What time is it? Summer Time!
Your child’s schedule is changing, and as a parent, you are wondering, " How do I keep up their progress over the summer?
Luckily, there are many ways to continue developing skills while school is out. Here are some of my favorite activities to prepare students for a fun and successful summer break!
Incorporate strengthening activities into your daily routine
Animal walks are a great transition movement to build strength. Crab walks, inchworms, bear walks, frog jumps, and snake slithering are all great for core strength. Using a spray bottle with water to wash away sidewalk chalk canvas is a great activity as well for hand strengthening.
Explore new playgrounds
If you have transportation, visit a new playground in a neighboring town. With every playground set up a little differently, this encourages motor planning with new experiences.
Designate a weekly or biweekly project time
Crafts are a great way to work on fine motor skills. Check your local library for craft-friendly ideas for your child’s age. Science experiments are also a great way for older kids to work on fine motor skills without traditional crafting.
Have your child help with household chores
Do you grocery shop and make a list? Your child can practice letters, words, or shapes of what you need by making their own list. Your child can also use scissors to cut out needed items for the grocery list to work on scissor skills.
Make road trips interesting
Going on a vacation, special trip, or long weekend? Have your child draw a picture of their favorite part each day. For longer car rides, use I Spy cards to keep screens away. I created a special I spy card for an early reader. Printed on cardstock with a clipboard, they can visually scan their environment for matching pictures!
Summer break doesn’t have to mean losing momentum. With a few simple, everyday activities, you can help your child continue building strength, skills, and confidence all season long.
Author: Joy Burkley
