Summer Language Enrichment Series

Speech Pathology Associates, Mississippi Summer Language Enrichment Series Difficulty naming 6-8 items that make up a category can often be an early indicator of later reading problems.  While this activity can be done in a number of settings, just like the TIP#4 action word game, playing it in a pool provides the most summer fun.   As on our last activity, using a beach ball, have your child or a group of kids stand in the shallow water so they can easily throw a ball to one another.  Either you or another team member will choose a category from which the items will come. The kids will throw the ball in a random order so each child must be ready with a category word at all times.  When the ball is thrown to a child, he/she is to say an item from the category chosen (animals, clothes, fruits, vegetables, etc.) when the ball is caught. If unable to give a word, you could have that child sit on the side of the pool until only one child remains; however, t

SPEECH PATHOLOGY ASSOCIATES Mississippi Using ‘ing’ action words can be difficult for many children because they aren’t words we name but do.  While this activity could be done in a number of settings, playing it in a pool provides the most summer fun.   Using a beach ball, have your child or a group of kids stand in the shallow water so they can easily throw a ball to one another.  The kids will throw the ball in a random order so each child must be ready with an action word at all times. When the ball is thrown to a child, he/she is to say an action word (running, sitting, throwing, etc.) when the ball is caught.  If unable to give a word, you could have that child sit on the side of the pool until only one child remains; however, the actual ‘game’ instructions are yours to make. Increasing verb language helps the child to formulate better sentences.  If this activity proves to be difficult for your child or if you have questions, please email me.

SPEECH PATHOLOGY ASSOCIATES SUMMER LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT TIP#3 Does your child have difficulty telling a story or relaying to you what has happened?  This tip will give you guidance on how to help your child to sequence events. This activity requires you to plan ahead a trip or event.  Depending on the age of your child, this activity can be done orally or in writing. Suppose you and your child are going to the zoo on Tuesday.  On Monday, you will develop a future tense story before the trip (Tomorrow we will go to the zoo. What do you think we will see? Where do you want to eat?, etc.).  A future tense story gives you the opportunity to use future tense language such as ‘will, could, hope/plan to, etc.’ Then on Tuesday while you are involved in your trip, you will be formulating a present tense story and using ‘ing’ words such as ‘are riding/seeing/eating, etc.’ On Wednesday, you will construct a past tense story using words that reflect what has already happened

On TIP#1, you blindfolded your child and gave ‘preposition’ directions for your child to follow.  Since your child is familiar with wearing a blindfold, let’s vary the activity to further enhance listening skills. This exercise can be done inside or outside.  The purpose is to help your child separate background noise from specific sounds in the environment.  This closely aligns with classroom activities where the child has to listen to the teacher while blocking out the sounds of the activity in the hallway or the lawnmower outside the window. While blindfolded, lead your child around to specific sounds and have the child identify what the sound is.  You might lead the child closely to traffic noise, a bird whistling in a tree, or the washer inside the house.  Should familiar people be in the child’s environment, ask him/her to tell you who is talking. If this activity proves to be difficult for your child or if you have questions, please email me.

Do you ever wonder if your child is ignoring you when you give directions or if your child has difficulty following directions?  The Blind Man’s Walk should be able to help you decide. By blindfolding your child, you are eliminating other distractions that could be the reason your child doesn’t typically follow your directions.   .   The activity can be done inside on a rainy day or outside on a sunny day.  First explain to your child that you are going to play a listening game while he/she is blindfolded.   Once blindfolded, lead your child by the hand while giving ‘preposition’ instructions appropriate to the age of the child.  You could use commands such as step over the rock, go to the left/right , go around the tree, go under the limb, etc.  Preschool children may need only ‘in, on, under’ instructions. If this activity proves to be difficult for your child or if you have questions, please email me.

SUMMER SERIES GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY Summer is here and all of us are equally relived to have a break. Some of you may be just as ready, already,  for school to start back. Speech Pathology Associates wants to make this particular summer more interesting and also help parents discover some things about their children. Our Summer Language Enrichment Series will contain 8 TIPS to help you not only identify and discover with your children but make back to school a little easier with our giveaway. Qualification is simple and easy.  Like, Comment, and Share during our summer series on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM or THE BLOG to be entered to win our Summer Language Enrichment Series $100 Amazon Gift Card. We want to hear your results and feed back. All your likes, shares and comments qualify you for an entry. Good Luck! Have Fun and Enjoy Summer Break!