Speech and Language Resources and Games:
Online Websites:
Fun Games and Activities to Build Vocabulary, Listening, and Speech-Language Skills!
1. Play, “Mother May I”:
Tell your child to take large, small, backward, forward, fast, slow, etc. steps to improve their ability to follow directions with concepts in them. (i.e. Take 3 large steps if you are not wearing red, & Take 2 small backward steps if you are a girl, etc.).
2. Play, “Do 2 or 3 Things”:
Give your child 2-3 step directions and see if they can complete them. (i.e. “Pick up three books and put them on the bookshelf”, “stand up, pick up two cars, and put them in your toy box”, etc.).
3. Play, “Red Light, Green Light”:
When you say ‘Green Light’ everyone will move toward the finish line, when you say ‘Red Light’ everyone stops. You can also introduce new colored lights, giving variations how to move towards the finish line, such as run on green, walk heal to toe for yellow light, hopping for purple light, skipping, galloping, tip toeing, walking sideways, backwards, forwards, etc.
4. Play, “Simon Says”:
Give one, two, and three-step directions and make sure your child listens to all directions before they begin the direction.
5. Play, “Go Fish”:
Ask complete, organized questions to get the cards you need and add detail to your sentences as your child begins to understand the game (i.e. Do you have a big black and white whale that is swimming in the water?) and respond using complete sentences (i.e. I do not have a big black and white whale that is swimming in the water). You can also use different cards if you have them (i.e. alphabet, sight words, numbers, colors, shapes, etc.)
6. Sing songs, fingerplays, and read nursery rhymes:
7. Play, “Mystery Bag”:
Hide objects in a bag and either ask questions to figure out what is hiding in the bag or give clues to describe the objects in the bag. Take turns guessing what object is hiding in the bag.
8. Take a walk and use less screen time:
Talk about what you see, hear, smell, touch, and/or taste as you are walking.
9. Play Outside:
Talk about running “fast” and “slow”, jumping “over” and crawling “under” things you find outside, draw with chalk and talk about the pictures, blow bubbles, talk about the season, weather, play sight word hopscotch, etc.
10.Read Stories & Take Turns Making up your own stories:
Each person adds a sentence to the story until you come to the end.
Talk to your child about “who” the story is about, “what” they are doing, “where” the storying is taking place, “when” it is happening, etc.
· Model sentences using correct grammar, word order, and clear sounds!
· Expand on your child’s sentences (i.e. They say, “car” you say, “Yes, I see the big red car.”)
· Have conversations with your child by asking questions and making comments about various topics and encourage eye contact and turn taking!
· Talk to your child during fun and routines activities! (i.e. Have your child help you clean the house, cook dinner, bake, plant and water flowers/garden, go on a picnic in your backyard, etc. Name vocabulary you see in these activities and talk about the steps it takes to complete these activities! The more words your child hears, understands, and uses the more they will understand what is being asked of them and the better they will be able to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas!