Summer is here again, with lots of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the weather! Many activities can be adapted so that kids who use AC can get involved. This is our last issue of the I Can Newsletter for this school year. Thanks for reading, we hope you have found some useful information. Here are some suggestions to keep you busy
all summer long. Enjoy!Vocabulary suggestions for summer activities:
Wanna buy some popcorn?
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Take a picture of me!
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I can’t wait to go to camp!
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Let’s play a game outside.
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Only 3 more sleeps until….
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I love swimming.
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What are you doing this summer?
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Can I stay up late tonight?
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What’s your favourite summer activity?
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Adapting Summer Activities
Playing Games: If you have access to Boardmaker, or other
picture symbol libraries, these games are easy to create, using theme
vocabulary (beach words, camping words, sleepover vocabulary etc.). There are
also examples of pre-made boards on the Internet. 
·
Create
a low-tech displays or pages on a speech-generating device for quick and easy
games such as Simon Says (with lots of movement suggestions “wiggle your
nose”, “touch your feet”, “stick out your tongue” and taking turns being
‘Simon’) or I Spy with my Little Eye.
Travel Bingo can be fun to make that car journey go by a little
faster. 
Lemonade Stand: Whether you are hosting a family bbq, away
at the cottage or running a yard sale, setting up a lemonade stand is always
fun. Your child can use adapted devices
to make all kinds of goodies to share or to sell. 
Create
a Summer Photo Journal: Remember to take photos of all your summer
adventures so that kids can share what they’ve done with others. There are a variety of ways to store your
photos such as digital keychains or photo frames, using an Ipod or simply
printing them out. Try adding some
captions with comments and questions to make your photo journal more
interactive. Your child can also participate in taking photos by using a
switch-adapted camera. No-Tech Ideas
·
Put together an information
sheet detailing the best ways to make communication successful for your child.
This can be sent to summer camp for counselors to read. See an example of a camp information sheet
attached. This can be customized, printed out and laminated to survive the
great outdoors!
·
Eating out can be fun. Try giving your child the opportunity to
order for themselves at a restaurant.
Light Tech Ideas
Make your buddies laugh with a joke of the day, recorded into a
simple speech generating device, such as a Sequencer or Step-by-Step.
I
Can…be a Star!
Jacob Wray enthusiastically practices his speech to his
class. Jacob has successfully completed
functional training on his talker (speech generating device) and has received a
certificate for his hard work and perseverance.
Congratulations Jake!
Resources:
- Check out TVCC’s Opportunities to Participate (Spring/Summer 2010) http://www.tvcc.on.ca/opportunities-to-participate-recreation-and-leisure-family-support-and-educa-5.htm
- Adapted recreation equipment available to sign out from TVCC Equipment Resources: http://www.tvcc.on.ca/adapted-recreation-equipment.htm
- Software available to sign out from TVCC’s Resource Centre: http://www.tvcc.on.ca/resource-centre-8.htm Camps for Kids who Use AC: http://www.prentrom.com/camps
