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Compiled by L ynn Beckett, Angela Mains and Neisha Roberts Pull out the water toys, the s’more sticks, and trampoline — it’s SUMMER! After a long, difficult spring, summer couldn’t be more anticipated. For families built through adoption and foster care, summer can be a fun adventure in bonding and attachment. Try these entertaining activities out together that help build trust, eye contact, and healthy touch. • You’ve Got Mail — Utilize a personalized mailbox to connect with your child throughout the week, allowing for expression in a non-threatening manner. Take a box and attach it to your child’s bedroom door (or anywhere that works for you). With construction paper, create a “flag” and add your child’s name or the word “mail” to the top. During the week, add a special note to the box and raise the flag. Your child can be encouraged to do the same in return. Once in a while you can drop in a “coupon” for something special, like “No chore day” or “You choose the movie night.” (from Kelli Wild) • Cotton Ball Hockey — Get down on the floor on your hands and knees with your children and blow cotton balls back and forth between you, trying to get the ball under each other’s arms. (Theraplay®) • Follow the Leader — Your family members can stand and form a line holding on to the waist of the person in front of them. The first in line chooses a particular dance move or action, and everyone copies. The leader moves to the back of the line and a new leader chooses a new action, and so forth. (Theraplay®) • Shaving Cream Game — Get out your aprons and let your child experiment with shaving cream. This is a great tactile experience. (“The Out-of-Sync Child” by Carol Stock Kranowitz) • Plastic Bag Kite — On a sunny day, get outside and bring a plastic grocery bag, string, colorful ribbon, scissors, and a stapler. Cut the string about three yards in length and attach one end of the string to one (or both) of the handles of the plastic bag. Cut the ribbon (one yard in length) and attach it as a streamer with the stapler. You now have a very inexpensive and fun kite on your hands. • Human Jungle Gym — Let your kids climb on you or pretend to be zoo animals that are swinging on dad’s tree branch arms. • Child Weight Lifting — Let your children be your weights for bench pressing while lying on a carpeted floor, or do bicep curls with your kids. Caution: Be careful not to hurt yourself in this process … or drop your “weights.” Summer 2020
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