Tuesday, 1 June 2010

I can... have fun outside!

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?
Take a picture of me!
I can’t wait to go to camp!
Let’s play a game outside.
Only 3 more sleeps until….
I love swimming.
What are you doing this summer?
Can I stay up late tonight?
What’s your favourite summer activity?


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 EyeTravel 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:



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