100 Ideas for Keeping Your Child with Special Needs Busy All Summer

Last updated on: May 31, 2018 at 9:21 am by Key Ministry Team

100 Ideas for Keeping Your Child with Special Needs Busy All Summer 2018-05-31T09:21:36-05:00 Key Ministry Team

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Already wondering how you’re going to fill those long summer days? We’ve got 100 fun ideas to keep you and the kids (or grandkids) busy!

Plant a garden
Find a pen pal
Start a new collection
Climb a tree
Make crock-pot apple sauce
Play in the sprinkler (affiliate link)
Pick strawberries
Water balloon toss
Try essential oils (tips on using lavender from My Blessed Life)
Start a new therapy (We’re starting feeding therapy this summer. It’s pretty intense so summer is a great time to try!)
Make jelly or jam
Try a new snow cone flavor
Swing

source: iStock
Make a tent/cave
Volunteer (my sister, who has Down syndrome, loves to help out at a local food pantry once a week)
Travel
Stamp with TP rolls (via 4 Crazy Kings)
Go bowling
Find a Lego camp or class
Try horse back riding
Take a theatre class
Learn to beat-box
Go see movie (check for free movies in your area!)
Pack a picnic
Pass on old toys
Try a new recipe
Take a meal to someone who needs a break from cooking dinner
Go fishing
Learn to sew
Celebrate June 25th- Eric Carle’s Birthday
Encourage pretend play (from Under God’s Mighty Hand)
Catch lighting bugs
Make a shower curtain play mat from Dollar Store Crafts
Start a new book series
Blow bubbles
Sign up for your library reading program
Visit a park you’ve never been to before (one year we went to a new park each week for eight weeks!)
Play No Time for Flashcard’s Angry Birds inspired water balloon game
Attend Vacation Bible School
Grill out
Celebrate June 7th- National Crayon Day
Take swim lessons
Go to a water park
Visit a zoo
Start a blog
Take a hike
Go camping
Get a group of parents together to go through a Bible study for special-needs parents (my husband and I wrote this one, Held: Learning to Live in God’s Grip). Let the kids play together while you meet.
Try these Cardboard box craftsfrom Craig List Dad
Cut up pool noodles and dump them in the bath tub
Make popsicles (affiliate link)
DIY outdoor movie night from The Taylor House
Go to the beach
Make s’mores
Walk through a creek
Make side walk chalk (Erin Lincoln)
Slide down a water slide
Ride a bike
Try Do-a-Dot art, like these Minecraft pages (from The Multi Taskin’ Mom)
Grill pizza
Make a butterfly feeder from eHow
Homemade fruit roll-ups from Sondi Bruner
Abacus wafflesfrom education.com
Make play-doh (via Seeded at the Table)
Make edible, allergy-free play-doh (via Healthy Mama Info)
Make homemade ice cream
Get a water table (affiliate link)
Try these slime recipes and activities from Growing a Jeweled Rose
Find constellations
Try a new app
Writer letters to your friends from school
Wash the car
Go to a new restaurant
Try a new food (Maybe one you grow in your garden? Or pick from a local orchard?)
Go on a scavenger hunt
Have a movie marathon
Invent something new
Have a garage sale
Trade in old video games for a new one
Write a song
Write a book
Catch and identify bugs (affiliate link)
Visit a farm
Go to a parade
Take a nap (maybe this is just on Mom and Dad’s list!)
Learn to drive
Potty train (this is on our list, for the 3rd summer in a row!)
Go to an indoor bounce house when it’s super hot outside
Read KidVentures by Jen Murray for 50 outdoor ideas (affiliate link)
Find a splash pad to enjoy
Fly a kite
Color these summer pages from DLTK
Have breakfast for dinner
See how many times you can roll down a tall hill
Ride a train
Find a local support group (or research how to start your own)
Make a pool noodle water wall (from Teaching Mama)
Check out Celebrating Our Stories: Teaching children about differences and kindness through books by Courtney Westlake and make a list of books to read (affiliate link)
Dress up like your favorite character from a book, movie, or TV show
Paint finger nails and toe nails a fun color

And for even more ideas, follow our summer activity Pinterest Board.

Sandra Peoples is a pastor’s wife and mom to two boys. She’s the author of Held: Learning to Live in God’s Grip (a Bible study for special-needs parents) and the upcoming new release, Unexpected Blessings: The Joys and Possibilities of Life in a Special-Needs Family.

autism

Down syndrome

medically fragile

special-needs parenting

special-needs siblings

activities

sensory play

summer time

Previous Post

May 29, 2018

Finding Family Fun When Your Child Has Social, Emotional, or Behavioral Challenges

Next Post

June 5, 2018 5 Tips For a Memorable Summer

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category autism church Down syndrome encouragement from Scripture inclusion limited mobility medically fragile self care special-needs parenting special-needs siblings

Select a Month February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz