#075: Summer Speech Therapy Ideas

With the traditional school year coming to an end, SLPs and parents may be wondering how you can support your learners' communication throughout the summer months. I was so excited when I happened upon Bridget’s, from Speech Therapy Talk, blog post all about summer speech activities! She is on today’s episode to share 11 fun, easy, and affordable ways to get outside, enjoy the summer, AND practice communication skills. Whether you’re continuing speech therapy through the summer in a private setting, a school SLP looking for ideas to share with families, or a parent ready to continue the work from speech therapy at home this summer, these are GREAT tips that both you and your learner will be sure to enjoy!

1. Water - Fill up a rain barrel or other water-holding receptacle and PLAY. There are opportunities for concepts like wet and dry, vocabularies like fill or dump, requesting tools as well as articulation.
2. Bubbles - Store-bought or try to make your own giant bubbles. Practice early words like open and pop, concepts like big and small, and articulation.
3. Sand - Kids get excited with sand. This is a great sensory activity and super engaging. Try hiding objects in the sand and labeling them when finding them, as well as trying sensory and action words.
4. Hula Hoop - Sound of shaking them, rolling the hoop, jumping into the middle, or using as a target, hula hoops can be used as a very active tool in a diverse way to sprinkle in whatever goals you’re working on. Skill ideas: imitation, colors, action words, joint activity.
5. Chalk - Drawing pictures, roads for toy cars or bikes, and writing words, this is an easily diversified and engaging activity that can cue any skill.
6. Flower Walk - Walk around town or your neighborhood and look for flowers! You can count, identify colors, label, and work on articulation. Use it as a scavenger hunt with a very specific purpose!
7. Follow the Leader - *With a Twist* - Take turns hiding items outside and give directions to find it. Skills: Prepositions and giving and understanding directions.
8. Explorers - Go exploring, try going to a new place and use “explorer” vocabulary: Find, Discover, Look, See, etc. A great space for spontaneous communication!
9. Nature - Collect nature items and create scenes and stories. Skills: Who/Where/Why questions, setting, imaginative play, etc. 
10. Balls - Use all different types and sizes. Roll, throw, toss, etc. This is an active and engaging activity that can be used for whatever goal you’re working on. 
11. Find an Item - Go outside and look for something specific. Skill: Thinking and reasoning. 

These are activities that just SCREAM summer to me. Many of these tools are free, lying around your therapy room or house, or very affordable! The great thing about these activities is the scope for practicing varying skills is huge, you can apply almost any skill or goal to these activities and have fun doing it! If you want to learn more about Bridget, her ideas, and resources, you can visit the Speech Therapy Talk website!

#speechtherapy #autism

What’s Inside:

• Ideas for working on communication during the summer.
• 11 ways to support your client’s or child’s communication during the summer months.
• How to make working on communication FUN!
• Creating natural, functional practice opportunities for home.
• Easy, accessible, affordable activities for summer communication practice.
• How to get outside and practice communication.
• How to turn common family activities into communication practice.

Mentioned In This Episode: 

Speech Therapy Talk
Speech Therapy Talk Membership
ABA Speech: Home