Making a Snowman

Winters in North Dakota can seem to last forever. A fun activity for all ages is to build a snowman outside. It is not just a fun time to get outdoors to create holiday decor, but it is an opportunity to incorporate all aspects of language, motor skills, and cognition.

Motor Skills: Building a snowman requires manipulating small objects (i.e. pebbles, buttons) to make a face. You also need to pick up snow with your hands to form a snowball. Gross motor skills involve larger muscles to carry out everyday activities. This activity would require you to walk through the snow, crawl to roll a snowball, lift the snowballs on top of one another, and placing larger decorations on the snowman (i.e. scarf, hat).

Language Skills: As a family project, you will all need to communicate to come up with a design for your snowman. You can decide who will be carrying out which role in the making of the snowman. While creating your snowman, you can discuss the pieces you will be using and the placement of each item. Other areas to discuss during the activity could include: synonyms/antonyms, descriptive words, "wh" questions, use of objects. Good eye contact and a strong voice are encouraged while conversing with your family members throughout this activity.

Cognitive Skills: This area taps into our brain function and builds our problem solving skills and ability to carrying out tasks, sequence, categorize, and make inferences, etc. This activity will test your ability to create and carry out your plan of design, to sequence the steps in creating your masterpiece, and to problem solve (i.e. determine the size of snowballs, placement of objects) throughout the course of the activity.

Sensory Skills: This area involves your five senses and how your body interprets this information. This activity will allow you to taste the snow, feel the temperature and texture of the snow, breath in the cool air and become aware of your body as you walk through the snow.

Successfully building a snowman requires fresh, sticky snow. Check the weather channel to find a great day to get outdoors and be with your family. This activity will allow you to incorporate all of the above skills. Not only will you be using these skills outside while making the snowman, you can also incorporate them while getting winter attire on to go outside. Overall, this is a great way to socialize with your family and to learn skills to successfully complete a fun project.

Water balloon fight

On a hot summer day there is nothing better than a good old fashioned water balloon fight to cool down. In addition to being a great time, water balloon fights provide an opportunity for kids to work on a variety of skills used in their everyday lives.

Fine Motor Skills: Fine motor skills are a big part of a water balloon fight. If the child is old enough, work on opening the bag to get the balloons. The child can then use their fingers to open the bag and grab a balloon out. They can use their fingers to open the balloon and place over the nozzle to fill the water. Depending on the type of water source, the child can work on a variety of motions to turn the water on to fill the water balloon whether it be turning a nozzle or lifting up and pushing down to turn on and off. When the balloon is filled, children need to use their fingers to tie the balloon. Eye-hand coordination is important for aiming to hit the opponents with the water balloons. After the balloon fight is over, children can help pick up the little pieces of the balloons to clean up (with parental supervision of course depending on the age of the child so the pieces don't go in the child's mouth!)

Gross Motor Skills: This is the obvious skills needed in a water balloon fight. During the filling up process (depending where the nozzle for the water is) and during clean up children can work on squatting to fill the water balloon and pick up the balloons when finished and then standing back up. During the balloon fight, children can work on coordinating their hands and feet to properly throw the water balloon at their opponent. This is also a great opportunity to work on balance while they are throwing. The child must also be able to duck and dodge to avoid being hit by a water balloon. During this activity there is a combination of running, throwing, turning, and ducking so this provides a great opportunity for children to work on gross motor skills.

Sensory Skills: Children can get a variety of sensory input during a water balloon fight. First is the texture and smell of the balloons. They get the wet texture from the water and when filling the water balloons, children can either identify the water as being hot, warm, or cold. Typically a water balloon fight is played outside so children can play barefoot and get the sensation from the ground they are walking on (ex: cement, gravel, grass, etc.). There is also a lot going on in the child's environment so they have to process all that is going on around them. When the child gets hit with a balloon there is the input from the balloon hitting their skin and they become all wet from the water.

Cognitive Skills: In order to make a water balloon, children need to think about the process it takes to make the final product. They have to put in order and sequence the steps so they can have a full balloon to participate in this activity. If the bag is unopened have your child problem solve how they are going to get the balloon out of the bag (if they are old enough to do so). They can then work their way through the process of the filling the balloon (opening the top of the balloon, placing it on the nozzle to fill the balloon, tying the balloon, and then the water balloon fight). During the water balloon fight, children can think about the best way to hit their opponents with the balloons and avoid being hit themselves.

