Kids are always on the go and summer is not any different! Here are some fun ideas to help keep your kids busy and work on speech/language skills during the summer!
- Have a picnic – To work on describing: play “What’s in the Basket?” Place several picnic items (spoon, napkin, play food, etc.) in a covered basket. Take turns choosing an item but do not let the other person see it. Then describe the item and have the other person guess what it is. Then take the fun outside and have a real picnic with your little one!
- Go Camping – To work on naming functions of objects: find objects around the house that you may take on a camping trip and place them in a backpack. Take turns pulling an object out of the backpack and describe how it would be used. For example, a flashlight – you use it to see in the dark. Then build a fort or pitch a tent in the backyard and go camping!
- Sing a Song – Increase your child’s vocabulary with action words with the song “What Shall We Do?” sung to the tune of “Did You Ever See A Lassie?” Have your child think of different action words to sing with the song and then act them out.
Oh, do you know it’s summer, it’s summer, it’s summer?
Oh, do you know it’s summer, so what shall we do?
[Swim], this way and that way
[Swim], this way and that way
Yes, we know it’s summer, so that’s what we’ll do!
- Make a summer time snack – Work on following directions while making an edible aquarium. Have your child help you gather the ingredients: graham crackers, cream cheese and add blue food coloring, goldfish and cheerios. Provide directions such as: “spread the cream cheese,” “add two goldfish,” “place a cheerio under the goldfish,” or come up with your own creative aquarium. Then enjoy the treat together!