Learning Activities
Activities:
Model language using your child’s language system
Play
Move
Read
Math
Art
Music
ASL Learn ASL and Sing Songs. Students can also find the animal, food, colors, etc.... on their AAC device.
Animals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urGIbCsCgNg
Foods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFdIE11qnko
Colors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4OJo8Iv5nM&t=4s
Stop, Look and Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZulV95AP7c
Model language using your child’s language system
- Read a sentence from a story then try to read it using their language system. (They love to see others learn, and make mistakes, using THEIR language.)
- For one hour (or more!) only speak to others using your child’s language system.
- Learn sign language together. Watch a video or an instruction manual to learn new words together in American Sign Language.
- Make up your own secret signs for words, people, places, pets, things in your home.
Play
- Play games together - take turns -
- roll dice
- play cards
- count spaces on a game board, etc.
- You can play by your own rules - Ask yourself what do you want your child to learn when playing? Then focus on that with lots of fun in the mix.
- To say/sign, “my turn/your turn”
- To add dice
- To count spaces
- To match
- To share
- To read
Move
- Dance!
- Watch GoNoodle videos together.
- Go for walks in the neighborhood and point things out/talk about them/describe them (bonus - only talk using your child’s language system)
- Play “Silly Simon Says”
- Do Yoga, end with a nice corpse pose and possibly catch a nap (or giggle)
Read
- Read to and with your child at or just above their reading level (or have siblings or other family members do this).
- Point to the words on the page as you read, pause on words they may know, or that repeat on the page to encourage them to read aloud too.
- Ask “who”, “what”, “where” questions about what they see on the pages (try asking in their AAC language)
- Allow your child to sign, vocalize, point, or use their AAC system to ask and model an answer.
Math
- Play “store” with your real money - Sell silly things:
- $ .50 = mom will do three cartwheels in a row
- $4.00 = a sibling will stand on their head for 60 seconds
- $2.25 = dad will do 17 jumping jacks
- Measure ingredients as you make a recipe together
- Count - How many chairs in the house? How many forks in the drawer?
- Add/subtract - How many forks do we have? How many spoons do we have? How many forks and spoons do we have all together? What if we take four spoons away, then how many forks and spoons do we have all together?
- Time - set a daily schedule of interesting things to do that adheres to time of day (snack at 2:15 pm, juggle bananas at 4:30)
Art
- Scribble (bonus - Ask “what does a happy/sad/scared, etc scribble look like?” and let them go for it)
- Color (printable online, a coloring book, plain paper)
- Paint (bonus - Finger paint)
- Rip (rip colored papers and make a mosaic on another piece of paper with glue)
Music
- Play an instrument
- Sign songs (see online activities)
- Music videos (see Dance! above)
- Whistle
ASL Learn ASL and Sing Songs. Students can also find the animal, food, colors, etc.... on their AAC device.
Animals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urGIbCsCgNg
Foods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFdIE11qnko
Colors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4OJo8Iv5nM&t=4s
Stop, Look and Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZulV95AP7c