Functional Distance Learning Activities for Older Students
As confusion continues to surround the start of the upcoming school year, I’ve decided to share a short list of ultra-functional therapy plans for older Life Skills students, with a focus on activities of daily living (ADLs), transitions, and job-related skills. So without any further ado - here they are! Enjoy!
Laundry and Clothing
Have students do a load of laundry during your session. This activity can actually be split into multiple sessions, or you can pick and choose which activities to do based on session length/skill level of the student. Multiple goals can be targeted and it is such a functional skill to practice! Not to mention, parents always enjoy getting some extra help with the wash. It’s also great because you can model skills like problem solving, commenting about cause and effect, and sequencing for the families so that they can incorporate it into other household activities. Below is how I have split up laundry into three, thirty minute sessions…
Session one: Sorting clothes and loading the washing machine - Practice strategies for following directions (repeating, paraphrasing, etc.) and discuss the sequence of steps, different settings on the washing machine and what they mean, and any problem solving/inferencing scenarios that may arise (i.e. why should we separate lights and darks? What might happen if we wash our new red shirt with our favorite white shorts? etc.)
Session two: Moving clothes to the dryer or hanging up to dry - Talk about how to figure out whether clothes should be hung or put in the dryer (read the tag, figure out type of material, etc.), and answer questions (i.e. Should we ever dry a sweater? what about socks? Why or why not? etc.). Review settings on dryer (towels vs. delicates)
Session three: Taking clothes out of the dryer, folding them, and deciding where to put them away - Have the student practice folding one pair of pants and one shirt and talk about the sequence of steps. Compare and contrast different clothing items
Go through various outfit preparation scenarios (i.e. you’re performing in your school’s chorus concert, you have a job interview, you’re going to a birthday party at the arcade, you’re attending a family member’s wedding, etc.) and discuss what the student should wear. Talk about how to prepare the outfit and different options the student has for removing wrinkles (iron, steamer, etc.) and/or pet hair (lint roller, tape). You could also discuss when to buy new clothes or how to mend a shirt/pair of pants, including fixing a missing button or snap, making straps shorter, etc.
Grocery/Food
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to different areas in the store (freezer aisles, deli, produce section, bakery, etc.) and ask students which items might be found in that section (yes/no questions or open-ended). You could also use the background of a deli and have the students role play giving and taking orders for cheeses or meats
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to an empty shelf in a grocery store. Print out pictures of different items (i.e. cereal boxes, snacks, chips, canned goods, etc.) that would be stocked on shelves in the store and have students direct you on where to place the items. Items can be attached to shelves using tape or velcro depending on the durability of your green screen material
Name the ingredients for popular meals (i.e. tacos, lasagna, fruit salad, macaroni and cheese, chicken quesadillas, etc.) and have the student generate a shopping list
Create a shopping list for a summer barbecue or birthday party! Be sure to include party necessities (paper plates, balloons, etc.) in addition to food, drinks, and ingredients to bake a cake
Give students a scrambled up shopping list or a list of items needed at the store, and have them organize those items by section or aisle/category/healthy vs unhealthy, etc.
Make a meal or snack! Help the student make a favorite simple meal or snack (bowl of soup, piece of toast, trail mix, etc.) and practice sequencing, cause and effect, describing, and problem solving. The Accessible Chef website has TONS of free visual recipes that are absolutely fantastic! Here is one for lasagna, here is one for a fruit smoothie, and here’s one for a fun sea turtle snack. Make sure you check out the whole website, because not only are there a ton of super easy, very creative meals and snacks, but you can also create your own visual recipes too!
Order a pizza (or other food item) for delivery during the session! Collaborate with the family, get a copy of the menu ahead of time (or look it up on Google), and share it on the screen during the session. Compare and contrast food items, delivery vs. takeout, etc. Review with the student what they’d like to order, how much the meal will cost, different ways to pay (card over the phone vs. cash when they arrive), and how much to tip. Then ROLE PLAY placing the order together so that the student feels comfortable. When they are ready to place their delivery order, have the student call on speakerphone!
