Our Therapists are busy with families, working on language and of course, listening! Barb Meyers, MA, CED, reports one of her most common questions from parents is “What do I do with my child over the summer??” She laughs, “Play is your child’s work, and that work can be filled with listening and language learning opportunities. Talk about everything, read about everything your child is interested in and listen to the sounds of summer.” She has a few ideas for you:
• Freeze game—child can dance or move to music…when it stops they have to freeze. “Listen. Shh! It stopped. Do you want more music?” you can ask.
• Make sensory bins with—rocks, shells, sand etc. and use shovels and cups.
• Go to the zoo.
• Visit a farm.
• Go to a park.
• Book sharing—Go to your local library –don’t read word for word—look at the pictures and talk about what’s happening in the picture.
• Boxes—anything with boxes—they can get in them—have holes cut in places where they can look out/in—can put animals/vehicles in/on/under.
• Simple craft projects.
• Watercolor paints outside. Got a paintbrush but no paint? Give younger children a bucket of water and send them outside to pavement. It will change color.
• Bug catcher—go outside and find bugs. Making the bug hotel is half the fun!
• Anything with cars—make a ramp with a piece of cardboard—have cars go up/down/fast/slow/count them/could do following directions if the child knows colors: “put the red car down the ramp…now put the blue car and the red car up the ramp”. Put the cars in mud, then wash them.
Sounds like fun! Which of these activities have you tried with your child?