Sunshine & Smiles: A Guide to Inclusive Summertime Fun
For kids, summer is the best time of the year! No more early mornings and no more homework means more time for sleeping in, being with friends and doing more of what you want. For parents, summer can bring more challenges than desired, especially when your child has a visual impairment or multiple disabilities.
Regardless, we believe summer should be fun for everyone! So, whether your family enjoys outdoor adventures or likes staying in for some fun, here’s some of our favorite inclusive and adaptive summertime activities for everyone to enjoy!
Stay In & Get Crafty!
Explore Summer with a Summer Sensory Box
Sensory Boxes are a great way for kids to explore the world through various senses and can easily be made with things you may already have at home! A Summer Sensory Box may include things such as sand, grass, flowers, feathers, seashells, shovels and seeds to name a few! What will you include in your sensory box?
Add Tactiles to Your Favorite Books!
Think about what you can use to make your child's favorite book more tactile and do it as a summer craft together! Adding items such as string, feathers, cloth or even cardboard can elevate your books to a whole new level.
Check out an example from our Holiday Gift Giving Guide
Get Artsy
Hands on art is always a great way to pass time! There are many tactile and sensory crafts out there for you and your child! Here are some ideas:
Playing with playdough is great for fine motor skill development and creativity! (Adding scents such as peppermint, cinnamon, or vanilla is a great addition too!)
Painting with shaving cream, puff paint or even wrapping bubble wrap around a roller and using it to paint!
Create a Toy Cane for your Child’s Toys
If your child uses a cane, this easy DIY craft is a great way for them to continue learning the parts of the cane while working on self-advocacy skills.
Check out CCVI’s DIY Toy Cane Video to learn how to make your very own toy cane with your child this summer!
Make Some Summertime Treats!
Making treats, such as fruits pops or cookies, is a nice way to get your child involved in the kitchen and exposed to the many smells of summer! Whether it's mashing berries or helping mix and cut our cookie dough, involvement in the kitchen can help with fine and gross motor skills and sensory exploration!
Explore the Great Outdoors!
Visit an Adaptive Playground!
There are several playgrounds in the greater Kansas City area that were made specifically for kids with disabilities in mind. Check out the link below to find a playground near you or one that would work best for your child!
Participate in Water Activities
Water activities such as obstacles courses, splash pads, or even just a kitty pool are great ways to cool off while practicing skills like orientation and mobility, gross motor skills, sensory exploration, and imagination! Kansas City also has many accessible Splash Pad locations for all kids to enjoy! Check out the links below to find one near you and best suited for your child!
Best Splash Pads in Kansas City (kansascitymomcollective.com)
Variety KC Inclusive Playground and Variety KC Inclusive Sprayground – Raymore, MO
Go on a Walk
Whether it’s in your neighborhood, at the park or on a trail, going on a walk is a great way to bond with your child while also getting active. Follow the link below to check out some accessible trails in the Greater Kansas City area. For extra fun, you can incorporate sensory games such as identifying noises or finding objects like flowers or rocks on your walk to help expand your child’s sensory skills.
Visit a Petting Zoo
Petting zoos and touch tanks, like ones at Sea Life and the Kanas City Zoo, are a great opportunity for kids with visual impairments to interact with the natural world and get hands-on experience with animals, farming processes, and even some farming equipment! This is a great option for the whole family as well, and often times if you call ahead and let them know you are coming, they will have a special touch tank, or something, set up to ensure that your child can access.
Plant Something
Gardening is a wonderful tactile learning activity that relates to cognitive, communicative and fine/gross motor skills! No matter what kind or how big your plant is, your child can be a part of the whole process and will have the opportunity to learn about nature and use other senses like touch and smell!
Check out CCVI’s Sensory Garden for some gardening inspiration!