Summer Outdoor Activities

by Carmen Willings
​teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​Updated June 28, 2025
Summer is the perfect time to get outside, explore, and build real-world skills. With simple adaptations, children who are blind or visually impaired can fully participate in—and enjoy—many classic summer experiences. These activities offer meaningful opportunities for sensory exploration, independence, and fun. 

Life Skills & Independence

These activities encourage practical daily living and real-world social interaction.
  • Buy a Treat from the Ice Cream Truck – Practice money handling and independent purchase.
  • Visit a Farmers Market – Explore produce, assist with shopping, and compare foods by texture and smell.
  • Make Trail Mix & Go for a Hike – Shop for and prepare ingredients, then enjoy the mix outdoors.
  • Pack and Enjoy a Picnic – Involve your child in preparing food and organizing supplies.
  • Do a Service Project – Examples: pick up litter, make baked goods for others, or help with a food drive.
  • Wash Cars or Bikes – Learn parts of vehicles and develop tactile exploration and motor skills.
  • Make S’mores – Teach fire safety and practice independence in preparing snacks.
  • Go to a Sporting Event – Use binoculars, practice tracking movement, and manage concessions.

Orientation & Mobility / O&M Enrichment

These activities support spatial awareness, travel concepts, and independent movement.
  • Ride a Train – Introduce different types of travel and practice public transportation skills.
  • Go for a Walk – Practice cane or guide techniques, discuss terrain and environmental features.
  • Take a Mini Road Trip – Participate in route planning, navigating, and community exploration.
  • Go for a Bike Ride (Tandem or Surrey) – Support balance and experience movement from a new perspective.
  • Visit a Fair or Festival – Navigate crowded spaces and make independent decisions.
  • Play Outdoor Games – Use tactile or auditory adaptations to encourage movement and tracking.
  • Go Fishing – Explore locations, learn technique, and build orientation to equipment and space.

Nature & Sensory Exploration

These hands-on experiences support concept development through touch, smell, sound, and movement.
  • Catch Lightning Bugs – Practice locating sounds or light sources and observing natural life.
  • Collect Seashells at the Beach – Use tactile cues and descriptive language to explore textures.
  • Go Camping – Pitch tents, explore surroundings, cook outdoors, and discuss natural sounds and smells.
  • Pick Berries or Peaches – Learn about where food comes from and how to identify ripe fruit.
  • Plant Something – Start a sensory garden with herbs or flowers; discuss plant growth and care.
  • Go Horseback Riding – Build balance, posture, and sensory feedback through movement.
  • Go Boating – Teach how boats move and feel; contrast different types of boats.
  • Create a Water Obstacle Course – Use sprinklers, water toys, and textures to create a playful course.
  • Go Fishing – Experience baiting, casting, and tactile exploration of the process.

Arts, Music & Cultural Activities

Engage with creative expression, listening skills, and appreciation for different art forms.
  • Attend a Summer Concert – Explore different types of music; use ear protection as needed.
  • Watch a Drive-In Movie or Backyard Screening – Discuss visuals with descriptive audio or narration.
  • Watch Fireworks – Offer descriptive narration or prepare with ear protection if sensitive to loud sounds.
  • Visit a Parade – Focus on music, movement, and auditory cues; provide descriptions as needed.
  • Visit a Zoo – Emphasize audio (animal sounds), petting areas, and use optical devices when applicable.

Physical Fitness & Water Play

Activities that promote body awareness, motor planning, and physical confidence.
  • Go Swimming or Take Lessons – Build essential water safety and confidence.
  • Make a Water Obstacle Course – Use varied textures and movement stations.
  • Play Ring Toss – Adapt with sound cues or tactile markers.
  • Play Miniature Golf – Use tactile guides, high-contrast colors, or verbal cues to adapt the game.
  • Play Outdoor Games (Cornhole, Jarts, etc.) – Adapt with sound, contrast, and tactile guides.

STEM & Science Exploration

Encourage exploration of science and geography through immersive learning.
  • Find Constellations at Night – Use star apps or tactile constellation maps.
  • Go Geocaching – Navigate to GPS coordinates using team strategies and tactile clues.

Unique Experiences

Offer memorable summer experiences to expand perspective and curiosity.
  • Go on a Boat Ride – Sailboats, paddleboats, or canoes offer rich tactile and motion experiences.
  • Go Horseback Riding / Hippotherapy – Develop body awareness, balance, and rhythm.
  • Try a New Mode of Transportation – Explore trains, tandem bikes, or buses.

Family Bonding Activities

Fun for the whole family while teaching respect for differing interests and teamwork.
  • Go on a Mini Road Trip – Involve your child in choosing stops that reflect all family members' interests.
  • Roast Marshmallows or Have a Backyard Campfire – Practice safety and enjoy storytelling or music.
  • Have a Picnic or Backyard Movie Night – Plan and enjoy as a group.
  • Take a Walk Together – Use the time to reflect, explore, and build shared memories.

ECC Instruction

Teaching the ECC
Thematic units
Compensatory Skills
Concept Development Functional Skills
Alternative Communication Emergent Literacy Braille Slate & Stylus
Tactile Graphics Nemeth Braille Code
Access Classes Cranmer Abacus Organization & Study Skills Time Management Listening Skills Instruction 
VI Assistive Technology
Social Skills
Self Determination
Sensory Efficiency
Independent Living
Orientation & Mobility
Recreation & Leisure
Career & Vocational