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Fourth of July Learning Fun for Kids with LD

Sorting Games and Sensory Integration Activities

Jun 30, 2008

Children who have a learning disability often have difficulty with reading skills. These Fourth of July activities are sure ways to practice those skills.

Red, White, and Blue Game

This game is especially great for kids who are learning disabled who are learning to spell their color words.

Print the color names on index cards: red, white, and blue.
Explain that the goal is to find as many things of this color as possible.
Give ten cards of each color to each of the players.
Set a timer for three minutes.
After the players have placed as many cards as possible, collect the left over cards. These will not earn points.
Then, go around the house with the players talking about the color of the labeled items.
Count the number of cards that each player placed correctly.

Try this game with other colors throughout the summer. For example, use the colors of your favorite sports team.

Stars and Stripes Book

Look at an American flag or read a simple book about the flag. Here are some wonderful examples for beginning readers:

I'm Going to Read (Level 2): Hooray for the 4th of July (I'm Going to Read Series), by Wendy Watson [Clarion, 2000]
F Is For Flag, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison and Barbara Duke [Reading Railroad Books, 2002]

Take pictures of star or stripe patterns around your house. Print the pictures. Have your child sort them by stars or stripes. Fasten the pictures together in a booklet. Read your stars and stripes booklet, talking about the names of the objects and the patterns.

Have a Parade

Who says that a parade has to be outdoors? Gather some stuffed animals, small American flags and and indoor riding toy with wheels. Have your own Fourth of July parade. Be sure to add music and some cool red or blue drinks for the thirsty parade organizers.

Make a Fireworks Painting

For this activity you will need dark construction paper, nontoxic colored paints, and small sponge pieces. Talk about fireworks. Here are some questions to keep the conversation going.

Do you watch fireworks in the day or at night?
What colors are fireworks?
Are they loud or quiet?
Where do your look to see fireworks? (high in the sky)
When do we have fireworks? (on the Fourth of July)

Show your child how to dip the sponge in the paint and then dab in on the paper. Repeat with several “explosions” on the paper. Then continue with the other colors. (Tip: put the paints in small aluminum pans, paper plates, or plastic trays to keep the artwork on the paper. Using one of dad's old button front shirts will save the clothes.)If your child shows signs of tactile defensiveness, try holiday fun with jello.

The Fourth of July can be a celebration whether inside or outside! Use these holiday theme activities to practice art, sorting, patterns, and sensory integration. The pay off will be big with your child's school skills in the fall.

The copyright of the article Fourth of July Learning Fun for Kids with LD in ADHD Children is owned by Lynn Moore. Permission to republish Fourth of July Learning Fun for Kids with LD in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.