As schools are closed for the next few weeks, we are going to do a series of posts with ideas for our parents at home. Since our students aren’t here we are just pulling archived photos—which is kind of fun actually 🙂

This week our activities are centered on taking a walk outside in your backyard!

 

 

 

SENSORY:

What can you HEAR, SEE, SMELL? Does it FEEL different to walk/ride over bumps in the grass/sidewalk, go fast/slow? Are there things to TOUCH?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GROSS MOTOR:

For students whom walk, take advantage of what your surroundings provide you with.  Practice walking on and transitioning different surfaces, such as grass, mulch, gravel, sand, etc.  Also, practice walking up/down hills, curbs, stairs, ramps, etc.  Walk in areas where the student has to step over or around objects in their path of travel, such as water hoses, tree roots, etc.

For students whom self propel their wheelchairs, have them push on different surfaces or inclines/declines/ramps.  Have them turn their wheelchair in a requested direction or weave around objects in their path of travel.

Hopefully this will provide you with some good ideas.  Make sure you provide as much assistance and/or supervision as needed to ensure student safety.  Most of all have fun and enjoy your walk together.  The weather has been great.

 

 

FINE MOTOR: 

For students who need assistance with classroom tools, draw a simple picture of something you saw outside (ex. tree or house) and have them color it. If you have to help them hold the utensil that is okay, but encourage them to move their arms themselves. Markers may be easier for them to use (less friction/brighter colors)and remember the writing surface can be placed vertically.

 

For students learning to use classroom tools, ask them to draw a picture of something they saw outside. For example, you can model a square house step by step to encourage visual copy skills. Using verbal prompts such as DOWN and ACROSS lines can be helpful. You could also add start/endpoint dots for the lines.

 

 

For students learning to write, ask them to write a sentence about what they saw. Give them a model to copy if they need it. Sometimes, using a highlighter to emphasize the top and bottom lines of the paper can be helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

LANGUAGE: Practice core vocabulary words HELP/STOP/GO. Do you need HELP to get ready? Do you want to GO? Do you want to STOP here?  Talk about what you SEE (“I see a BIG house” or “I see a LITTLE bug”).

 

 

 

Ask them to find different things like a leaf, a stick, a car.  Talk about the weather and if it’s SUNNY or CLOUDY.

 

 

 

 

 

LITERACY: we suggest reading our book from 4/1/2018— Let_s Go To The Park 

 

So this is our new normal! Join us again next time for more fun and learning—-Group by Group!

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