Are you ready for some fun in the sun? We are!
Getting outside for playtime allows you and your kiddos to stay active and make lasting memories as a family. The best part? Many outdoor activities support developmental skills, including movement and play, sensory fun, and speech-building. To help you make the most of the season, we’ve put together three simple, therapy-based ideas for outdoor activities to try this summer. Not only are they enjoyable for the whole family, but they’re also designed to support your child’s growth through play.
Water Balloon Target Toss
Cool down in the summer heat by setting up a water balloon target toss. For starters, you’ll want to fill up a few water balloons and place some buckets outside. Now, have your child toss the balloons one at a time, and see how many they can make into the target zone. This works on hand-eye coordination, sensory exploration, and gross motor skills, all while giving your little one the opportunity to be silly and have fun with water play.
A Great First Step: Place a large bucket directly in front of your child and encourage them to gently drop or toss the water balloon in. Once your kiddos get the hang of this movement, you can then increase the distance of the bucket to make it slightly more challenging.
Playground Adventure
Turn a trip to the playground into the ultimate summer adventure. Encourage your child to run around and explore, and try equipment that they haven’t used before. Your kiddos can use their imagination and pretend like they’re climbing a mountain, crossing a bridge, sliding down a waterfall, or escaping lava by jumping from one spot to the next.
A Great First Step: If the playground feels overwhelming or intimidating to your child, take it one piece of equipment at a time. Encourage your little one to go at their own pace, and slowly build up to more challenging movements.
Summer Walk and Talk
Going on a walk around your neighborhood or through a local park is the perfect way to work on your child’s communication and speech-building skills. Encourage your child to point out things they notice while walking, and use summer-themed vocabulary, such as “flower”, “butterfly”, “tree”, “slide”, “pool”, and “sun”, to describe what they see.
A Great First Step: If your child isn’t using many words just yet, narrate what you see on your walk. For example, you could say, “I see a big green tree” or “ooh, pretty flowers” while pointing to the objects.
Be sure to keep an eye on our social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) throughout July as we share more outdoor activities for you and your kiddos to try this summer. Additionally, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you think your child could benefit from pediatric therapy. We’re always here to support you and your family however we can.
