Preparing children with autism for summer break.
Tomorrow is officially the last day of school in Canada. Summer breaks here last for two months July /August. School reopens in fall after labor day in September. We are still amid the pandemic so this year the summer break is going to be a bit different than usual.
Summer break is usually the time kids look forward to day camps or overnight camps. This year unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic all of the overnight camps have been canceled in Ontario. Most of the day camps as well are canceled but the province is looking to offer some camps with a limited number of children starting maybe in mid-July. Some institutions are going to be offering virtual camps for kids with autism which are free of charge. These camps will allow our kids to develop various skills through fun activities which will work on social interaction and turn-taking skills. Different activities like Zumba, animal shows, karate, music, and art classes will be offered.
The restaurants in Ontario are still closed with plans being made in phases to open them. Once the restaurants do open there will be strict restrictions put in place to help to maintain physical distancing and possibly the number of people who will be allowed to dine in. I know summer break is normally busiest time for the restaurant business as lots of families look forward to dining out. This will be a big change for our kids as we need to explain to them in simple terms why we can't go to dine out at this time.
This summer unfortunately due to border closings due to pandemic people will not be able to travel like pre-COVID times. Many things will be different during this summer break-in 2020. Summer is challenging for our kids with autism as they crave a routine and structure. The past few months have been difficult for everyone but especially challenging for our kids on the spectrum. There has been no school for the past three months and our children have lost out on the social interaction piece as well which is so important for our kids.
We must prepare our kids for the summer as it is almost 10 more weeks of them being at home hoping the schools reopen in fall all depends on the pandemic. We must create some kind of schedule for our kids. Many of us have already done so during the past few months. It helps them to have some kind of normalcy which helps them feel in control. Our kids love to spend time by themselves. Try to take them out for a few minutes during the day even if it is for a short drive. Due to the pandemic many places are still closed and due to social distancing currently, the kids cannot go to summer camps or have play dates.
It is also important for our kids to work on their IEP goals during the summer to prevent regression. Try to assign around 30-60 minutes each day depending on your child's abilities to work on these goals. It is not important to practice every skill at the table but you can practice different goals in creative ways. Summer break is also a good time to work on self-help skills which are so vital for a good quality of life for our kids.
Children with autism find the transition to summer challenging but we as parents can help them by preparing them for the change slowly. I wish everyone has a good summer break. I also do have a small request if you find my blog useful do follow my blog or leave me a comment.
Summer break is usually the time kids look forward to day camps or overnight camps. This year unfortunately due to the COVID-19 pandemic all of the overnight camps have been canceled in Ontario. Most of the day camps as well are canceled but the province is looking to offer some camps with a limited number of children starting maybe in mid-July. Some institutions are going to be offering virtual camps for kids with autism which are free of charge. These camps will allow our kids to develop various skills through fun activities which will work on social interaction and turn-taking skills. Different activities like Zumba, animal shows, karate, music, and art classes will be offered.
The restaurants in Ontario are still closed with plans being made in phases to open them. Once the restaurants do open there will be strict restrictions put in place to help to maintain physical distancing and possibly the number of people who will be allowed to dine in. I know summer break is normally busiest time for the restaurant business as lots of families look forward to dining out. This will be a big change for our kids as we need to explain to them in simple terms why we can't go to dine out at this time.
This summer unfortunately due to border closings due to pandemic people will not be able to travel like pre-COVID times. Many things will be different during this summer break-in 2020. Summer is challenging for our kids with autism as they crave a routine and structure. The past few months have been difficult for everyone but especially challenging for our kids on the spectrum. There has been no school for the past three months and our children have lost out on the social interaction piece as well which is so important for our kids.
We must prepare our kids for the summer as it is almost 10 more weeks of them being at home hoping the schools reopen in fall all depends on the pandemic. We must create some kind of schedule for our kids. Many of us have already done so during the past few months. It helps them to have some kind of normalcy which helps them feel in control. Our kids love to spend time by themselves. Try to take them out for a few minutes during the day even if it is for a short drive. Due to the pandemic many places are still closed and due to social distancing currently, the kids cannot go to summer camps or have play dates.
It is also important for our kids to work on their IEP goals during the summer to prevent regression. Try to assign around 30-60 minutes each day depending on your child's abilities to work on these goals. It is not important to practice every skill at the table but you can practice different goals in creative ways. Summer break is also a good time to work on self-help skills which are so vital for a good quality of life for our kids.
Children with autism find the transition to summer challenging but we as parents can help them by preparing them for the change slowly. I wish everyone has a good summer break. I also do have a small request if you find my blog useful do follow my blog or leave me a comment.
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