Tips for Summertime Speech Practice
I understand the importance of continued support and reinforcement of speech, language, and communication skills even during the summer months. Here are some tips for parents to continue supporting their child's development during the summer:
1. Nature walks: Take a walk outside with your child and explore nature together. Point out different animals, plants, and insects you see and encourage your child to describe them. This can help your child develop their descriptive language skills and vocabulary.
2. Picnic time: Have a picnic outside with your child and encourage them to make a list of the food items they want to bring. This can help develop their organization and planning skills, as well as their ability to express their preferences and needs.
3. Water play: Water play activities such as swimming or playing in a sprinkler can provide great opportunities for communication and language development. Encourage your child to talk about the different sensations and experiences they are having, such as feeling the water temperature or splashing around.
4. Outdoor games: Outdoor games like tag, hide-and-seek, and catch can provide opportunities for turn-taking and communication. Encourage your child to use descriptive language to give instructions or describe where they are hiding.
5. Nature scavenger hunt: Create a nature scavenger hunt list for your child to find items outside. This can help them develop their observational skills and encourage them to use descriptive language to describe what they find.
6. Park playdates: Encourage your child to have playdates with friends at the park. This can help develop their social communication skills, such as sharing, turn-taking, and problem-solving.
Remember, outdoor activities can provide wonderful opportunities for speech, language, and communication development. Incorporating language-rich activities into your child's outdoor playtime can be a fun and effective way to support their development over the summer.
If you have a younger toddler at home this summer, go to Help Your Toddler Talk online learning for more tools and strategies to help them communicate.