Speech Fun All Week Long: Simple Summer Themes to Build Language
Summer is a fun time with kids out of school. There are many places to go and things to do. But, it can be hard to remember to practice speech and language skills. We made a simple calendar with themed days. This helps your child practice and learn new words. These activities can fit into your daily routines. Keep it short and playful, every conversation counts.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov from Pexels
Movement Monday
Active play builds gross motor skills and helps with speech development. Kids often talk more while moving. Movement games help with listening, following directions, vocabulary, sequencing, and expressive language. Plus, it helps burn off energy.
Play Simon Says: Use action words like "jump" or location words like "under the chair."
Sing songs with action words:
"Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" (body parts)
"If You’re Happy and You Know It" (feelings, verbs)
"The Hokey Pokey" (following directions, left/right)
"Going on a Bear Hunt" (sequencing, storytelling)
Set up an obstacle course at home or in the park. Give directions, then have your child repeat them. Let them guide you through the course. They’ll love seeing adults crawl around.
Talk About It Tuesdays
Choose a summer theme and gather real or pretend items. Have your child label or describe them by color, size, shape, texture, and use. Each week, add items that "don’t belong" and discuss why. Here are some theme ideas for outings:
Beach
Zoo
Camping
Picnic
Gardening
Swimming
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk
Wh-Wednesdays
Wh-questions encourage kids to answer more than "yes" or "no." Start with simple questions about items, activities, or specifics. Examples include, "What is this?" "What do you see?" and "What is he doing?" Focus on "who" and "where" questions about people or places. Use "when" for time questions, like "When do we eat lunch?" It helps us talk about what happens before and after. "Why" and "how" questions help kids understand cause and effect.
Photo by cottonbro studio
Tongue Ties Thursdays
Get those mouths moving on Thursdays! Make silly faces, imitate kisses, and practice sticking the tongue out to the side or up. Open your mouth for a "little bite" and a "big bite." This helps with oral awareness, strength, and coordination. If your child is working on specific sounds, find words to use during the day. You can also create a coloring sheet for them to label sounds. Teacherspayteachers.com offers fantastic free downloads not just for teachers, but parents and other caregivers to use.
Photo by cottonbro studio
Fun with Friends Fridays
Playdates or trips to the park are great for practicing social skills. At home, practice greetings. This will help your child feel at ease in social situations. Games teach kids to take turns. You might need to start the turn-taking. Then, let your child use the pattern and words you showed them. You can also role-play going out. Practice ordering their favorite food before dining out.
Photo by olia danilevich
Story Telling Saturdays
With a busy week, your child will have much to share. Snap photos during the week. Then, have your child share the activity with a family member or friend. Use prompts to help them include who was there, what they did, and when. Read books together. Then, ask your child to retell the story. They should include a beginning, middle, and end. Here are some suggestions from your local library:
"Jabari Jumps"* by Gaia Cornwall (about a child jumping off a diving board)
"Pete the Cat: Pete at the Beach"* by James Dean (Pete hesitates about going into the water)
"The Watermelon Seed"* by Greg Pizzoli (a crocodile swallows a watermelon seed)
"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Shell!"* by Lucille Colandro (the same lady who swallowed a fly visits the beach)
"A Day at the Seashore"* by Kathryn and Byron Jackson (a brother and sister explore the beach)
"Maisy Goes Camping"* by Lucy Cousins (Maisy and her friends go camping)
Schedule Sundays
Summer weeks can be just as hectic as school weeks. Use Sundays to regroup and plan for the week. Create a visual calendar for your child. Use it to talk about weekly activities. Predictability helps ease anxiety. This tool is also useful when plans change; you can cross out activities and add new ones. Working on this together helps your child adapt to changes.
Enjoy your summer with family, as it is the most important thing. Keep a journal of your activities and new words or sounds your child uses. This can be a helpful resource to share with their therapist or when school starts again.