REGULATING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR SUMMER (CONTINUED)

Executive Functioning:

I-spy for working memory and visual attention

Red light, green light for impulse control and direction following

Sensory Processing:

Sensory Scavenger Hunt

Soft item

Itchy/scratchy item

Something that smells good

Something wet

Something bright

Something you can hear from far away

Something with 4 legs

Color-Based Scavenger Hunt

Describing the Sensory Features of Treasures Found in the Outdoors

Turn Smelling Different Plants Into a Deep Breathing Exercise

The best part of utilizing an outdoor, nature environment as your landscape to work on different skills with your child is that it is free to enter and can be found all around us! You can adapt an environment as needed by going to a creek in the middle of the woods for more quiet, focused attention or a playground for a busier environment that promotes social interactions. Any environment can be used to create opportunities for natural play with your child and the more movement and connection with outdoors, the more available they will be for quiet, restful time later on.

WRITTEN BY ASHLEY LON, M.S., OTR/L OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST TLC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT