FUN FALL IDEAS FOR FAMILIES THAT BUILD SPEECH AND LANGUAGE



There are so many fun activities that families can engage in that can build speech and language skills! The Autumn season provides many inexpensive and fun family opportunities to help children build and generalize their speech and language skills.


GO FOR A HIKE IN NATURE- Many towns and cities have areas with hiking trails. Going on a hike as a family, can provide inexpensive fun and a wonderful way to engage kids in communication.

  • receptive identification

  • expressive labeling

  • discuss weather and clothing options, cloud formations

  • adjectives to describe items found/seen during the hike

  • target prepositions with where the child found the item

  • compare/contrast items

  • give instructions on how to return to starting point

  • sequence the order for what they checked off of their scavenger list

NATURE ART- Hikes in nature can provide some FREE art supplies. Students can gather rocks, acorns, twigs, leaves in various colors, and fall berries while on a hike to use in art. Families can also create apple stamps by cutting an apple in half and dipping it in stamp ink or paint. Fingerprints in an ink pad can be included in the child's art project.

  • Make requests for supplies ("Please hand me the glue" or "I would like a yellow leaf")

  • Sequence steps taken to create their masterpiece

  • Describe their art project

  • Tell a story about their art project

NATURAL BIRD FEEDER- This is an easy craft that families can make and that does not cost a lot. The only materials needed are a pine cone, string, peanut butter, and bird seed. Here is a link to a video demonstrating how to make this natural bird feeder.

  • describe needed materials

  • sequencing steps needed to create natural bird feeder

MAKE FALL SCENTED PLAYDOUGH- Many kids LOVE playing with playdough. You can find 10 reasons why we should encourage students using playdough here. Parents can find a lot of wonderful no cook playdough recipes online. Check out this video on how to make No Cook Playdough. Here are two Autumn themed recipes: APPLE CINNAMON PLAYDOUGH (just add red, green, or yellow food coloring) and PUMPKIN PIE PLAYDOUGH.

  • describing materials using senses

  • sequencing steps and recall

  • use the playdough to create items to describe or as visuals when telling a story

GO TO AN APPLE ORCHARD or A PUMPKIN PATCH- During Autumn, go out to an apple orchard to pick our own apples and later to a pumpkin patch to choose pumpkins before Halloween.

  • comparing/contrasting two different pumpkins or apples

  • using language to order their own treats

  • explain why they chose one type of apple or a specific pumpkin

  • using adjectives to describe the different types of apples during an apple tasting

Families can also work on using carryover of speech sound system skills (articulation and phonology) and using fluency techniques while engaging in these fun activities.