by Savanna Roldan – Speech-Language Pathologist at Always Keep Progressing

It is summer time! That means that the kids are out of school and there is much more time to go out and explore. Here are some fun activities in the South Florida area that you can experience this summer. 

Miami Children’s Museum

The Miami Children’s Museum is not the typical walk around, read plaques, boring type of museum. There are various innovative activities that keep kids entertained for hours! Every second Saturday in the month, the museum holds an event called “Sensory Saturday.” On these Saturdays they lower the museum’s light and sound so they provide a more calming atmosphere. They also provide sensory based activities. According to the Miami Children’s Museums’ website their goal “is to provide your child with the opportunity to engage in social interactions and improve the processing, modulation and regulation of sensory input to increase their understanding of and participation in a natural environment.”  

Besides Sensory Saturday, they also have special events, weekly programs, and daily activities. They have exhibits with various different themes perfect for learning vocabulary and engaging in new experiences including ocean, castle, pet, supermarket, music, cruise ship, art, and much more.

Find more information about this Sensory Saturday click here: 
https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/programming/sensory-saturdays/

Find more information about the Miami Children’s Museum click here: 
https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/

Miami Dade Public Libraries

The Miami Dade Public Library system holds events daily that are entertaining for kids. These events are great for learning while having fun. They have a series held almost daily called “Talking is Teaching: Talk, Read, Sing for Toddlers.” This series incorporates songs, stories and activities into a 60 minute session. They also have a similar event but for babies held online. They have more  events such as: 

• Online Event: Zoo Miami Animal Meet & Greet 
• Summer Storytime
• Online Event: Monkeying Around with Shana Banana
• Online Event: DIY Elephant Puppet

Many events you can do from your own home! 

For more information about the events and the link to register click here: 
https://mdpls.org/events

Coral Gables Art Museum

The Coral Gables Art Museum holds an event every second Saturday called Family Day on Aragon. At this event there are arts, crafts, live music, performances, and more. It is also FREE admission to the museum! 

You can see past family day flyers and more information here: 
https://coralgablesmuseum.org/portfolio-item/familyday/

Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami

Every 1st Saturday of the month, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami holds “Sunday Stories.” They select different books based upon different current events to read Sunday mornings followed by an activity related to the book. This event usually lasts one hour and is suggested for children ages 1-5. 

For information about “Sunday Stories” click here: 

https://mocanomi.org/category/events/upcoming-events

Flamingo Gardens 

Flamingo Gardens is a botanical garden as well as a wildlife sanctuary. There are many rare and interesting plants and trees as well as various animals that can be found here. They also have several exhibits and activities that are awesome for kids. Not only can you just walk around and explore nature, they currently have an event called Big Bugs By Moonlight. This event is a self-guided tour around the grounds to see beautifully lit giant sculptures of different bugs. 

Flamingo Gardens also offers a story time that offers fun for kids and adults. After reading the month’s chosen book and under a great big oak tree, Flamingo Gardens promotes mindfulness and imagination through yoga for kids and parents. Following yoga, kids can express themselves through a craft activity. 

Find out more about the Big Bugs By Moonlight Event here: 
https://www.flamingogardens.org/big-bugs.html

Find out more about the Story Time In the Children’s Garden here: 
https://www.flamingogardens.org/story-time—youth-programs-.html

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Always Keep Progressing

We are a private speech-language pathology and occupational therapy practice in Miami, Florida, dedicated to providing personalized therapy to children of all ages. Our trained bilingual occupational therapists provide services specifically tailored to each individual child to help grow their independence and fine-tune their skills. Contact us for an evaluation if you are interested in our services!

For more resources check our other blogs and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!

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Citations

Sensory Friendly Saturdays. Miami Children’s Museum. (n.d.). https://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/programming/sensory-saturdays/. 

“Art, Culture, Community.” Miami Children’s Museum, www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Events – Miami-Dade Public Library System. (n.d.). https://mdpls.org/events. 

Family Day on Aragon. Coral Gables Museum. (2021, June 14). https://coralgablesmuseum.org/portfolio-item/familyday/. 

Upcoming Events Archives. Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami. (n.d.). https://mocanomi.org/category/events/upcoming-events. 

Flamingo Gardens . (n.d.). David Roger’s Big Bugs. Traveling Exhibits. https://www.flamingogardens.org/big-bugs.html. 

Story Time & Youth Programs at Flamingo Gardens. Flamingo Gardens. (n.d.). https://www.flamingogardens.org/story-time—youth-programs-.html.