The Mailbox

One activity that can be done daily and throughout the year is teaching your child how to write a letter, address the envelope, and deliver it to the mailbox. Rain or shine, it's an activity you can do together. It may seem like a simple activity, but it can help your child increase their developmental skills while doing something fun. Even if you do not have a letter to write, going out with your children to get the mail can be a simple task that helps to improve their skills.

Motor Skills: Fine motor skills give us the ability to manipulate small objects in our hands and include hand eye coordination, while gross motor skills use larger muscles for tasks such as walking and running. Preparing the mail and going to the mailbox uses all of these skills while they are walking around the house gathering the items, sitting down to write and address the envelope, and physically putting on their shoes and walking out of the house and down the driveway to deliver it to the mailbox. Opening the mailbox is a great fine motor skill to be working on.

Language Skills: Language occurs during every interaction two or more people have and involves talking, reading, writing, and listening. The mailbox activity has many opportunities for language skills to be developed and enhanced. Mailbox activities with structured language include, but are not limited to: writing the letter (or having mom/dad/caregiver write down the child's thoughts), addressing the letter, talking about what materials we need to write the letter, etc.

Cognitive Skills: Reasoning, perception, and intuition are mental skills used in the process of acquiring knowledge. Children can use cognitive skills to determine who they are sending the letter to, thinking of ideas to write in their letter, addressing the envelope correctly, and planning how to take it out to the mailbox. Watching for traffic and knowing if it is safe to go to the mailbox is also included in this category.

Sensory Skills: Explore the world around you using the 5 senses of the body-sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. You and your child will experience these senses throughout the activity by looking for the items you need around the house, handling the paper and envelope, writing the message and addressing the envelope using a pen or marker, feeling the stickiness of the stamp, and even tasting and smelling the glue of the envelope.

Running to get the mail is something we all do on a daily basis. This is just a simple "errand" parents run, but just think of how you can turn it into a great learning experience for your child! With a few extra minutes and some thought, a trip to the mailbox can be just another way to enhance your child's developmental skills. Let's bring back the snail mail and remember how exciting receiving a letter can be!

LEMONADE STANDS - More Than Just a Way to Fill a Piggy Bank

A sure sign the "dog days of summer" have arrived in the F-M area is the appearance of the neighborhood lemonade stand. As young entrepreneurs set up shop, sometimes parents can forget what a great activity this really is for their child. It is much more than a way to start a college fund; it is a chance to work on some very important developmental skills. With a little planning and help from you, your child can have a successful lemonade stand and at the same time work on motor, language, cognitive, and sensory skills.

Motor Skills are basically the way we move. We have gross motor skills that use our large muscles for tasks such as running while fine motor skills give us the ability to manipulate small objects, transfer objects from hand to hand, and perform various hand-eye coordination tasks. Our lemonade stand allows for development of motor skills through constructing the stand and signs, mixing the lemonade, cutting the lemons (with help or supervision), squeezing the lemons, picking up, and transferring coins and bills.

Language Skills aren't just about talking. It's also about reading, writing, and listening. Your child's stand allows for development of these skills through making their sign, social interactions with customers, making eye contact and taking direction.

Cognitive Skills are those that make it possible for us to learn. The lemonade stand tests your child's cognitive abilities through measuring and shopping for ingredients, following a plan to construct and run the stand, identifying different coins and bills as well as providing proper change to customers.

Sensory Skills involve seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, balancing and body awareness. Your child will be utilizing these skills by tasting and smelling their product as well as recognizing the textures they are working with such as the sticky lemon juice or the granulated sugar.

Every good lemonade stand starts with location, location, location! Pick a safe, high traffic spot where lots of thirsty customers will swing by. Make your supply list and go shopping with your child. Help your child construct a sturdy stand, make signs and lastly prepare the liquid gold..lemonade! Be sure to have some change on hand - both bills and coins. Open your stand and have fun! Don't forget to have your child help with clean up at closing time. Depending on the age and maturity of your child, they will need different levels of supervision for these activities. This process, as simple as it sounds, is a great way to work on and learn skills your child will need to be successful in everyday life.

Campfires & S'mores

Who doesn't like the idea of eating s'mores and sitting around the campfire with family and friends!? Whether the campfire is a fire pit in your backyard or at a campground, you and your child are bound to have fun creating the perfect spot for a night time bonfire! No campfire is complete without the infamous summer (and sometimes fall) dessert...s'mores! So get your campers ready to practice motor, language, cognitive, and sensory skills while making memories and having fun!

