Summer Tips, Tools & Fun Ideas
Keeping Kids with Special Needs on Track Over the Summer: Tips, Tools & Fun Ideas
By: Popple Kids
Summer break can be a welcome change from the busy school year, but for kids with special needs, the shift in structure and routine can feel overwhelming. Whether your child thrives on consistency, requires sensory support, or simply benefits from guided activities, maintaining a gentle routine over the summer can make a big difference in their emotional regulation, learning, and joy.
Here are some practical tips, engaging games, and helpful supplies to keep your child on track, while still soaking up all the summer fun!
1. Create a Summer Routine (That Still Feels Like a Break)
Children with special needs often do best with predictability. While summer should feel relaxed, a light schedule offers security.
Tips:
Use a visual schedule with pictures and times for each part of the day: wake-up, meals, playtime, quiet time, and bedtime.
Include built-in transitions with timers or “countdown warnings” to help them shift activities smoothly.
Keep a routine chart they can help check off—it creates ownership and builds executive function skills.
Helpful Supplies:
Visual schedule cards or magnetic boards (Velcro boards work great too)
Timers or visual countdown apps
Laminated routine charts with stickers or dry erase markers
2. Sensory Play That Supports Regulation
Many children with sensory processing challenges benefit from sensory-rich activities that keep their nervous systems balanced and engaged.
Try These Ideas:
Water play: Set up a sensory bin with water beads, scoops, and funnels.
Nature walks: Collect leaves, rocks, and flowers for a texture scavenger hunt.
Sensory art: Use puffy paint, finger paint, or textured rolling brushes on large paper.
Supplies to Have on Hand:
Sensory bins, kinetic sand, water beads
Noise-cancelling headphones for crowded summer places
Weighted lap pads or compression vests for calm-down time
3. Fun Games That Build Skills
Summer is perfect for reinforcing learning through play. Choose games that subtly work on language, social interaction, or motor skills.
Game Ideas:
Obstacle courses: Boost gross motor skills and follow-the-sequence thinking.
Simon Says: Helps with listening, imitation, and self-regulation.
Matching or sorting games: Great for cognitive and fine motor development.
Story cubes or conversation cards: Encourage expressive language and creativity.
Skill-Building Toy Suggestions:
Magnetic building tiles (like Magna-Tiles)
Therapy putty or fidget toys
Foam dice or interactive flashcards
4. Keep Social Skills in Motion
Without the daily interactions of school, summer can be isolating. Set up opportunities to connect—on their terms.
Ways to Help:
Organize playdates with one or two familiar friends or peers with similar needs.
Join inclusive summer programs or community art/music classes.
Use social stories to prep for new summer situations (like beach trips or fireworks).
Pro Tip: Practice small talk or turn-taking at home using role-play games or a pretend restaurant.
5. Embrace Flexibility and Celebrate Progress
Every child is different, and no summer plan will go exactly as expected. Some days will feel like a win, others like a reset. The key is to celebrate small victories—and give yourself grace, too.
Try ending each day with a "What Went Well" moment. Ask your child (and yourself):
What did we enjoy today? What made us feel calm? What can we try differently tomorrow?
Final Thoughts:
Summer is a season for growth, but that growth doesn’t have to mean constant activity or pressure. With the right structure, sensory support, and playful tools, kids with special needs can thrive during these sunny months, building independence, resilience, and plenty of happy memories.