Sunny Days Planning Grid
Weekly Prep Companion
Sunny Days Camp
Target Audience
K & 1st Grade
Para Guide: Use this matrix to coordinate high-impact sensory and motor activities. Each day features targeted prompts for gross motor play, fine motor strength, and interactive peer social communication.
Day 1
Water Play
Day 2
Sand Castle
Day 3
Splash Dash
Day 4
Outdoor Mud
Day 5
Ice Search
Sensory Exploration (indoor)
Sea-Foam Search
Scoop plastic fish out of blue shaving foam using kitchen spoons.
Texture: Smooth/Soft
Sand Shapes
Bury geometric shapes inside dry kinetic sand; hunt using rakes.
Texture: Gritty/Dry
Bubble Wash
Washing station with warm soapy water & scrub brushes for mini toys.
Texture: Wet/Slippery
Mud Kitchen
Mix cocoa-powder "mud" with natural twigs, stones, & plastic bowls.
Texture: Thick/Sticky
Ice Excavation
Melt giant ice blocks with colored salt water to release animal toys.
Texture: Cold/Hard
Fine Motor Strength (indoor)
Pipette Squeeze
Use eyedroppers to squeeze colored water onto coffee filters.
Grip: Pincer Pinch
Clothespin Shells
Squeeze heavy clothes-pins to pick up & sort shells into small bowls.
Grip: Tripod Squeeze
Spray Target
Squeeze trigger spray bottles to wash washable marker drawings off easel.
Grip: Palmar Squeeze
Clay Nature Stamps
Press outdoor leaves/twigs firmly into warm clay to print patterns.
Grip: Finger Press
Bead Threading
Thread sensory water-absorbing beads onto thick pipe cleaners.
Grip: Bilateral Coord
Gross Motor Play (outdoor)
Sponge Relay
Run to water bin, soak sponge, run back to squeeze water into bottle.
Goal: Balance & Run
Sand Bucket Carry
Balance walking on visual lines while carrying loaded sand buckets.
Goal: Core Balance
Water Balloon Toss
Underhand partner catch with water balloons, stepping back each turn.
Goal: Catch & Toss
Giant Bubble Chase
Jump and stretch to pop giant bubbles created by para wand.
Goal: Reach & Jump
Puddle Jumpers
Jump with two feet into chalk-drawn puddle rings spaced on grass.
Goal: Two-foot Jump
Social Communication (cooperative focus)
Asking Politely
Prompts: "Can I have a sponge?" Focus on eye contact & gestures.
Skill: Requesting
Sharing Tools
Take turns with rakes. Verbal prompts: "Here you go!" and "Thanks!"
Skill: Handing Over
Turn Cueing
Before tossing, student says, "Ready, [Name]?" to establish peer attention.
Skill: Peer Alerting
Lining Up Turn
Line order visual. Stand behind peer and wait for active "Go" signal.
Skill: Self-Regulation
Celebrating Peer
Give classmate a high-five and verbally celebrate: "We did it!"
Skill: Social Praise
Sunny Days Lesson Materials Page 1 of 2
Support Staff Instruction
Para Prep & Setup Guide
Focus Areas
Motor & Social
Morning Setup Checklists
Monday Prep
- Mix cans of blue shaving foam with blue dye in dynamic plastic tubs.
- Fill outdoor water bins; prepare sponges and 2 target empty bottles.
Tuesday Prep
- Check kinetic sand tubs; bury exactly 10 plastic shapes in sand.
- Affix colored tape lines on outdoor playground grass for balance.
Wednesday Prep
- Whisk water with clear soap in buckets until frothy thick bubbles form.
- Fill water balloons; keep in visual storage tubs to restrict random grabs.
Thursday Prep
- Mix water, brown tempera paint, and unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Prepare raw dough balls; gather dry leaves and textured outdoor twigs.
Friday Prep
- Freeze small plastic woodland figures inside 1-quart plastic tubs overnight.
- Draw 5 puddle circles using sidewalk chalk on the outdoor concrete paths.
Visual Schedules: Always pre-populate each student's daily visual strip with the icons matching these 4 sequential target periods.
Required Classroom Materials
Sensory Stations
3 Cans white shaving cream, blue/green dye, 3 bags kinetic sand, toy fish/sea life, baby soap, 2 tubs cocoa powder, 10 plastic mini animals.
Fine Motor Corner
Eye-droppers/pipettes, heavy wooden clothes-pins, food coloring, mini bowls, 2 squeeze trigger spray bottles, model-ing clay, giant wooden beads.
Outdoor Athletics
Large car wash sponges, empty tall clear plastic bottles, painter's tape, water balloons, giant bubble wand solution, chalk set.
Communication Tools
Social Mini-Book companion prints, laminated visual cue cards on rings, dry-erase visual boards, tokens/stamps for peer interaction.
Transition/Cleanup routine
Give a 2-minute visual warning using a sandbox timer. Play the "Sunny Cleanup Song" and prompt students to carry sensory bins to dry shelves.
Paraprofessional Facilitation Scripting
Prompting Motor Skills
Avoid doing it for them. Prompt: "Pinch the clip with two strong fingers!" or "Step, squeeze, release!"
Peer Communication
Model taking turns using visual cards. Ask: "Who wants a turn? Tell your friend: 'My turn please!'" Hand them the card.
Managing Meltdowns
When water spills or sharing fails, point to the Stop Card. Say: "It's okay. Let's breathe. Next step: clean up."
Sunny Days Lesson Materials Page 2 of 2
Sharing Sparks Social Companion
Mini-Book Builder: My Sharing Summer
Pages 1 - 4 (Cut & Assemble)
Assembly Instructions: Cut along the dashed lines. Stack pages in order and staple along the left edge.
My Summer Book
My Sharing
Summer!
☀️ 🤝
Name of Camper:
Cover Page
Sensory Fun 1
🫧
Sensory bins are so much fun! But we only have one tub. When I share the soap bubbles, my friends and I smile. We play together nicely!
I share bubbles with my friends.
In the Sandbox 2
🏖️
I want to use the red sand shovel. If my classmate is using it, I can wait. Or I can say: "Let's build a castle together!"
Working as a sandbox team!
Outdoor Games 3
🏃♂️
Outdoor runs are super fast! Sometimes I must stand in line. While I wait, I count to 5 or clap my hands. Taking turns is fair and friendly!
I wait for my turn in line.
Sunny Days Companion Page 1 of 3
Mini-Book Builder: My Sharing Summer
Pages 5 - 8 (Cut & Assemble)
Assembly Instructions: Cut along the dashed lines. Stack pages in order and staple along the left edge.
Using Words 4
🗣️
What if I want a water sponge? I don't grab it. I look at my friend's eyes. I say with a big smile: "Can I please use that when you are done?"
I ask nicely with my kind voice.
What to do 5
🎈
If my friend says "Not yet," I do not shout. I can say, "Okay!" and go play with clay. Staying calm makes camp so fun!
I can find another fun toy to play!
Better Together 6
🙌
When we share, we have double the fun! We build bigger castles and pop bubbles high. Sharing makes us super camp friends. Let's celebrate!
Give a high-five! "We did it!"
My Goal 7
🏅
Sharing Superstar Award
I learned to share, wait, and use my kind words during camp!
Signed by:
Back Cover
Sunny Days Companion Page 2 of 3
Visual Cue Support Cards
8 Support Cards
How to Use Visual Cues: Cut out each card. Punch a hole in the corner and put them on a key ring or teacher lanyard. Tap or hand cards to students during play transitions to reduce verbal clutter and support multi-step instructions.
