When my son was 14, instead of sending him to summer camp, I had a couple of his self-contained special-education classmates come to our house every day for crafts, science, academic work, play, and fun. Throw in some field trips, a bowling league, and free movies, and we had something I like to call Camp Mom. Use this list to follow the day-by-day blog entries that chronicled our activities, and consider it a template for organizing your own summer fun. Skip to Days 21-40 or Days 41-45.
Day 11
Photo by Terri Mauro
This Monday was messy craft day. What we did:
- Painted with foam shapes and fingers
- Did homework
- Played Bingo
- Put together a jigsaw puzzle
- Wrote in journals
- Played a speech game
Day 12
Photo by Terri Mauro
Tuesday is bowling league day. What we did:
- Bowled two games
- Worked on a beading project
- Did homework
- Wrote in journals
- Played some speech games
Day 13
Photo by Terri Mauro
Wednesday is movie day. What we did:
- Went to a free showing of Ice Age 2
- Played on computers
- Played a speech game
- Did homework
- Continued a bead project
- Wrote in journals
Day 14
Photo by Terri Mauro
Thursday is field trip day, and this week's foray was to a Wild West theme park/museum. What we did:
- Took nature walks
- Visited recreations of an old-time jail, doctor's office, barber shop, bank, and more
- Went on a train ride
- Watched live shows of Western goings-on, like cowboy races and stagecoach-robbing
Day 15
Photo by Terri Mauro
Friday is make-a-pizza day. What we did:
- Took a nature walk
- Continued a beading project
- Played with sidewalk chalk and soap bubbles
- Did homework
- Made bagel pizzas
- Painted with leaves and other nature items
- Wrote in journals
Day 16
Photo by Terri Mauro
This Monday mixed free play with a few together activities. What we did:
- Took a walk around the neighborhood
- Did homework
- Played with cars, puzzles and computers
- Colored inserts for plastic mugs
- Played outside with chalk, bubbles, blocks and plastic bugs
- Wrote in journals
Day 17
Photo by Terri Mauro
Tuesday is bowling league day. What we did:
- Took a walk near the bowling alley while we waited for our lanes to be ready, then bowled two games
- Did homework
- Played with shaving cream
- Wrote in journals
Day 18
Photo by Terri Mauro
Today's zoo field trip was rained out, so we made do with some indoor activities. What we did:
- Made cookies
- Played Bingo
- Did homework
- Made a "zoo" with pictures cut from magazines
- Wrote in journals
Day 19
Photo by Terri Mauro
Thursday is field trip day. What we did:
- Went to the Crayola Factory in Easton, Pennsylvania
- Did art projects
- Colored on walls with pens and the floor with chalk
- Floated boats at a canal museum
- Shopped at the Crayola store
- Watched DVDs in the car
Day 20
Photo by Terri Mauro
Friday is make-a-pizza day. What we did:
- Took a walk and stuck nature items onto tape "bracelets"
- Did homework
- Made French bread pizzas
- Made a painting with Jello and ice cubes
- Played indoors and outdoors
- Wrote in journals