Cleaning/Around the House
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to different rooms in the house (folder of FREE house backgrounds can be found in the freebie library here - just scroll down to the ZOOM backgrounds and click ‘download’). Talk about different scenarios for cleaning in each room (i.e. you spill some juice on the carpet in the living room - how do you clean it up? the dog gets hair all over your comforter - how do you clean it up? etc.). Brainstorm a list of cleaning supplies and discuss which surfaces to use them on
Load/unload the dishwasher. As the student loads or unloads the dishwasher during your session, talk about the sequence of hand-washing dishes and compare/contrast with using a dishwasher, discuss how to organize a cabinet, compare and contrast different dishes or kitchen utensils, talk about function of common kitchen objects and appliances (i.e. whisks, spatula, blender, toaster, etc.)
Practice setting the table. Share a template on the screen and see if the student can re-create it on their kitchen table!
Make the bed. Talk about the sequence of steps using transition words like: first, next, then, last. Review how often to change the sheets, the difference between quilts, sheets, and comforters, etc. Brainstorm other types of beds/things people sleep on (i.e. sleeping bag, snuggie - if that’s still a thing - bunk beds, futon, cot, etc.)
Practice packing for vacation. How would the contents of your suitcase change when traveling to Alaska vs. Hawaii? What would you take with you? What could you do if you forgot a toothbrush? Shampoo? Talk about different places someone could stay (i.e. hotel, Air BnB, condo, yurt, etc.). Brainstorm travel destinations and different modes of transportation. Create the itinerary for your dream vacation (and talk about what an itinerary is!!)
Sort the recycling. Ask the parent prepare several items and prepare several items yourself. Have the student decide which ones should be recycled and which ones should be thrown away. You could use two boxes as the trash vs recycling bins. or, if you want to get really fancy, you could also do this as a green screen activity with a trash bin pocket and a recycling bin pocket. Print out paper objects (soup can, plastic gallon jug, soda bottle, etc.) or use small objects from around the house (i.e. plastic bag, piece of paper, toothpick, piece of cardboard) and have the student tell you how to sort them. Slide the object into the correct pocket on your green screen so that the items appear to *disappear* into the bins
Money and Banking
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to a bank and pretend to be the teller as the student makes a deposit into his or her account. Role play different scenarios, including opening an account, withdrawing money, ordering checks, asking for a replacement card if yours is lost/stolen, etc. Then check for comprehension by switching roles and having the student become the teller. See if he or she can answer any of the questions that you have about money or bank accounts
Money Mini Unit by The Speech Express: This functional mini unit on money targets a variety of speech and language goals goals, including vocabulary (deposit, income, etc.), figurative language, problem solving, describing, conversation, and more!
Compare, contrast, and describe money (dollars/coins) and/or different payment methods (e.g. credit/debit/check/gift card/etc.). Talk about how a dime is different from a dollar, a debit card is different from a credit card or a gift card, etc
Use a calendar to practice filling out due dates for bills. Help the student brainstorm different bills they might have to pay if owning or renting a home
Practice writing a check. Discuss when to pay with checks vs. other payment methods. You can search for a check template online (or use this one from freeprintable.com) and send it to parents to print ahead of the session. This is a great activity for collaborating with OT!
Restaurant/Ice Cream
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to a restaurant and take turns role playing as the waiter. For extra functionality, choose a restaurant that the student often goes to, look up the menu, and use it for practice with placing orders and asking questions about the menu. Work together to create a script for both roles. Discuss the sequence of events and conversations that happen, from the moment you walk into a restaurant until the moment you walk out (i.e. family is seated - ask how many people, if you want a table or a booth, etc.; once seated, waiter/waitress takes drink order, etc.)
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to an ice cream shop (click and download picture above) and take turns role playing as the ice cream scooper and the customer. For extra fun, you can have the student come up with their own special creation to offer as a special or even which flavors to include on the menu that day. Work together to create a script for both roles and discuss all the conversational exchanges that would typically take place at an ice cream shop
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to a drive-thru and practice placing orders at places like McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Sonic, Starbucks, etc. Use the online menu from your fast food joint of choice, and talk about not only the ordering process, but also what steps might go into preparing the food (i.e. cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, fries, milkshakes, etc.)
Create a DIY Ice Cream Sundae or Polar Pizza® from Baskin Robbins! The students can name their creation and then practice describing it as if they work in an ice cream shop and their ice cream is the special of the day. To do this activity, click here to find your store’s location. From there, select a store, and then click ‘Take-Home and DIY Kits.’ On the next screen, select ‘DIY Kits’ again and then let your student choose between creating a DIY Sundae or a DIY Polar Pizza® (which is an ice cream treat with cookie or brownie crust). Students can select choose between ice cream flavors, wet and dry toppings (up to 4 total), and more!
