This post is intended to give you 10 simple ideas of things to do with your kid this summer. These activities are intended to help your child develop in multiple areas including fine motor, sensory, gross motor, social, language and much more! Enjoy!
1. Swim or play in the water: This is one of my favorites to suggest (especially for my kids with sensory processing and coordination differences). There is great sensory feedback from being in the water. You can poke holes in plastic cups to make sprinklers or use the kitchen strainer for some added fun! Ellie has always enjoyed swimming with glow sticks too! Check out this post for some other water table/water play ideas - Sensory Fun in the Sun
2. Have your child get messy: I know, you are thinking why on earth would I do that?! Well after they get messy you can then do number 1 and hose them down/go swimming. 2 birds with one stone right?! Really though, getting messy is so important for our kiddos (especially little ones developing their nervous system and learning how things feel and how to use their body to engage their environment). What do I suggest? I love for kids to play in the rain, dig in the mud, or help in the garden. In my experience, kids are pretty good at getting messy without too much help from us adults as long as we provide the context and safety parameters! Here is another post about getting messy that you might enjoy!
3. Play/work outside: I can NOT say it enough how important time outside is for a child's development. There is so much to do too! They can play in the sandbox, color with chalk, water paint with brush and bucket of water on fence or concrete, ride bikes or go for wagon rides. You can play with bubbles, parachutes, tents, card board box tunnels, and much more! Ellie loves to go for walks and collect rocks. The key is to let nature guide them in play. You can create great chores for your kids (which is highly coorelated to raising children who are successful in workforce). Chores like picking up sticks, pulling weeds, watering flowers, or painting are just a few ideas!
4. Make some fun crafts: Even if crafting isn't your thing, there is so much to gain developmentally from making things! Putting writing and cutting tools in kids hands gives them practice and helps them advance fine motor manipulation skills that are needed in academics and life skills. Some crafts I recommend are making cards for family, painting pet rocks, building boats with popsicle sticks and pool noodles, coloring books, sticker books, sun/dream catchers, and bird feeders. These are just a few ideas! Be sure to check out more ideas of mine on my Pinterest page.
5. Play sports: Ok so not every kid is involved in sports. This idea is to help with increasing eye hand coordination, strength and motor planning (which are all skills we use in daily living and in academics). Whether you create your own game/sport, play catch, kick a ball around, do some GoNoodle, strike a yoga pose or swim some laps, the key is to get moving with purpose and coordination. Team sports add a benefit of socialization as well!
6. Read: This is a personal favorite! Reading is so important for developing language and vocabulary skills. It also gives your child attention, helps with focus and listening, and can be so fun! Whether they are board books or chapter books- reading is good to do with your child from day one! 
7. Go visit the park: This is a fun and free way to get children playing in a new context (and potentially with friends!) You can ride bikes or play games at the park. You can also play on slides, swings and build strength from climbing. There is great opportunity for turn taking, increasing coordination, and sensory exploration at the park!
8. Play games or do puzzles: This is another favorite! I love playing games or making up my own games to play with Ellie. Whether is pretending to bake cookies, playing Barbis or legos, sorting cards, or wiring puzzles; all are great for development. You can also do I spy puzzle books to help with visual skills needed for many academic tasks. I love how games also engage socialization, turn taking and incorporate great opportunity for language.
9. Make snacks: Such a fun activity that your kids will love and can enjoy the rewards for their work! Making snacks can include lots of great fine motor skills for opening containers/packages, pouring, scooping, measuring, stirring, safety, and much more! Snacks done have to be baked goods either- I love to make trail mix, popcorn or personal pizzas as these also require sequencing and lots of great skills as well!
10. Build a tent, fort or an obstacle course: Another favorite of mine as you can do so many things with this. You can build a tent and have a movie night or tell stories by flashlight. You can build a fort and have a paper ball fight. I personally love obstacle courses as you can literally use anything. It can be inside with blankets, couch cushions, pillows and boxes. It can be outside with sticks, pieces of board, logs, tires, boxes, and so many more! Have fun with this one – because your kiddo will love this one too!
I hope you all are having an awesome summer so far and find these activities inspiring for your summer play list!
Ready to Grow – Casey
OT and Grow With Me 