Summer Activities to Support Your Child’s Occupational Therapy

Summer is the perfect time to engage in fun and therapeutic activities with your child. These activities not only keep your child entertained but also support their occupational therapy goals. Here are some creative and effective occupational therapy activities you can try at home this summer:

Create a Chalk Line Obstacle Course
Transform your driveway into a colorful obstacle course with chalk. Draw spirals, zigzags, loops, specific shapes, and colors, lines to jump over, balance beams to walk on, or even a hopscotch grid. This activity is fantastic for improving gross motor skills and coordination. Your child will have a blast while developing essential movement skills.

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Go on a Rainbow Nature Walk
Take a stroll around your neighborhood or visit a local forest preserve and collect items from nature that represent each color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. This engaging activity works on fine motor skills and visual processing as your child searches for and gathers colorful objects.

Create Bubble Wands
Using pipe cleaners and beads, you and your child can create custom bubble wands. Once the wands are ready, have fun blowing bubbles together. This enjoyable activity supports oral motor skill development, which is crucial for speech and eating.

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Make a Painted Rock Garden
Gather some rocks and let your child paint them using finger paint or a paintbrush. The irregular shapes of the rocks provide a tactile challenge, helping to develop fine motor skills. Creating a rock garden not only encourages creativity but also offers a wonderful sensory experience.

Create a Summer Sensory Bin
Fill a bin with water, sand, seashells, toy fish, ocean animals, and other summer-themed items. This sensory bin offers a calming and stimulating experience for your child. It’s a great independent activity that can help with sensory processing and provide a soothing break during a busy day.

These activities are not only enjoyable but also therapeutic, helping your child to develop various skills in a playful and engaging way. Incorporating these fun summer activities into your routine can make a significant difference in your child’s occupational therapy journey. Happy summer!