The Power of Play: Summer Activities That Support the Whole Child
Don’t miss the opportunity to grow together all summer long! Sometimes the most simple activities can be great opportunities for summer fun + can leave us with the best life-long memories! Check out this list for some ideas to keep summer FUN for all!
Around the House
Make a chalk activity path (hopscotch, zigzag, swirls, etc) from front door to car. Helps give input, gives sequencing for the next activity.
Make up songs with silly rhymes to keep vocabulary strong + increase phonological awareness over the summer.
Make fruit pizza with all the in-season fruit-- have your kiddo help you decorate the pizza and practice touching, interacting with, and maybe even tasting some new fruits!
Have your child stand when putting on shoes and socks to bolster balancing skills while standing on one foot.
Go on an "observation walk" and talk about what you can see, hear, smell, and touch! Model core vocabulary words and strategies such as self talk and narration.
Heavy work can be one of our best friends for regulation! Full laundry basket races, dumping them over, and crashing into laundry
Animal walks to bed such as bear or crab walking builds full body strength and coordination
Pick fuzzy white dandelions from fields and work on breathwork. We use that concept when problems arise and "blow" pretend dandelions.
Out and About
A great way to promote language development during a typical day at the park is to talk about the world around you! Describe what your child sees and experiences by using words about size, color, action, and location like “big slide,” “little swing,” “fast runner,” or “up high.” Simple conversations throughout play help build vocabulary and communication skills in a natural and fun way.
Scavenger Hunt Listening Game (i.e. find something that starts with the /b/ sound, find something that is rough, find something that is yellow, etc.)-- helps build auditory processing skills, vocabulary, pre-literacy skills, and describing skills.
Take a walk or ride scooters (good gross motor input!) to get a small treat! Get ice cream for some temperature input, and don’t forget to ask questions + make observations! (Cold! Crunchy! Smooth! Big! Little! Salty!) With big kids too, this is a great time for bonding + discussing your daily highs + lows or making a summer bucket list. A Great summer memory!
Take your child to the library to let them pick out a fun book and encourage 30 minutes of reading each day - whether that be by themselves or together.
Pack a picnic together + go on a simple adventure! Plan the menu together, prep the food, and decide where to go + what do do while there. Connect over the simple things + use your imagination to plan + prep! Don't forget to involve the kids in clean up afterwards too!
Salking on different surfaces such as grass, sand, mulch, and sidewalks to improve balance and coordination. Barefoot play in safe environments to help strengthen foot and ankle muscles .
All the water!
Water play is a fun summer activity that can help promote speech and language development! While playing with sprinklers, water tables, or at the pool, talk about actions and concepts like “splash,” “pour,” “full,” “empty,” “wet,” and “cold.” Encourage your child to request items, answer simple questions, and describe what they are doing to build communication skills through play.
For swim days keep in mind all the options! Using a stick SPF vs spray, can offer more control and autonomy of where it goes and how much to use.
Utilize items such as sponges, spray bottles, and towels to wash bikes, toys and/or cars. This incorporates proprioceptive input through heavy work and can help address tactile defensiveness with a variety of textures/sensations
Going to the pool or park is a great opportunity to practice stairs, curbs, and uneven surfaces safely to improve body awareness and balance
Freeze small toys in ice cube trays, take them outside + watch them melt! Feel the cold, talk about what you’re seeing, and bring some simple tools to crack the ice try to rescue your toys!
For hot summer days, use wet sand, ice cubes, or water for tactile sensory play.
Take a trip
Read books about vacations, and reflect on vacation themes in movies + shows too! Remember that stories are an opportunity for making connections, reflecting on memories, and learning! Plus, we can be inspired with some great ideas that way!
Vacation Tour Guide-- have your child explain the directions, share what they see, help read signs, help sequence what comes next!
Vacations can be so exciting! But, they can also be a source of anxiety for our little ones! Prep your child ahead of time with a personalized vacation social story to reduce anxious feelings, include where you are going, how you are getting there, and what you are going to do there!
Remember, every day + every activity is an opportunity to infuse connection, growth, and FUN!
The Way to Grow Pediatric Therapy Team 🌟
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This is team Way to Grow! A collection of therapists, office staff, and interns who are all about helping your child create meaningful developmental connections through play! Our team is made up of 10 speech-language pathologists, 2 social-emotional therapists, 1 audiologist, 4 occupational therapists, 2 physical therapists, 1 physical therapist assistant, 3 certified occupational therapy assistants, 1 facility dog, and a partridge in a pear tree (just kidding about that last one!) - all held together by 14 additional office team members + interns, who keep the balls rolling day by day! Everything we do stems from our primary values: Growth, Collaboration, Playfulness, Authenticity, Connection + keeping it all Family-Focused! Our team sees children birth-18 at our therapy clinic in Peoria Heights + at our community partner location in Galesburg… and beyond!
