Summertime Home Fun with LessonPix

by Beth Poss and Mary Katherine Dally

Summer is here and parents and caregivers are looking for ways to continue the learning at home. Check out these resources to make learning fun all summer long!

Sidewalk Chalk

Sidewalk chalk is a great way to unleash your creativity outside with minimal materials--just a sidewalk or patio and some colored chalk! Create an on the go visual vocabulary book to talk about what you might draw with this tabbed mini book. Print the picture cards on a 4x6 printer setting to keep handy for choice making.

Playdough

Playdough fun is perfect for rainy days or when it is just too hot outside. There are lots of language and play opportunities beyond smashing and rolling. Here are a few ideas to model language. Practitioners can share the linked handout with parents to keep handy.

Bubbles

Bubbles are a classic summer experience. How do we move beyond blowing bubbles on repeat? Let’s talk about where or how we can blow bubbles using different concepts. 

Create this dice, roll and talk about: 

• Positional concepts - Let’s blow the bubbles up! Now down!  
• Identifying body parts - Let’s blow bubbles on your toes. Now your head. Quick cover your eyes! 
• Descriptive words - Blow big bubbles! Oh those are so small. 
• Creating phrases - roll the dice twice to blow a big bubble up! Roll the dice to blow bubbles down at your feet. 

*This is also a tool that can be used through alternative access as a student can push dice off a wheelchair tray or use a switch to activate on Lesson Pix Play Tools online. 

Water Play

Don’t want to get that high tech AAC system wet or damaged at the pool or by the water table? Try double laminating this water play core/fringe board instead!

Add some additional fringe and core words targeting water and sand play to a bucket. This communication board was laminated and secured with clear packing tape.  Don’t have a beach or stand table near you? Find a local park or sand volleyball court to imitate that sandy beach experience. 

Visit the Beach

In preparation for a beach trip, read this matching picture book that sets children up for what to expect in the sand and sun. 

Playground Fun! 

Enjoy summer fun at the playground with a playground board! Even if your local playground does not have a large installed board, you can bring your own personal sized version and place it in strategic locations around the playground to support communication.

(For more information on how to create a LessonPix playground communication baord, check out our article here.)

For quick and easy to access visual cues on the playground, keep this Tab and Flap book on a lanyard.

To quote every middle school student signing their yearbook, “HAGS!” (“Have a great summer!”).