Fun summer activities for kids with special needs

Summer is a time for families, sunshine and days out, but for those with children that have special needs, the summer holidays away from school or nursery might seem slightly daunting and knowing how to fill six weeks is often tricky. Kids with special needs often require extra attention; keeping them occupied for long periods takes extra planning and preparation. In this guide, we take a look at some of the activities you can try this summer that are perfect for kids with special needs, with insight from bloggers and experts who have offered their thoughts on the topic.

Fun summer activities for kids with special needs:

• Inclusive camps
• Messy play
• Visit a local farm
• Indoor camping

Inclusive camps

Inclusive camps are camps set up specifically for children with special needs and are the perfect option for those looking for something for the summer holidays. These inclusive camps can be found across the country, and often you can find camps tailored to children with specific needs. These inclusive camps are something that Vickie Rubin recommended to us, offering the following comments:

“Summer is a time for enjoyment! Remember looking forward to getting out of school and anticipating all the joys of warm weather and sunshine! But this break can also be a trying time for families of children who require educational or therapeutic summer services. How will you juggle school, therapies, and summertime fun? My philosophy is to try to do everything in moderation. Look for activities that the whole family can enjoy. We love going to the zoo, community pool, concerts, and museums. Have you investigated inclusive camps that provide special services or support? If you are on Facebook, look at local community events. Some ideas include adaptive summer watersports, challenger sports leagues, theatre programs, free library activities, and more. If you are still in a bind, ask Google or Siri – they always have ideas! Remember to be kind to yourself, try to pace your activities, and most importantly, have fun!”

Messy play

Messy play is an activity that kids of all ages can get involved in and is a great sensory activity. Set up a wipeable mat or tray on the dining room table and place different items on it, allowing and encouraging children to touch, feel and mess around with the different textures and colours. Paints, sand, play dough and small rocks are all great items for messy play, but children should be supervised at all times to make sure they don’t try and consume any of the items or paints.

Although messy play, as it suggests, can be messy, it is great for children with special needs due to it being very sensory-heavy and creative, allowing freedom of expression without limitations.

Visit a local farm

Does your child love animals and being outside in nature? Visiting a farm is a lovely day out for the whole family, and there is always something to keep everyone occupied. Petting zoos are often home to a selection of animals, including sheep, goats, chickens and ducks, to name just a few. Petting zoos often allow children to hold and feed baby animals, and lamb feeding is popular in the spring months.

Animals often have a relaxing effect on children and can soothe those who are upset and agitated, making it a great activity all year round, not just during the summer months.

Indoor camping

Who doesn’t love making a den? Indoor camping is the perfect summer holiday activity, especially if the weather is a little unpredictable. Indoor camping doesn’t require any pre-planning, and you can often adapt to your surroundings. Using the sofa, brooms and mops, as well as bed sheets and blankets, allow you to create a sturdy and cosy indoor tent that you and your children can sit and enjoy for hours. Add fairy lights to your camp and watch their favourite movie for a great day inside.

If you’re looking for more articles like this, then make sure you check out our blog, or alternatively, if you’re looking into stairlifts prices to help yourself or a loved one who may have physical needs get around the home, then make sure you check out our range of stairlifts.