causes, and treatment options for ADHD, providing a comprehensive understanding of this condition.   Symptoms of ADHD: 1.     Inattention: ·         Difficulty sustaining focus on tasks or activities, leading to careless mistakes. ·         Trouble organizing tasks and activities, often resulting in a messy or disorganized work or living environment. ·         Frequent forgetfulness, such as losing necessary items or forgetting appointments or deadlines. ·         Easily distracted by external stimuli
Read more

Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Image
Three Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder Many children on the autism spectrum may show developmental differences during their infant and toddler years, especially in social and language skills. There may be some delays in spoken language or differences in how they interact with peers. However, children on the autism spectrum usually sit, crawl, and walk on time. So, the subtler differences in the development of gestures (pointing), pretend play and social language often go unnoticed by families and doctors. Here is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about three of the early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in young children.   - Delay in or lack of joint attention One of the most important developmental differences between children on the autism spectrum and children without ASD is a delay in or lack of  joint attention . In fact, delays in joint attention skills are found in most children with ASD. -         What is joint attention? Joint attention i
Read more