Contributors:

Holly Ballard MS/CCCslp
Crystal Hutchins MS/CCCslp
Sherrie Susser MA/CCCslp
Randi Weinberg MA/CCCslp

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Fun Summer Activities

Oral Motor Exercises
  • ·        Blowing bubbles
  • ·        Windmill toys – blow on them to make them spin
  • ·        Buy a variety of whistles – blow them outside, loud whistle sounds, soft whistle sounds, long sounds
  • ·        Use a straw and blow bubbles in your milk or  chocolate milk
  • ·        Buy licorice, try to drink through a piece of licorice.  Even the long tube shaped noodles would be fun.  (then eat the licorice, tough chewy licorice will really work the muscles in the mouth)
  • ·        Buy silly shaped straws that have many bends and turns
  • ·        Popsicles are a fun summer snack.  Put the popsicle above your lips try to lick it.  Put the popsicle on the side of your mouth and lick it.  Place the popsicle below your lips and lick it.  (can do this with frosting and lollipops too)
  • ·        Spaghetti noodles – try to pull the spaghetti into your mouth
  • ·        Singing songs that have repetitive sounds or words are a good practice for oral motor skills.
  • ·        Any song that you can hum to or say “la la la la”
  • ·        Go to you tube – look up “slow children’s songs” or “children songs”.  Watch and sing along with the videos

Language Based Activities
Here are a few suggestions to do during the summer for language skills.
  • ·        Take pictures and then tell what is happening in the picture.  Parent’s write down your child’s words.  Make a book by pasting all the pictures into a notebook.  (then you could share a few photos during speech therapy at the start of the school year). 
  • ·        Go to the Littleton Public Library.  The library has a wonderful collection of children’s books, books on tape, and even a suitcase/bag that has a book with activities listed to go along with the book.  The librarians are always very helpful in recommending appropriate books.  Enjoy the time reading together.
  • ·        Work on sequencing words, First, Second, Third, or First, Next, Last.  Talk about the activities for the day and use those words.  Write the words on a note card and label them 1, 2, and 3.  At the end of the day, review what you did first, second, etc.  Take pictures of the activities.  Print the pictures and sequence the pictures.
  • ·        Playing a fun board game or card game is always a good activity.  Just try to incorporate language into the game so that it is interactive.  “It’s my turn”.  “I rolled a six.  I am moving six spaces, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6”.
  • ·        Here on the speech therapy blog site.  There you will find other activities and suggestions for “reading with your child”, articulation practice, and language skills.  
  • ·        Encourage your child to repeat any direction given to him/her.
  • ·        Practice the “rehearsal strategy” for recalling/remembering directions.  This strategy is as follows:

1.     Repeat the directions out loud.
2.     Say the directions to yourself (whisper voice).
3.     Picture yourself doing the direction (close your eyes and “visualize” what you need to do)
4.     Do it!  Follow the direction.

Have a fantastic Summer! 


Sherri Shire-Susser  M.A. CCC/SLP

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