Monthly Topic Series: July
It’s July and our monthly topic is…camping! Check out some of our speech, language, and feeding activity recommendations below!
We even added in a book recommendation while our weekly book series is on hold for the summer!
Speech - We’re Going on a Camping Trip and I’m Bringing…
Put a speech and camping spin on the classic We’re Going on a Picnic game. Rather than going on a picnic, you’re going on a camping trip and rather than using the alphabet to decide what item you’re bringing, use your target speech sounds. Each person lists something that they’re bringing, but only after they list everything that everyone else has already said. For example, if your targets are /s/ and /l/, the first person could say “we’re going on a camping trip and bringing a sleeping bag.” Then, the second person could say “we’re going on a camping trip and bringing a sleeping bag and a lantern.” Continue until you get to the number of items that you decided before you started.
Language - Camping is as Easy as 1, 2, 3
Use camping activities as an opportunity for practicing how to sequence events (e.g., first, second, last). Some examples you can use include pitching a tent, starting a fire, and making s’mores. You can practice sequencing as you plan out what you need to do beforehand, as you check off that you did everything you need to while you’re doing it, and as you reflect on all of the hard work you did.
Feeding - Campfire Food
We’ve talked before about getting the kids involved with meal prep and adding a campfire to the mix makes it even better! Since they probably don’t get to cook over a fire very often, it can be a great opportunity to see how it changes well-loved foods as well as foods that are not a favorite or maybe even foods that are new. Some ideas that we love include doing skewers with meats and/or veggies so that kids can pick out exactly what they want on their skewer (e.g., they can load up with a veggie that they love and put only a piece or two of a newer veggie to try) and having a s’mores bar that includes different types of chocolate/sweets and fruit so that kids can create some fun combinations to try (e.g., Reese’s peanut butter cups and bananas or dark chocolate and strawberries).
A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen
From the publisher:
In their new adventure, Mr. Magee and his dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when along comes a lumbering, marshmallow-loving bear and the excitement begins. The next thing the two campers know, they are plunging down a mountain, racing down a river, and teetering on the edge of a waterfall! How will Mr. Magee and Dee find their way out of this slippery situation?
Frequent speech sounds in the book include:
initial and medial /m/ (e.g., Mr. Magee, camping)
medial and final /g/ (e.g., Mr. Magee, camping)
initial /d/ (e.g., Dee)
medial and final /l/ (e.g., marshmallow, waterfall)
Key language concepts In the book include:
Vocabulary: capture, coals, dismay, dozy, hitch(ed), jolt, knolls, quiver, rank, snitch, steep
Figurative Language: sensory language, idioms, similes
Grammar: adjectives, prepositional phrases, regular past tense verbs
Text Features: all caps, ellipses, rhyming
Predicting: make some guesses - What do you think they will do on their camping trip?
Inferencing: make some guesses - How do they feel during each event of their camping trip?
Character Analysis: Mr. Magee tries to stay calm when things don’t go as planned.
Social/Emotional: Mr. Magee and Dee have to accept the events of their camping trip and make the best of it (by camping at home).
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