Summer Sensory Play

Summer is a great time to incorporate sensory play into your child's day.  It's warm, sunny and the days last longer- so get out and enjoy your days.  Here are some ideas for fun that also provide great sensory input:
1- Go to the playground
      The playground is an excellent place to enjoy the outside and provides lots of opportunities for sensory input. Climbing, jumping, swinging and running are all great for sensory play.  A playground is an ideal place for a child with motor planning difficulties to gain awareness of himself and he/she may be able to model other children's movements to learn to navigate the equipment. 
2- Go Swimming
     Water is not only fun and refreshing, but provides lots of sensory input.  Try to swim as often as you can this summer, it's not just great exercise and good to increase endurance and strength, but provides sensory benefits and well as social benefits.  Note that indoor pools may have too many auditory inputs that may be overwhelming to some children.
3- Play messy art outside
     Take shaving cream outside and allow your child to finger paint.  Put a big piece of paper on the clothesline and have your child fling paint at it using a paint brush.  Draw with chalk and then use a squirt gun to erase it.