3 Indoor Orientation and Mobility Lesson Plans to Celebrate the Holidays

As the holiday season is upon us, the colder temperatures may make it a bit more challenging to keep our students engaged in outdoor Orientation and Mobility (O&M) lessons. Although outdoor travel can still be effective, it may not always be the most enjoyable when battling the cold. That's why, in this post, we're diving into some creative holiday activities you can incorporate into your O&M lessons that don't require leaving the warmth of indoors. These activities are designed to stretch out that unique time between Thanksgiving and Christmas and keep your students engaged while they continue to learn valuable skills.

1. Holiday Scavenger Hunt at the Store

What’s better than combining a classic O&M activity like a scavenger hunt with the holiday spirit? Taking your students to a local store, such as Target or Walmart, allows you to turn a simple shopping trip into an educational adventure.

How to implement it:

• Start by obtaining a store map (you can often find these online) and familiarize your students with the store's layout. This serves as an opportunity to have meaningful conversations about navigating a store, reading a map, and soliciting assistance.
• Your students can pick items that motivate them. Whether it’s choosing an item independently or with assistance, this exercise helps build confidence in navigating a new space, using a monocular (if applicable), and practicing shopping skills.
• Depending on your students' skill levels, you can keep the scavenger hunt simple or challenge them with a list of clues to locate specific items in different departments. You can even add a budgeting component to make the lesson more comprehensive.

This holiday scavenger hunt turns a typical store visit into an exciting learning experience that can be adapted to suit any student’s abilities.

2. Making Hot Cocoa with a Twist

There’s something about the cozy feeling of sipping hot cocoa that makes it a perfect activity for the winter holidays. But we’re not just stopping at plain hot cocoa. We’re going to elevate it with some creative and personalized flavors—think Starbucks-style customization, but with a hands-on twist!

How to implement it:

• Start by using assistive technology to search for a recipe online. This incorporates tech skills while letting students choose their favorite drink or even experiment with new flavors. Whether it’s a vanilla steamer, mint hot cocoa, or a customized frappuccino, they get to experience the process of planning and preparation.
• Take your students on a field trip to the local grocery store to pick up the ingredients. This gives them the chance to practice route planning, navigating the store, and finding unfamiliar items (such as mint extract or vanilla syrup).
• Once back home, students can engage in the actual drink-making process, reinforcing life skills such as following instructions, measuring ingredients, and preparing a delicious treat.

This activity blends O&M instruction with sensory learning and creativity, making it both educational and festive!

3. Throwing a Holiday Party

Planning and throwing a party might sound like a big task, but it’s a fantastic way to teach your students essential skills like organization, time management, budgeting, and communication. And the best part? You can make it a holiday celebration!

How to implement it:

• Help your students plan the party using a calendar. Whether it’s setting the date weeks in advance or simply deciding on the best time for the event, this is a great opportunity to teach them how to organize and plan for the future.
• Once the date is set, the next step is sending out invitations. Encourage students to use email, or if they prefer, they can handwrite or even make their own cards to invite friends to the party. This helps them practice writing skills and communication.
• The party itself can be as simple or elaborate as you like, but it’s a great way for students to engage in shopping for snacks, drinks, and decorations. Whether it’s organizing a gathering for a few friends or hosting a school-wide celebration, planning a party brings real-world applications into the classroom.

This activity is not only fun but allows students to experience key life skills that they can use in their daily lives—like navigating the social and logistical aspects of organizing a celebration!

Wrapping Up

As the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect time to switch up your O&M lessons and engage your students with indoor activities that are both fun and educational. Whether it’s embarking on a scavenger hunt in the store, making personalized hot cocoa, or planning a festive holiday party, these activities offer practical lessons while celebrating the season.

By incorporating real-life tasks like shopping, budgeting, planning, and navigating new environments, you’ll help your students build important skills they’ll use long after the holidays. So, enjoy the holiday season, and make it an opportunity to take your students’ learning to the next level!

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