Monthly Theme: Animals

Color of the Month: Yellow

Nursery Rhyme: Hey Diddle Diddle

Vocabulary:

farm, dog,cat,rabbit,chick,barn,horse,cow,pig,sheep,zoo,bear,monkey,lion,giraffe

Important Dates to Remember:

April 6th, BC closed, Good Friday

April 19th, BC closed, Staffing day

April 26th, Parent Summer Mtg. 6:00pm

Teacher Time

Spring is here! In the month of April we will be learning about all kinds of animals in our All About Me and My Friends classes.  We will talk about zoo animals, farm animals, and animals we might have as pets. We will work on learning the sounds that the different animals make and talk about the different colors and sizes of the animals.  The week of Easter we will talk about rabbits and chicks and might even have some fun with Easter eggs.  There are so many wonderful books that feature animals, so please take this opportunity to read to your child. Here are a few of the books we will be reading in our classes this month:

Brown Bear, Brown Bear

I Went Walking

Big Red Barn

Good Dog Carl

Inside a Barn in the Country

We would also encourage families to take a trip to the zoo, pet store, or the petting farm to see animals up close. This might be the perfect time to take some pictures and create a book for your child.  We know we will have fun this month learning about animals and hope you do too!

OT Tips

Because the temperature is warm and the days are longer, our children are excited to get outside and play. This is a great time to allow them to play in the grass and sand with bare feet. Taking beach trips and going to the park are fun times to help your child experience different textures. Walking on different surfaces and touching rocks, dirt, grass, etc. helps them become familiar with their surroundings and decreases fears or sensitivities. Parks offer various surfaces such as wood bridges, sidewalks, play areas with bumpy slides and “winding” slides. The Birmingham Zoo is also an excellent place to take in new sights and experiences, such as the carousel, a swinging bridge, the train and the water play area.

With Easter coming up, what could be more fun than to dye eggs and hide them in the grass. Offer your child the chance to help with dyeing the egg even if it is just dropping in a color tablet or helping pour water in a cup. Children will improve their visual perceptual skills by scanning an area to find a hidden brightly colored egg. Playing with Easter grass is a good tactile activity as well as the furry animals that are associated with Easter. Of course eating chocolate, marshmallow bunnies and jelly beans delights our senses also.

Language Lessons

With the bright sunshine, blooming flowers, and warmer weather, everyone seems to have ‘Spring Fever’!  What better way to harness that extra energy with your child then by heading outdoors---if you can stand the pollen.  We can’t stress enough how children will initiate communications more frequently in their natural settings.  That means when you’re playing at the park, visiting the zoo, or just out in the front yard, you really are doing therapy!   Sometimes just that breath of fresh air is motivation enough for a child to tackle a challenging goal.

Our theme this month is animals. We will be focusing on the names of familiar pets, farm, and zoo animals as well as the sounds they make.  This is a great way to encourage sound production.  If you have any pets at home, have your child interact with them by calling their name or giving a command.  For those kids who are mostly signing, many animals respond to gestures as well.  In addition, you can also talk about what the animals are doing, how they look, and how they feel. 

There are many songs and nursery rhymes that are all about animals. Some favorites include “Old MacDonald,” “5 Little Ducks,” and “BINGO.”   “Hey Diddle Diddle” is a silly rhyme, but children really respond to it.  As always, repetition is key. Give your child a chance to fill in the familiar word, phrase, or sign/motion.  If you need picture symbols or extra signs, please let us know.

PT POINTERS

As the summer and graduation approach, please check to see if you have any equipment that belongs to The Bell Center or that you would like to donate to us.   We love hand-me-downs of hip pants, shoe inserts, braces, walkers, etc...  If you are still using something, plan on keeping it until a time determined with your PT.

With warm weather and spring fever, enjoy the opportunity to try new activities outdoors and use the outdoors to motivate your child. Plan on working on gross motor goals you have been working on inside…outside. The outdoors can often be motivating with its new sights and textures. Here are some suggestions for outdoor activities:

• Take a ball to the park.
• Take a walk and find a natural occurring balance beam like a curb or log.
• Jump down from a low height on a hill or step.
• Climb a hill.
• Try something new on the playground.
• Go outside and crawl, walk, or skip in the grass across an uneven surface
• Enjoy the swing and slide.
• Don’t forget the ride-on toys and tricycles too!

Are there questions you have about activities to do over the summer or new game to try outside with the pretty weather?  Is there a piece of equipment you are buying for outdoor play and would like input on it?  We look forward to your questions!