Motor Skills: To start off any good s'more you need to get the supplies together. Practice gross motor skills by having the child search for items throughout the house (with supervision of course) and help get the logs for the campfire. While doing this have the child transfer objects from hand to hand and climb and reach for objects at different heights and lengths. To address the child's fine motor skills allow for the child to create and build their own s'more. Have the child open packages, grasp the marshmallows (have different sizes, require more or less marshmallows), put the marshmallows on the stick to roast and finally stack their own creative fun snack.

Language Skills: When making delicious s'mores with your child, take turns using a variety of descriptive words to explain how chocolatey, gooey, yummy, or chewy his or her treat tastes. Provide other snack choices to create a unique s'more, such as peanut butter, butterscotch chips, or whipped cream. Give each child or family member a turn to explain what they chose to make their s'more (no chocolate, extra marshmallows, etc.), make up names for their creations, and ask questions about what they liked best. The more language you use around your child, the better! Taking turns and working together help build social skills and promote team work.

Cognitive Skills: Your child has the chance to enhance his or her cognitive skills through sequencing, following directions, and organizing materials. Explain your plan for constructing a location for the campfire (in a fire pit or at your campsite) and allow your child to put his or her problem solving skills into action by choosing the perfect spot for your campfire and discussing possible issues that could occur. Create a checklist for materials, food, and clean up items needed to create s'mores.

Sensory Skills: Your child will be utilizing their sensory system in a variety of ways. They will hear the crackle of the fire they are going to roast their marshmallows on along with the chatter of their friends and family talking about their own creations. They will be able to feel the different textures of items they are putting on their s'more (such as marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate, peanut butter, etc.). Then of course they get to smell and taste their finished product!

Work together with your child to create a plan for these activities and assign roles for everyone to be included. Spending time with your child while gathering materials, constructing your site, and enjoying your tasty creations give you the opportunity to talk to your child and listen to what he or she has to say. Don't forget to include your child in the clean-up process! Sticky fingers are inevitable so have the wet wipes handy and make the evening complete by sharing your favorite part of the day! It's easy to practice important skills with your child while enjoying summer-time activities as a family.

Backyard Camping

When you are looking for a last minute summer getaway or activity but may be short on time, unable to travel far, or uncertain what the weekend's weather may bring, it may be time to pitch a tent in your very own backyard for some camping and back-to-nature family time. Children of all ages can participate at some level in this activity and while it is just a fun time to them, they will be working on many developmental skills. The following are developmental skills addressed in this Backyard Camping activity involving setting up a tent, building a campfire and roasting hotdogs.

Motor Skills are basically the way we move. We have gross motor skills that involve large muscle groups for movements such as running and jumping and fine motor skills that involve manipulating objects in various ways with our hands, and using both hands together in a coordinated manner. Motor skills are addressed in Backyard Camping through assembly of the tent, helping to push or pound stakes in the ground, zipping and unzipping the tent doors and windows, climbing in/out of a sleeping bag and manipulating the sleeping bag zipper. Your child will use motor skills in gathering, carrying and piling logs/sticks for the campfire. He/she could also search for and gather that perfect roasting stick, open the hotdog package, and manipulate the hotdog onto the stick.ready to roast!......and of course hands of many ages can try to squeeze out some ketchup and mustard too.

Language skills aren't just about talking. It's also about reading, writing, and listening. Hold a scavenger hunt using pictures of needed camping supplies. Talk about each item as you find it, giving its label and what it does. Talk about how "camping items" are similar to items used in our own homes, and how they are different from the items we use every day, such as the differences between a lantern and a desk lamp.

Cognitive skills are those that make it possible for us to learn. Roasting hotdogs can help your child build on their ability to sequence steps. Guide them with the steps, and ask them to remind you of what to do next, and once you have roasted the hotdogs, ask your children what would have happened if they hadn't made the fire first?

