Hello families! Spring is here, but unfortunately, the pandemic is still with us. While we are starting to see signs of life returning to normal, our typical spring activities are still likely to look different. But this does not mean we have to sacrifice fun with our children! There is a wide variety of fun and sensory-oriented activities to do with our children. To help with that, and to maybe alleviate some stress, we are here to share some educational activities. Read on to learn more!
An activity that taps into some of those sensory needs can be something as simple as shaving cream and a hard surface. Try a cookie sheet, plastic table cover, or any material that can allow for shaving cream. Depending on your child’s age/skill set this may need to be modified, but try having them draw lines, write the alphabet, draw shapes, or draw pictures for you in the shaving cream. Talk about the pictures and ask questions, too!
As vaccinations increase, parks are opening as well! We all know how important social skills are and parks provide a natural opportunity to practice these skills. Try working on some of these skills when in a community setting such as a park:
- Waiting for a turn on the swing/playground equipment
- Greeting peers
- Returning a greeting from peers
- Making eye-contact with peers
- Playing next to or alongside a peer (i.e., parallel play)
The possibilities are nearly limitless and if your child is already participating in ABA therapy, we encourage you to speak with your BCBA about the goals your child is working on within therapy as there may be opportunity to practice skills outside of the therapy session in novel settings, with novel materials and with novel people! Parks provide such an entertaining experience which makes them ideal places to strengthen skills while meeting a child’s sensory needs. Take advantage!
But, it rains all the time in Spring!? And we have been inside for the past year! Ready to mix things up?! Try a virtual “visit” to a zoo or museum. Your child may love hearing the different animals while watching them on a live feed. Who knows what you might see! We have attached some great kid-friendly websites for your “rainy day” viewing. We hope they bring a smile to your child’s face!