There are many fun activities that your child can take part in this summer. You can help your child have a good summer by choosing activities that will give your child a sense of belonging/acceptance, success, accomplishment, growth, and competence.
As a parent of a child with special needs, it is important to set goals, which can be done before and after selecting appropriate activities for your child. Choose activities that may best serve your child’s health, fitness, recreational, and social needs. You can choose activities that will help your child make new friends, build new (motor) skills, and learn how to participate in a team.
Some ideas for activities that your child can take part in include: playing on a basketball team, going hiking, taking dance lessons, enrolling in an animal/equine therapy program, and reading at your local library.
Taking your child on a walk through the outdoors can be fun! Have your child hunt for interesting fossils, leaves, branches, shells or flowers that can be found in your local natural park. Maybe you can even teach your child about wildlife and wilderness skills.
Arts & crafts is great for kids because it builds expression and creativity. Your child can create beautiful pieces of art that you can display at home or at work. Mix things up by incorporating sensory play in their arts and crafts project with paint, shaving cream, uncooked grains of rice, silly putty or play-dough. Sensory play can help your child learn about different textures and improve their tolerance to moisture, if they tend to have an issue with it.
Equine therapy makes riding horses not only fun but also an effective way of providing physical therapy to riders. It is a great form of therapy that can improve your child’s motor coordination, posture, balance, muscle tone, concentration, self-esteem and self-confidence.
Getting your child to try a variety of activities gives him or her a chance to learn what they like, adds to their skills and increases the likelihood of finding activities for lifetime participation.