Sensory Skills involve seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, and awareness of body in space through position and movement sense. All sensory systems work together to help a child make sense of his/her environment and respond accordingly. Your child will use these sensory skills when touching textures such as the tent material, the grass, and the bark of the logs. They will use their position and movement sense to run about, handle uneven lawn or surfaces, get up from falls, and maneuver around obstacles. There will be smells of the great outdoors, the fire, the hot dog roasting and finally the rewarding taste of that hotdog. The outdoor sights to see can bring up discussions of what shapes and colors your child sees in the backyard, and he/she will be using visual perception skills to be able fit the tent poles together or fit sleeping bags into a given space for example. Sounds may vary from the chirping of birds or crickets or croaking frogs, to the crackling of the fire, and hopefully an earful of a child's laughter.

Camping outside can be an unforgettable experience for any family. Just open your own backyard up to the possibility and start building those lifetime memories we all cherish!

Cardboard Fort

Do you have a large cardboard box/boxes left over from purchasing appliances or several smaller card board boxes with no need for them. Why not have a great activity to provide quality time with your child...making/building your own inexpensive entertainment and work on various gross and fine motor along with sensory, language and cognitive skills.

Gross Motor: Full body movements will be needed whether using one large box or taping several small boxes together; like being up on your tiptoes, standing on one leg while drawing/decorating your box, jumping in and out and crawling into and out of the door.

Fine Motor: Skills will be used when you draw lines, make drawings/ plans, paint and color your box fort. An adult can help cut out the windows and doors according to the child's plan and additional touches can be added with gluing on paper, fabric and even real wall paper!

Language: In this area you can focus on the vocabulary of making the fort, the sequencing of the steps to make the fort, the plan you may talk about when designing the fort, etc. While you work you can see how well your child listens and follows directions. You can also get an idea of your child's imagination, i.e. if you are making a house, a mall, or fort. What will they do inside it when it is completed? Toy box, hide out, sleep. Use this activity to make predictions, or if it is a younger child, try working on prepositions (i.e., in/out; on top/under; in front/behind, etc.).

Cognition: Are they able to plan and carry out the plan to make the fort they want. Can they identify colors, parts of the whole, the number of items they want? They could even measure the walls, ceiling, floor, etc. They can again work on the sequence of the plan and retell what they did at the end. Play is how kids learn, so it is important to remember to wait and listen to your child's ideas before giving your own.

Sensory Skills: The enclosed cozy space of the box fort is an experience full of sensory opportunities. The touch, texture and smell of the cardboard itself provide sensory experiences but you can also add pillows and beanbag chairs or other things to enhance your child's cardboard fort. Seeing the work you have completed and even hearing the way things sound in and out of the fort are other ways to use your senses. Encourage their imagination by getting your child inside of the completed cardboard fort and pretending he/she is at various places (i.e. zoo, house, shopping mall, restaurant, etc.).

PICNICS - Making Mealtime Fun!!

Summer is a great time to be outside and spend time with your child. You often hear children's cries and whining when it's time to come inside for meals. They don't want to take a break from their outdoor fun and it can be a struggle to get kids to eat. Bring meals outside for a picnic and use this activity to work on important developmental skills such as cognitive, fine motor, language, gross motor, and sensory skills.

The first step of a picnic is planning what food you are going to eat. This is good exercise to practice your child's cognitive skills. This can be done by having your child help plan the meal and shopping for the items as well as making sure there is enough food for everyone that is attending by counting food items and drinks. With preparation of the meal and eating the food your child can incorporate fine motor skills with cutting, spreading, handling the food, pouring, and packing food items.

Language skills can be easily incorporated into this activity. You can practice talking, listening, reading, and social interactions. Have your child invite a friend, interact at the grocery store if purchasing food, and follow directions when packing food and getting ready. If your child is able practice reading food labels or lists. Throughout the activity talk with your child about what you are doing, where you are going, who is attending, and how you are getting there. A picnic allows your child to practice manners during the meal, such as saying or signing "please pass the ...", "thank you", and "you're welcome".

With planning a picnic the weather can play a role with your location. If it's nice go to a nearby park or beach; if you don't live near one you can have your picnic in your backyard. Keep gross motor skills in mind, using our large muscles for tasks, by having your child help carry items, walk to the destination or ride a bike. Being outside is a great way to utilize sensory skills including seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, tasting, balancing, and body awareness. Your child can explore tastes of food, textures of grass, dirt, sand, as well as food. Identify what you see and hear while outdoors. If the weather doesn't cooperate have the picnic at home on the floor. Have your child help lay out an old blanket and setup the picnic on the floor. Most importantly make sure you have fun! Use your fingers to eat and don't worry about getting dirty!