​
WISCONSIN ASSOCIATION FOR TALENTED & GIFTED

Wisconsin Association For Talented & Gifted

  • Get Involved
    • Membership
    • News
    • Partnerships
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Meet The Board
    • Gifted Listserv
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Advanced and Accelerated Learning in WI
    • WATG Blogs >
      • News from the Board
      • Noticias de las Mesa Directiva
      • Gifted in Perspective
      • Dotados en Perspectiva
      • Ask the Doctor
      • Gifted @ Home
      • Student Voices
      • Guest Blogs
      • Tools to Use Today
      • From the Bookshelf
      • GT Meanderings
      • Advocacy Blog
      • Justice for All
    • Podcasts
    • Parenting
    • History + Pioneer Profiles
    • Awards & Scholarships
    • Past Newsletters
  • Equity
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy Resources
    • Advocacy Blog
  • Annual Conference
    • 2023 Annual Conference
    • 2023 Keynote Speakers
    • Exhibitors/Sponsors
    • Parent Conference
    • Teen Conference
    • Logo Contest
    • Past Conferences
  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
    • Membership
    • News
    • Partnerships
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Meet The Board
    • Gifted Listserv
  • Resources
    • Resources
    • Advanced and Accelerated Learning in WI
    • WATG Blogs >
      • News from the Board
      • Noticias de las Mesa Directiva
      • Gifted in Perspective
      • Dotados en Perspectiva
      • Ask the Doctor
      • Gifted @ Home
      • Student Voices
      • Guest Blogs
      • Tools to Use Today
      • From the Bookshelf
      • GT Meanderings
      • Advocacy Blog
      • Justice for All
    • Podcasts
    • Parenting
    • History + Pioneer Profiles
    • Awards & Scholarships
    • Past Newsletters
  • Equity
  • Advocacy
    • Advocacy Resources
    • Advocacy Blog
  • Annual Conference
    • 2023 Annual Conference
    • 2023 Keynote Speakers
    • Exhibitors/Sponsors
    • Parent Conference
    • Teen Conference
    • Logo Contest
    • Past Conferences
  • Contact Us

Outdoor Summertime Fun

6/1/2020

0 Comments

 
The end of school is here, albeit a very different end of school this year.  For many families the end of the school year came in March when schools closed, and learning shifted to the home.  For others, school continued in some fashion until the end of May or early June.  Now that school is officially over, it is time to think about summer.  

COVID-19 still has us concerned about catching the virus, spreading the virus, or otherwise being at risk or putting others at risk. Perhaps we’re worried about grandparents, young children, or those with health issues.These are valid concerns.  Even though Wisconsin has ‘opened up’ and the state is no longer on restriction, many families are choosing to remain so to some degree to keep themselves safe and healthy.  That is a perfectly fine decision; however, how do we keep our kids busy this summer with many traditional summer activities now considered at-risk behavior, and many events, such as summer camps and programs, cancelled?  After all, gifted kids have minds and/or bodies that never stop.

Below is a list of activities to not only keep youngsters (and adults) occupied, but also to work on building their bodies and minds while outside.  Below the list of activities are links for websites with even more outdoor ideas.  The lists could be endless so there are only a few activities and resources listed.  I encourage you to investigate your favorite places online; better yet, ask your gifted student to do the investigating and inform the family of what they learned. Many of these links have unique activities and ideas for the summer that do not include actually being at the location. You may even start some new traditions with some new activities.

Always remember to follow CDC guidelines and practice social distancing if playing with others outside your own family.  Wear a mask,  wash hands a lot,  use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available, and disinfect equipment after use to limit the spread of germs (balls, chalk, gardening tools, jump rope, etc.).
Here are some guidelinesHow to Protect Yourself & Others, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).


Enjoy the summer months together with your family.  It is sure to be a summer as unique as this year has been.


