Click the link below to watch live cams of animals at the San Diego Zoo. The site also has stories to read, activities to complete, and games to play. After watching the live cams of different animals, have your child try to make animal sounds and move like their favorite zoo animals!
I am missing all of your children! If you have a chance to e-mail me pictures of your child learning at home I’d love to see them! sokoloa@dearbornschools.org
Offering your child choices throughout the day is a great way to work on their communication skills. When a child has choices they feel like they have control over a situation and also feel like they are in charge. Start small by offering your child two choices in different ways throughout the day. Some simple ways you can work on this at home include:
Offer two snack options
Show your child two different books and have them choose which one they’d like you to read
Show your child two different toys and have them choose which one they’d like to play with
Offer different cups to drink out of
Show them two shirts and let them pick which one to wear
The video below is created by a pediatric speech-language pathologist and is a great overview of how to offer your child choices.
All children have varying positional and movement tolerances and capabilities. If you have questions regarding your specific child, please contact your physical therapist via email or reference your child’s IEP.
Floor activities for strengthening
Floor play activities to promote creeping/crawling on the floor , over pillows or up stairs and reaching in all directions in various positions. Play ball/balloon games while sitting.
If your child is able, work on tall kneel and half kneel at a support surface like a couch or ottoman and moving from floor to stand .
If your child is able , work on tall kneel walking forwards, backwards and sideways.
Bridging when laying on their back.
Superman position on the floor or on a pillow
Standing activities for balance , strength and coordination.
If your child is able to stand with support , work on standing at a couch /ottoman.
If your child is able to walk with support , encourage walking along furniture.
Sit to stand from a chair .
If your child is able , work on walking forwards , backwards and sideways.
If your child is able , work on standing on one leg exercise ( 3 times each side)
If your child is able , work on walking up and down stairs holding a rail.
If your child is able , work on kicking a ball or balloon .
Catching and throwing a ball/balloon from 5-7 feet distance.
Note: During the above activities please provide support and hold your child as needed and demonstrate the activities to your child. Add at least one floor and one standing activity to your child’s daily routine. Few pictures are attached on the next page.
Equipment Suggestions:
Please take the opportunity to thoroughly clean all items that travel back and forth from school including; strollers, backpacks, coats, and orthotics.
Also, please note any repairs issues that may require vendor support and contact your vendor directly during absence from school. If you are unable to connect with your vendor, please reach out to your child’s school physical therapist to make us aware of the issue.
Monday is double gym day for our class at school. Has your child been getting exercise?
Have a dance party
Go for a family walk
Play in the yard
Make an obstacle course
Suggested Week Day Schedule
Below is a recommended daily schedule for school days that was sent home in your packet. I understand that all families will not be able to follow this suggested routine, however it is just a suggestion to keep their day similar to a typical school day. Our students do best with structure. Do your best! This won’t last forever!
7:30 – Wake Up, Greet Children
8:00 – Breakfast / Screen time: Go to previous blog post for our circle time videos!
9:00 – Free Play (No Screens!)
9:30 – Educational Activity
10:30 – Snack
10:45 – Outside Time – Weather Permitting
11:15 – Read Aloud
11:30 – Free Play (No Screens!)
12:00 – Lunch
12:30 – Free Play (No Screens!)
1:00- Nap/Quiet Time
2:00 – Snack
2:15 – Educational Activity
2:45 – Outside Time – Weather Permitting
3:15 – Read Aloud
4:00- Family Time/Dinner/Screen Time
7:00- Bedtime
I know it can be hard to limit screen time while at home but do your best to engage your children in other activities. If you need more ideas feel free to e-mail me. I’m here to help!
On a normal Friday at school we practice our fine motor skills. Here are some ideas you can try at home today to practice refining your child’s skills:
Put together puzzles
Eat a spoon snack! Pudding, applesauce, yogurt, etc.
Build a block tower
Color
Paint
Put coins in a piggy bank
Nest cups
Pinch toothpicks and put them into the holes of an empty spice container
Pour water back and forth between containers (you can do this during bath time and it won’t make a mess!)
Check out the video below for more ideas of things you can do with items from around your house!
In school, we practice number recognition, counting, and sorting. Below are some ideas of how you can work on these skills at home.
Count snack foods! Example: If you are having Goldfish crackers for snack put a few in front of your child and count them out. Have your child point to each cracker and count along with you
Count while folding laundry – How many shirts? How many socks?
Go on a walk and look for numbers on mailboxes
Read counting and number books – If you don’t have any at home check out the links below!
Sing counting songs (5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, Five Green and Speckled Frogs, etc.)
Build a block tower and count how many blocks you used
Daily living skills are important to practice so your child can become independent. Self help skills also help your child feel empowered! We practice many of these at school on a daily basis. Try working on one or more of the skills listed below today:
I have created a learning packet that is being mailed to your house this week to supplement the academic learning activities I post here on the blog. In the mean time here is how you can work on your child’s early literacy skills at home.
Everyday at school we practice book handling and early literacy skills. While reading with your child today work on some of the skills below:
