Welcome to the tenth installment of Jackson Jade Therapy's "Summer of Fun" series! Last week, we dove into ocean-themed activities that are as educational as they are exciting. Our activities—Jello Ocean Bowls, reading "Commotion in the Ocean," and crafting Rocking Sail Boats—will engage your child’s senses, fine motor skills, and creativity while promoting valuable developmental skills. Let’s set sail into a world of ocean fun!
Fun with Jello Ocean Bowls
Activity Overview:
Creating Jello Ocean Bowls is a sensory-rich activity that brings the ocean to life in a bowl. With vibrant colors and layered textures, children can create their own edible ocean scene while practicing important skills.
Child’s Perspective:
Making Jello Ocean Bowls is like creating a tasty underwater world! I get to cut, scoop, and stir to make the ocean come alive, and then I can eat my creation too—yum!
Skills Reinforced:
Fine Motor Skills:
✂️ Cutting and Scooping: Strengthens hand muscles and improves dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
🍴 Stirring and Pouring: Enhances precision and control in small hand movements.
Sensory Processing Skills:
👋 Tactile Exploration: Engages the sense of touch with different textures.
👁️ Visual Stimulation: Vibrant colors and layers provide visual stimulation.
👂 Auditory Experience: The sounds of mixing and pouring add an auditory element.
Executive Functioning:
📋 Planning and Sequencing: Follows steps to complete the activity, enhancing organizational skills.
🧠 Reasoning and Problem-Solving: Encourages critical thinking and decision-making as they create their ocean scenes.
Oral Motor Skills:
🍴 Eating the Jello: Strengthens oral muscles, which is essential for speech development.
Language Development:
🎨 Colors and Shapes: Learn and discuss different colors and shapes.
🗣️ Following Directions: Improves listening skills and ability to follow multi-step instructions.
🌊 Descriptive Language: Encourages use of descriptive words and storytelling.
Social and Play Skills:
👨👩👧 Family Bonding: Provides a fun and interactive way to spend quality time together.
🤝 Cooperation and Sharing: Teaches important social skills through cooperative play.
Activity Overview:
"Commotion in the Ocean" is an engaging and colorful book that takes children on a journey through the ocean, introducing them to various sea creatures. This storytime activity enhances language development, reading comprehension, and cognitive skills.
Child’s Perspective:
Reading "Commotion in the Ocean" is like diving into an underwater adventure! The funny rhymes and bright pictures make learning about sea creatures so much fun.
Skills Reinforced:
Language Development:
🗣️ Enhances vocabulary and expressive language skills through engaging text and illustrations.
Reading Comprehension:
📖 Improves listening and comprehension skills as kids learn about different sea creatures.
Cognitive Skills:
🧠 Encourages critical thinking and reasoning.
Visual Perception:
🤓 Strengthens visual awareness and perception with detailed and colorful imagery.
Fine Motor Skills:
✂️ Activities like pointing to pictures and turning pages help with hand-eye coordination and dexterity.
Activity Overview:
Crafting Rocking Sail Boats is a hands-on activity where children can build and decorate their own sailboats. This creative project not only results in a fun toy but also promotes fine motor skills, sensory processing, and executive functioning.
Child’s Perspective:
Building and decorating my own sailboat is awesome! I get to paint it with bright colors and then watch it rock on the water—just like a real boat!
Skills Reinforced:
Fine Motor Skills:
✂️ Cutting and Assembling: Strengthens hand muscles and improves dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
🎨 Painting and Decorating: Enhances precision and control in small hand movements.
Sensory Processing Skills:
👋 Tactile Exploration: Engages the sense of touch with different textures and materials.
👁️ Visual Stimulation: Bright colors and creative designs provide visual stimulation.
Executive Functioning:
📋 Planning and Sequencing: Follows steps to complete the craft, enhancing organizational skills.
🧠 Reasoning and Problem-Solving: Encourages critical thinking and decision-making as they design their boats.
Speech and Language Development:
🗣️ Descriptive Language: Encourages use of descriptive words and storytelling about their boat adventures.
📚 Following Directions: Improves listening skills and ability to follow multi-step instructions.
Social and Play Skills:
👨👩👧 Family Bonding: Provides a fun and interactive way to spend quality time together.
🤝 Cooperation and Sharing: Teaches important social skills through cooperative play.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our ocean-themed activities in our "Summer of Fun" series! Whether creating Jello Ocean Bowls, exploring the wonders of "Commotion in the Ocean," or crafting Rocking Sail Boats, each activity offers a wave of fun and valuable skill-building opportunities. Join us next time as we continue to make this summer a season of learning, creativity, and connection!
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