Kid-Friendly Therapeutic Activities for Outdoor Summer Fun by Maram Barakat, M.A.

Uncover the magic of outdoor summer fun with kid-friendly therapeutic activities like water play, nature walks, and gardening.

Here are some fun ideas to help you dive into the joy!

Water Play

Water Balloon Toss: Improve motor skills and hand-eye coordination.
Sprinkler Fun: Run through sprinklers to enhance gross motor skills and provide sensory input.
Water Table: Fill with different objects (sponges, cups, and small toys) for sensory exploration.
Bubble Play: Blowing and catching bubbles can improve fine motor skills and visual tracking.

Nature Walks

Scavenger Hunts: Create a list of items to find (e.g. different leaves, rocks, insects) to enhance observation and categorization skills.
Bird Watching: Use binoculars and a bird guide to identify different species, promoting focus and attention to details.
Nature Journaling: Draw or write about what you see, hear, and feel to encourage mindfulness and creativity.
Sensory Walks: Focus on using different senses (smelling flowers, listening to birds, feeling tree bark) to ground and relax.

Gardening

Planting Seeds: Teach patience and responsibility by planting and caring for flowers or vegetables.
Garden Sensory Bins: Fill bins with soil, seeds, and small garden tools for tactile exploration.
Harvesting: Pick fruits and vegetables, discuss their growth process, and learn about nature and nutrition.
Worm Farm: Create a small worm to learn about composting and soil health.
Fairy Gardens: Design small fairy gardens to enhance creativity and fine motor skills

Maram Barakat, M.A., is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She has a master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, with a special focus on global mental health and research methods. She is primarily interested in providing access to quality mental health services in low-to-middle income countries and vulnerable populations. She is especially passionate about working with survivors of abuse and violence. In fact, she has integrated her passion with her academic interests by focusing her master's thesis on culturally adapting and implementing cognitive processing therapy to Syrian refugee women who have experienced sexual violence during and post-displacement. Maram has worked as a mental health professional and advocate in Lebanon, Uganda, and New York for the past six years. At the Lukin Center, Maram will be taking on the role of social media manager. Her main responsibilities entail managing and monitoring the center's social media platforms, creating content, increasing engagement, and more. Apart from her professional interests, she enjoys acting, karaoke, and extreme sports.