Activities to Build the Body and Mind

Fine Motor (Small Muscles) Skills
Dig in dirt or sand
Scavenger hunt
Sidewalk/driveway chalk art
Blow bubbles with bubble mix you make
Play with a ball (catch, basketball, softball, dodgeball, badminton)
Gardening
Collect leaves, rocks
Make mud pies
Wash the car
Stacking cups
Fishing



Gross Motor (Large Muscles) Skills
Climb a tree
Play in water
Kick ball
Jump rope by yourself or with family members, reciting the rhyme you created (see Creativity below)
Hopscotch
Play with a ball
Sidewalk/driveway bowling
Exercises (jumping jacks, lunges, squats, run in place)
Bike ride
Skateboarding
Scooter ride
Rollerblading
Walking


Field Day Activities
100-yard dash
Distance runs (run around the perimeter of the yard)
Ball throw (shot put)
Long jump (short jump)
Frisbee throw (discus)
Hurdles (use a box or something with age appropriate height)
Relay Run


Creativity Skills
Pretend play
Make up your own games 
Make new rules for well-known games
Create the rhyme to recite while jumping rope
Sidewalk/driveway chalk art
Obstacle course
Write letters to family or friends 
Birdwatching


Calming Skills
Read a book (many libraries have curb-side pick-up, or are open for limited use, and for eBook checkout online)
Write a short story or book
Keep a journal
Create art
Meditate
Yoga


Websites with Activities

Keeping Kids Active and Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Johns Hopkins University
https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/04/20/keshia-pollack-porter-keeping-kids-active-during-covid-19/

Nature-Based Activities to Do While Practicing Social Distancing
University of Minnesota Extension
https://extension.umn.edu/natural-resources/nature-based-activities

Keeping Children Active During the Coronavirus Pandemic (free PDF)
American College of Sports Medicine
https://www.exerciseismedicine.org/assets/page_documents/EIM_Rx%20for%20Health_%20Keeping%20Children%20Active%20During%20Coronavirus%20Pandemic.pdf

How To Keep Kids Engaged During COVID-19
Wisconsin Public Radio, Central Time Podcast
https://www.wpr.org/how-keep-kids-engaged-during-covid-19

Playing It Safe While Getting Cooped-Up Kids Outside, National Geographic
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/family/2020/04/playing-safely-outside-coronavirus/

National Park Resources, National Geographic
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/idea/national-park-resources/

Junior Ranger Online, National Park Service
https://www.nps.gov/kids/junior-ranger-online.htm

Family Activities to Try During Closures-COVID-19 Checklist 
Ohio, Department of Health
https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/families-and-individuals/coping-with-covid-19-anxiety/Family-Activities-to-Try-During-Closures-COVID-19

101 Ideas to Keep Your Kids Busy During Coronavirus Closures, Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2020/03/15/101-ideas-to-keep-your-kids-busy-during-coronavirus-closures/#1fb4b68874a4

Explore.org Animal Live-Cams, World’s Largest Nature Network
Live cameras of wild and domestic animals around the world.
https://explore.org/livecams

Explore.org Free Nature Lesson Plans
https://explore.org/education

How to Make These Next Few Weeks A Little Easier, Courtesy of Birds
All About Birds, The Cornell Lab, Cornell University
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/how-to-make-these-next-few-weeks-a-little-easier-courtesy-of-birds/

CESA 6 COVID-19 Resources
CESA 6, Curricular and Instructional Support (click links of subjects for resources)
https://www.cesa6.org/covid19.cfm

CESA 6 Websites and Lesson Ideas (including extended learning for GT)
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ql86a9eUg04PzUrOmCYpN0iMkxCE7CBqm-tqIJbwT_g/edit

COVID-19:  Travel, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/travel.htm


Keep Children Healthy During the COVID-19 Outbreak, CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children.html

Physical Activities Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Ask the Doctor

    Picture
    Dr. Wanda Routier, Former WATG Board Member

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    September 2015
    August 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    August 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture
WATG Privacy Statement

Get Involved

Advocacy
News
The Board

Resources

​Blogs
Awards & Scholarships
Pioneer Profiles
G/T Groups

Equity

Conference

Contact Us
Keynote Speakers
Logo Contest
Teen Conference
Past Conferences