Festive Fall Routines
Last October when I first began writing this blog, I wrote a post entitled: Fall Fun: Using Seasonal Themes to Enhance Therapy, which featured a variety of fall activities that therapists could do with young children during an EI session. I always find seasonal activities to be fun and because the activity is focused around the time of year, the subject matter is relevant to the child’s environment.
Over the last year, as many of you know, there has been a big shift in the therapeutic focus in the county in which I work. Our sessions have become even more routines based and there is also a heightened demand to keep track of data. When I addressed this in previous posts, many of you wrote in sharing that the same shift was happening in your area. So in an attempt celebrate the season and yet still meet the standards of our county and ensure that therapy is appropriate, I would like to offer some NEW ideas that may fit better into the routines based approach that is mandated throughout many areas.
To implement any of the suggested ideas below, you will need to plan ahead with mom to ensure that she is in agreement to the activities and willing to plan and participate wherever necessary:
- Trip to a Local Orchard – If there is a local orchard nearby where the family enjoys visiting or would like to visit, go!! This is part of the child’s environment and providing a wonderful opportunity to work on social skills, vocabulary, following directions, etc.
- Fall Recipes and Crafts with Mom – If the family you are working with enjoys cooking and crafts, what a great time to have mom plan out one of her ideas and you assist by building speech and language skills into the family activities.
- Local Fall Activities at Libraries, YMCA, etc. – Keep an eye out for fall events and activities that are open to the public! What a great way to once again practice social skills, vocabulary and following directions. Many times local venues will have free or very inexpensive festive events that are open to the public (i.e. pumpkin carving, fall/pumpkin book readings, fall festivals, etc.).
Hope you find these helpful and in line with your therapeutic goals. Please write in and share your own ideas for fall therapy sessions!