Other Tasks and Skills
Cashier
Green Screen Activity: Change your virtual background to a cash register. Take turns role playing as the customer and the cashier at any business (i.e. grocery store, souvenir shop on the boardwalk, clothing store, a shop at the mall, etc.). Go through various problem solving scenarios, including…
not getting the right amount of change
not having the right amount of change in your drawer for the customer
your card not working at checkout
something rings up at the wrong price
you don’t have enough money for everything you want to buy
Stocking Gift Cards
While this takes a bit of prep, it is a functional activity that supports describing, matching, and location. When we were doing school in person, we used a peg board and printed out a bunch of different “gift cards” for various businesses (Target, Starbucks, PetSmart, Sephora, etc.) and had the student sort by store and by dollar amount. Doing this in person was great for both language and for working on fine motor movement with the OT! If you have any hooks or a peg board at home, you could have the student direct you where to hang the card. Print out “gift cards” in different amounts (we usually did $25, $50, $100) for three or four stores, and hold them up to the screen for the student to see. If you don’t have a peg board, you could make a virtual one in PowerPoint and copy and paste the gift card to the correct place. This would be great for practicing between, above, below, beside, etc.
Shopping for Gifts
Find a gift for a friend. Let the student choose a family member or friend and come up with information about their interests and hobbies. Brainstorm possible gift ideas based on that information. Then, use Amazon to search for the gift and pick out the perfect one (based on price, value, occasion, etc.)
Decide whether to buy or not buy. Tell the student to pretend that they have $50 to spend at the store. Then, show them pictures of different objects and their prices, and have the student tell you if they should buy it or not buy it and why. Alternate between useful items (i.e. waffle maker, band-aids, etc.) and objects that are more “out there.” You know, like a yodeling pickle, an inflatable turkey leg, or a triceratops taco holder…just do a google search for ‘unnecessary things you can buy on Amazon’ and you’ll see what I mean by “out there.” Pull up the links ahead of the session so you can easily switch between tabs
Shopping for Pet Supplies
Shop for a pet! Show the student a picture of a puppy, kitten, bird, horse, or other pet and come up with some background information about the animal (i.e. needs lots of attention, not litter box/crate trained, has tons of energy, etc.). Have the student plan for the animal as if it would be coming home as their pet in one week. Go on Amazon to shop for supplies (brainstorm what they’d need for the pet and then pick out the exact one, such as a collar/harness/leash, food, bed, toys, etc.), and discuss which services the pet might need (groomer, vet, trainer, etc.). Also - don’t forget to give that pet a name!
Write a Thank You Note
Submit a ‘Thank you’ message to healthcare workers who are helping patients around the world! Practice ‘thank you note’ writing skills by submitting your message here. You can also read example messages from others!
Job Exploration
Head to do2learn.com to discover different jobs! To figure out what type of work may be a good fit, students can take a free interests quiz here. After getting the results, they can then read about various careers and the skills/experience/environmental demands involved in each. All the information is laid out in a VERY visual, straightforward manner, making it a perfect resource for discussing transitions and life after high school! Here are a few ways I’d recommend using the site in therapy:
Take the interests quiz (link above) and discuss the results. What jobs might be a good fit and why? What jobs probably wouldn’t be a good fit and why? What are some things that would help you to be successful in that job?
Choose one job and predict which personality traits might be helpful for that job and why. Review the experience, education, skills, duties, and environmental demands. What would you like about the job? What would you dislike? Students could also compare and contrast two different jobs and choose which one they’d enjoy the most
Choose a job and put together a mock resume. The following session, role play a job interview for that job with the SLP as the boss and the student as the potential new hire. Then, switch roles and have the student interview you for the job. Ask the student to determine whether or not they would hire you based on your responses (and give bad responses!)
Problem-Solving in the Workplace by The Speech Express: Help your students navigate through a variety of problematic situations that may be encountered in the workplace using this resource, which includes a graphic organizer and 52 realistic scenarios!
Problem-Solving at School by The Speech Express: This resource includes 52 hypothetical problems that could occur throughout the school day, and a graphic organizer to help your students figure out the best solution!
I hope these ideas are helpful as we continue to navigate through new territory! Make sure to bookmark this page and check back for updates - I will keep adding more ideas as they come to me, and I absolutely encourage you to submit ideas in the comments as well! Enjoy the rest of your summer :)