Living in a city like Chicago, cold, snowy days are a frequent reality. Keeping your children entertained and engaged with meaningful activities on non-school days can be a big challenge, especially for children with autism, ADHD, or sensory conditions that make it difficult for them to adjust to a change in their routine. Hopefully, the following arctic animal themed ideas spread some fun and entertainment to you and your family on Chicago’s wintry days!
Arctic Animal Yoga Poses
- Polar Bear Pose: Walk on your hands and feet – Add a ROAR!!
- Husky Pose (Down Dog): Place your hands and feet on the floor, make an upside-down V with your body.
- Moose Pose (Tree Pose): Stand tall on both feet and reach your arms high!
- Walrus (Cobra): Lay on your stomach with your legs flat, push your arms along under your shoulders.
- Snow Goose Pose (Dancers Pose): Stand on your right leg, bend your right knee, and hold your right foot with your right hand (also try the other side!)
- Snowy Owl (Airplane): Stand tall on both legs, spread your arms out wide.
Use Blocks to Build an Igloo
If you can go outside and play in the snow, use rubber or plastic bins to pack snow and make “blocks” to build a real Igloo!
Fake Snow Exploration
Follow any of the recipes below to make fake snow. Place the fake snow in a sensory bin with a small manipulative and let your kids explore!
Recipe One
- Add 1 cup baking soda to a mixing bowl
- Slowly mix in 1 TBS of water at a time
- Continue to add water until you have made snow!
Recipe Two
- Coarse Sea Salt (EASY PEASY!)
Recipe Three
- Get 5-10 sheets of damp paper towels
- Mix paper in food processor
Recipe Four
- Mix ½ cup white conditioner with 2 cups baking soda
Polar Bear Art Idea
Materials: Glue, white paper, cotton balls, blue paint, paint brush (or little fingers!)
- Outline a polar bear on a piece of white paper. You can use a pencil and have your child trace. This will work on writing skills!
- Paint the background blue. Your child can work on gripping a paintbrush, or textile sensitivities with finger paint!
- Glue cotton balls inside the polar bear outline. To work on fine motor skills, pull apart the cotton balls!
Obstacle Course
Use random furniture and toys from around the house to make a quick obstacle course that can keep kids entertained for hours!
Please feel free to ask your child’s Blue Bird Day therapists for more therapeutic activities to keep your child both entertained and building skills during snow days.
Blue Bird Day fosters socialization, sensory regulation, and pre-academic learning in children ages 2-7 years in therapeutic rotations that simulate preschool and kindergarten settings. Our compassionate therapists practice a relationship-based and family-centered approach, provide parent training, and collaborate on goals and individualized intensive treatment plans for your child.
We believe in a collaborative and multi-disciplinary team approach to therapy. A team of occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians, developmental therapists, behavioral therapists, physical therapists, and therapeutic assistants are created for each child to ensure child and family are fully supported and the best possible results are achieved.
Options for individualized, group and virtual therapy sessions are available as well.
Want to learn more or you have a specific question? Feel free to connect with us here!
