Making Fun Experiences into Learning Experiences

Working Speech and Language into Your Morning Routine!

Working Speech and Language into Your Morning Routine Getting Dressed and Ready for the Day Requesting Clothes For children who are working on requesting: Have your child request various items of clothing he/she wants. You could ask him/her to request certain styles or colors! Just make sure your child is using their words, signs or AAC Device!

Working Speech and Language into your Morning Routine Getting Dressed and Ready for the Day Talk about the Weather Discuss what the forecast is for the day; this can be done by having your child look it up. After the forecast for the day has been discussed, talk about what clothes would be appropriate for the type of weather.

Working Speech and Language into your Morning Routine Getting Dressed and Ready for the Day ◦ Talk about the Day’s Events and Make Plans (sequencing) Discuss the order of the days events and have the child fill in events or describe items about that event. If there is something special planned for the day talk about what clothes or items are needed

Working Speech and Language into your Morning Routine Eating Breakfast Requesting Have your child request different items for breakfast Example: request juice, request the spoon, request a napkin

Working Speech and Language into your Morning Routine Eating Breakfast Labeling Vocabulary, Describe and Tell Function Talk about what foods your child is eating. You can talk about how the food tastes, smells, feels, etc. You can also talk about the function of the dishes, napkin and/or other items used during breakfast.

Speech and Language Activities for the Pool!

Speech and Language Activities for the Pool Preparing for the Pool Before you go, have your child make a plan of all the things he or she wants to do at the pool Go down the slide, jump off the diving board, dive for sticks, etc. Help them express complete thoughts when describing what they want to do.

Speech and Language Activities for the Pool Preparing for the Pool Vocabulary, Sorting and Making Decisions Before you leave for the pool, talk about all the things you will need. Talk about the things you do at the pool and what things you would need to do them.

Speech and Language Activities for the Pool Socializing with Peers o The pool is perfect for socializing with peers o Make sure your child knows your rules for interacting with strangers o Join in the fun and model appropriate behaviors o Invite familiar peers to the pool for play time

Speech and Language Activities for the Farmers Market!

Speech and Language Activities for the Farmer’s Market Social Scripts for Buying Things ◦ Before you go, teach your child the typical script for purchasing something. ◦ Once your child is good at that, you can throw in extra things that a seller might say, like “do you want any tomatoes to go with that?” or “how old are you?” just to help your child be prepared for breaks in the script..

Speech and Language Activities for the Farmer’s Market ◦ Once you get to the Farmer’s Market, have your child pick out one thing that he or she wants and help him or her through the script to buy it. You may need to prompt your child through it at first but soon he or she will get the hang of it.

Speech and Language Activities for the Farmer’s Market Increase Farmer's Market Vocabulary ◦ First of all, you can explore the market and label all of the foods and items that are for sale. That is a lot of vocabulary to learn! ◦ The way to expand this is to talk about how the foods look, smell, taste, feel, etc. You may have to buy some samples to do some of these things but it will be totally worth it.

Speech and Language Activities for the Farmer’s Market Scavenger Hunt! Descriptive Vocabulary ◦ Give your child a list of things to find based on descriptions. For example, “something red” or “something that costs $5”. When your child finds it, she can take a picture of the item, draw a picture of it, or write the word. If your child struggles with this, hunt for items using the names of things, like “find an apple.

Speech and Language Activities for the Park or Playground!

Speech and Language Activities for the Park or Playground Taking Turns with Others ◦ Remember to remind your child to use his words, gestures or AAC device to ask others for a turn and to offer a turn to someone else. ◦ Make sure you child expresses a complete thought when requesting or giving a turn. ◦ Practice taking turns with one another and siblings at the playground or park. Then practice with familiar peers.

Speech and Language Activities for the Park or Playground Use Descriptive Vocabulary ◦ You can talk about where your child is (under the slide, on the slide, going around the pole). You can also talk about what your child is doing (running fast, swinging high, etc.) ◦ Talk about whatever your child is doing. Let the child take the lead and supply the words that fit the activity.

Speech and Language Activities for the Park or Playground Starting Conversations with Other Children ◦ Teach your child some social scripts that he can use to initiate those interactions with their peers. ◦ Practice scripts before going to the playground. Practice with siblings and familiar peers.

References ◦ Clark, C. (2013, 4 14). Speech and language kids. Retrieved from activities-for-the-park-or-playground/