Do you love summer as much as I do? As soon as the chill leaves the air, I am outside as much as possible. When my boys were little, I would make a list of fun summer activities, write each activity on a large popsicle stick and put them in a jar. Then we would draw the sticks out throughout the summer and do all the fun things in an attempt to have “The Best Summer Ever”. We had backyard camp outs, neighborhood scavenger hunts, bike and scooter races, pool parties and more. Since my oldest son has special needs, these activities always required extra planning and sometimes had to be rescheduled. Nevertheless, I put pressure on myself to create lasting memories with my boys during the summer.
However, now that my boys are adults, I’ve realized that elaborate activities are not required to make a good summer. Rather it’s being intentional about spending time together. With that in mind, I’d like to offer some ideas about how we as DSP’s can create “The Best Summer Ever” for our clients.
Many of our clients have limitations that make traditional summer activities difficult. So, here are some ideas that can be modified to accommodate their specific needs.
First, create a comfortable outdoor sitting area. This doesn’t need to cost a lot of money or require a porch or a deck. Find some shade, a couple of outdoor chairs (even bag chairs or folding chairs) and something that can be used as a little table (an overturned box or crate works too!). This time of year, you can find really cheap outdoor furniture at garage sales if you want to go that route. Having a comfortable outdoor space will make it more likely that you spend time outside. It’s scientifically proven that getting fresh air and sunshine boosts your mood and overall health. We all want to feel better! Grab a cold drink and a snack and sit outside!
Here are some ideas you can do in that cozy outdoor space you just created. You can listen to an audio book together. There are several free or low-cost ways to gain access to audio books. Spend time picking a book out together and then enjoy the outdoors as you listen. Make sure it’s a book that your client will enjoy and understand. Discussing the book and asking comprehension questions can also apply to working on our client’s goals.
Sit outside and do word searches together. Or find a “Where’s Waldo” type of book to do together. Play board games or card games together. If they don’t already know how, most clients are able to learn to play Uno, Sorry, or Connect Four. You can even go ‘old school’ and play Old Maid or Go Fish! Buy or make a bird feeder, fill it with bird seed, and set it up within sight of your outdoor sitting area. Get your phone cameras ready and snap photos of the various birds that come to feed. Then look online to see if you can figure out the names of the birds. And if you absolutely have to be scrolling on your phone, do it outside! At least you’re still getting the benefits of fresh air and vitamin D.
For a little adventure, download one of night sky apps on your phone. When it’s dark outside, grab a flashlight (or just use your phone), go for a night walk, and observe the night sky. It’s always so exciting to see a shooting star! Then use the night sky app to learn about the constellations. Another idea is to take advantage of your local library. You don’t even need to have a card or check anything out. Just sit and look at magazines or peruse books on a preferred topic. If your client likes dogs, find dog breed books. If your client likes trains, look for train books. You can also look for and participate in free local events. You don’t have to buy anything at the farmers’ market to enjoy walking around together there. Free summer movies in the park are a wonderful way to spend an evening. Visit a local park and do a photo scavenger hunt. You can look for your favorite thing in nature, something unexpected, something red or green, something tiny, or something huge. Get creative! Then share your photos with each other.
Another great thing to do in the summer is to grow something. Anything! Sunflowers, pumpkins, tomatoes, etc. First, work together with your client to learn about what you are growing. Does it need full sun or part shade? Does it need water every day or water once per week? How deep does the seed need to be planted? How long does it take to germinate? What supplies will you need to borrow or buy to do this? You will enjoy the routine of checking on and caring for what you’ve planted and it’s always exciting to see the flower bud or first pumpkin forming. This is another good way to meet the goals of your client.
If you absolutely HAVE to be inside, instead of just vegging out in front of the TV, you can do a puzzle together. If your client doesn’t know how to do puzzles, summer is a good time to learn. Start with one that has a small amount of puzzle pieces. Teach them the strategy of forming the outside of the puzzle first and then working their way inside. When my son was learning to do puzzles, I would complete nearly the whole puzzle by myself and then sit him down at the table and have him put in the last 10 pieces. I gradually did less and less of the puzzle. This is a good way for your client to learn. You can also get crafty! A trip to the Walmart craft aisle will help you find something your client enjoys. Watercolors, colored pencils, a set of fancy markers, and some cardstock can fill many summer hours. If your client struggles with fine motor skills like mine does, you can look for open-ended art activities on Pinterest. This allows them to create something without worrying about having it look a certain way. For example, put a piece of cardstock in the bottom of an empty box. Drop a few marbles in a few different colors of paint and then drop them onto the paper in the box. Roll the marbles around on the paper. Et Voila! ART! Stamps and stickers are good supplies for open ended art activities as well.
And if the only thing your client wants to do is watch TV, then try to learn something while you watch. Watch YouTube videos on gardening or dog training. There are hundreds of episodes of a show called How it’s Made that show you how many of the things we use in daily life are made. Watch a show about farming or one of the many nature shows on TV. Watch Horrible Histories or Mythbusters. The possibilities are endless. Then discuss with your client what they learned or what their favorite part was.
Finally, for the best summer ever, spend it with friends or family. Try to get your client together with a friend or family member. Some of our most favorite summer memories are just sitting around with people we love and talking.
Enjoy the Summer!
-Celeste Shally, Direct Support Professional for Myers-Davis
Celeste Shally is mother and full-time caregiver to her adopted son with autism and intellectual disability. She is the author of While We Wait: Clinging to Christ in the Trenches of Special-Needs Parenting and two children’s books, Since We’re Friends: An Autism Picture Book and The Bully Blockers: Standing Up for Classmates with Autism. She and her husband, Mike, and their sons Cooper and Jaxon, live in Northwest Arkansas. Celeste and Mike lead a ministry for adults with special needs at their church in Gravette, AR. Celeste regularly blogs about caring for her son with special needs at www.celesteshally.com.
