The change from school year to summer impacts kids with disabilities. Some do not want summer; Others long for freedom only to be overwhelmed with the lack of routine.
Parents of disabled children can use the coming of summer to boost math skills.
Say Goodbye to School
- Use a large, posterboard calendar from a teacher supply store.
- Mark the last day of school as well as end of the year activities.
- Write the number of days until the end of school on the calendar.
- Each day, have your child cross off the number to see how many days are left.
Get Ready for Summer
- Use another posterboard calendar to plot out the next month.
- Mark regular summer activities (like swimming lessons).
- Also mark events, trips, and other occassions. A single word, sticker, or picture works well.
- Show a general at-home summer plan as well. (Do you plan to clean out one drawer everyday the first week? Add that to the calendar.)
Why Count Down?
- Counting down (backwards) gives practice to skills necessary for subtraction.
- Awareness of upcoming events reduces stress.
- Calendar skills are important life skills.
Calendars are often used with disabled children as outlined in Parents of the child with a disablity will want to start early to build (and promote) a summer schedule that works.
More Summer Ideas that Work Well with Calendar Skills
1. Develop a summer reading schedule with the struggling reader.
2. Use calendars to prepare for houseguests and siblings returning from college.
3. Teach basic counting, days of the week, and names of months with calendars.
Few adults will make a serious commitment without checking a calendar. The coming of summer is a perfect time to foster that responsibility with children with special needs.
