• January 24, 2023

How to implement speech therapy during the summer months

For children who have articulation problems, it is important that they practice speaking and language as much as possible. This often means that parents need to plan some activities while their child is out of school for the summer to help prevent any regression or delay in their progress. The best thing about speech therapy is that it can be done pretty much anywhere, from your backyard to summer vacation. Some of the best skill-building techniques can be turned into fun activities that your child will enjoy doing. The following are some examples of games to play with children to improve their skills.

Play in the sand

Nothing illustrates summer like sand, whether it’s on the beach or in a sandbox in the backyard. While the children are playing with their sand toys, take the opportunity to turn it into an activity that will help them with their language skills. Bury some small toys in the sand for the children to find. As they are removed from the sand, ask them to say the word for the object before placing it in their buckets of sand. If this game is being played on the beach, make sure to do this activity in a small area and don’t bury objects too deep, as this could be frustrating for children.

road trip games

If the family is going on a summer road trip, think of some different language games that can be played on the road. Games that use word and letter sounds, such as the “license plate game” or the “ABC game,” can be both fun and educational. Ask the child to name the objects he sees that make the “k” sound, for example. Include the whole family in this game as it can be a lot of fun and challenging.

sidewalk chalk

Summer is an ideal time to play outside, and many children enjoy drawing with chalk on the sidewalk or driveway. Think of different games the family can play together, like hopscotch with letters instead of numbers. Another idea is to have the kids lie down in the driveway (when it’s cold of course) and outline each other. Then have children name items of clothing or accessories as they draw and color them. The child could also draw pictures of objects and name the letters and sounds for each item. The chalk options are limitless.

Read books

Few things are better for a child than reading. It is even more essential that a child who needs speech therapy read along with one of her parents to work on her skills. During the hot part of the summer days, gather the child with his favorite picture book and ask him to tell you a story using what he sees in the book. Have the child articulate the words he is using.

Speech therapy is very important for the development of language skills in many children, so it is crucial not to miss out during the summer months. Take some time before school is out to think of some ideas to improve your child’s articulation skills.

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