Summer sensations
When I think of the summer holidays, my thoughts turn to family time and being on a beach somewhere (if I’m lucky).
As a Children’s Occupational Therapist, I also can’t help but think of all the wonderfully sensory-rich experiences the beach setting offers our children. From the variety of sensations gained through walking on wet and dry sand, or over pebbles, the smell of the sea and the taste of an ice cream, to the rich exploration opportunities… there is so much on offer.
Pitching a beach shelter can be helpful in a number of ways. It provides a strong visual point of reference for the children to return to and a base that they can more easily locate. It can also provide some respite from weather conditions or a ‘time out space’ for those that need it. Zip up the front for privacy when changing out of wet swimming costumes or to enjoy a sand free picnic.
It is an Olympics year so why not set up your own mini Olympics on the beach? Activities might include long jumping off the sand dunes or on the beach itself, running or relay races, and throwing activities. Throwing/aiming works really well on a pebbly beach when you can stack the pebbles and take it in turns to knock them over! It’s a bit like beach skittles! Riding your boogie board down the sand dunes is one for the thrill seekers: you can experiment with sitting up or lying on your tummy… the climb back up the dune for another go will provide an excellent workout and you will be rewarded with a fabulous bird’s eye view of the beach.
If permitted, why not end your day on the beach with a campfire? The whole family can get involved with collecting different sized pieces of driftwood and learn about fire lighting and fire safety along the way. We tend to dig a hole in which to build our fires as this reduces the amount of times our matches are blown out by the inevitable wind.
These really are simple but invaluable pleasures to enjoy with your whole family.
Which will you try first?
Rachel White
Children’s Occupational Therapist