We wait and wait for summer in our house! Summer means we can be outside for longer periods of time not only because the day is longer but because it is finally warm (or hot). Summer means we don't have to put on layers of uncomfortable clothing; we can go outside with barely anything and leave the shoes behind! Ahhh we wait for these short few months! For my sensory little boy, summer is the most magical time. Clothing tends to annoy him so he lives for the moments when he can just live in his swim shorts all day. Shirt & shoes are totally not necessary. Unless we are going shopping. Stop by our house at any moment and you will find him in just shorts!!
We are outside much of the day even when temperatures reach high into the 100's and the humidity spikes. We find shade and drink water or koolaid and eat frozen treats. We make mud messes, finger paint our bodies and the house, chalk up everything we can. We squirt the dogs with water guns and throw water balloons. We turn on the water slide in our back yard and the "fire hose" and we use our imagination to put out dangerous situations. We go to the pool nearly every day and swim in the deepest area, dive for random toys, talk to strangers, jump off the dive board and soak up the warm rays of summer! We take trips to the zoo and search out interesting animals. We go to the park and play tag, swing off the monkey bars and climb up the slide (yes that's right UP it because it is fun!). We put a small pool on the trampoline and jump in and out of it. We call it splash zone! We ride our bikes, skateboards, ATV and scooter. We take a break and go ice skating. We go on nature hikes and bring home groovy rocks or pinecones. He plants his own garden and waters it and eats it (this year it is strawberries and mint). We find bugs and worms and put them in the bug box or dig a hole for them. We play in the sandbox and hide treasure or his little body! We make volcanos and mountains explode!
And when it is time for a rest we lay on the couch eating snacks and watch movies. Our favorites right now are WRECK IT RALPH, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, PARANORMAN & HOTEL TRANSALVANIA. In fact, if you have missed any of those, you should watch them. They are great! Can't go wrong with a summer of odd movies! We play with the wooden train set or the million matchbox cars. We crash things. We smash things. He helps me make no-bake cookies and frozen treats. We rarely use our oven in the summer so we have to be creative. Stirring and mixing and cooking are good inside activities.
Summer fun... can't happen all year because we live where the sun sets early and the cold sets in for long months. Months when we are afraid to know the temperature and more afraid not to know. Months when we have to shovel a path to get out before we can think about fun. Months when we have to take long minutes putting on all the gear just to stay warm. Summer is a time to enjoy every moment. Car trips and travel. Beaches and ranches and mountains. Summer is for fun! We enjoy our summer to the fullest... what are you doing!?
