1. Nature/outdoor scavenger hunt 

Create a list of different items found outdoors and have your child collect these items, then present and describe what/where the item was found. This activity can target identifying objects, describing objects, answering WH questions, utilizing spatial concepts, following directions, as well as act as a fun activity to get everyone outside! 

2. Bubbles and chalk 

Blowing bubbles and drawing with chalk are great activities to promote early language development. When blowing bubbles, we can model descriptive language such as “big” and “little” as well as functional vocabulary words such as “more” and “go.” Modeling words such as “pop” and “yay” is also a great way to focus on environmental and exclamatory sounds. Additionally, drawing with chalk can be a fun and engaging activity to target identifying colors, drawing shapes, and even writing numbers. 

3. Obstacle course 

a. An obstacle course is a wonderful activity to target following directions, building vocabulary, and sequencing. This also allows children to work together and be creative. 

4. All of the activities listed above can also be fun ways to target articulation! Try targeting words related to the activity to help with engagement. For example, if working on /r/ and participating in a scavenger hunt, try targeting words such as “tree, summer, grass, nature, outdoor, rock, adventure, etc.” 

Additional ways to maximize language throughout these activities include providing wait time to allow time to process information, asking open ended questions to aid in describing and word finding, and modeling language to expand on your child’s utterances.

Supporting your child’s language development can be simple, fun, and naturally incorporated into everyday summer activities. Whether it’s playing outside, creating obstacle courses, or blowing bubbles in the backyard, these moments provide valuable opportunities to build communication skills while making lasting memories together.

Need more support?

If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, the speech-language pathologists at Hogg Therapy Pediatrics are here to help! Our team provides individualized speech and language therapy services to support children’s communication growth in engaging and meaningful ways.

If your child is already receiving speech therapy services at Hogg Therapy and you need adjusted summer appointment times or scheduling accommodations, please contact our office at 859-353-3666. We are happy to help find a schedule that works best for your family this summer!