Every year as spring approached, I started to get a little bit nervous thinking about what activities and therapies Hannah would/should have during the summer months.
By May 1st, I usually had a lineup of therapists and ideas of what would help Hannah for the three long months of summer. Most importantly, I would ask Hannah what her goals were for the upcoming summer and work from her plan. I would ask her to list her top three things that she wanted to do. She usually wanted to do some kind of artwork, go to the movies, and go to the library. We were very fortunate that our local art center had classes and they were very accommodating for Hannah to be able to participate.
Any Disney, Pixar, or animated movie was always a delightful adventure to go to with Hannah. Although it took me many years to try to teach her that animals really do not talk! Today, I have noticed that many of the theaters even have what’s called “sensory showings.” These showings are for those persons with additional needs who might need to have the lights on or not have the sound as loud as it normally is in a movie theater. And finally, going to the library to find that special book or movie to borrow.
Going to the library was a real treat because we would work on the skills of walking into the library, using the computer to search for a book, finding the section in the library, and finally going up to the desk to check it out. All of this required pre-planning in the areas of social skills. You can practice all of this at home before you go.
Happy artwork, movie going, and library time this summer!
Remember to journal a little bit each day…the days are long but the years fly by~
Author: Merrylee Kandel “teachable moments”
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