Language Strategies for the Playground

Spring Is Here! Spending time with your child outdoors has numerous benefits. Language opportunities do not happen only in the speech room! Here are some language strategies for the playground.

Basic Signs: Model simple signs such as more, stop, go. Speak and sign at the same time while you model these signs and encourage your child to look at you while you’re modeling them!

Choices: Offering choices is a great way to increase language skills. Offer a choice between two pieces of play equipment (“What should we do first, swings or slide?”)

Self & Parallel Talk: Talk about what you or your child are doing at the playground (“you’re climbing up the ladder”)

Recast & Expand: This language strategy involves repeating what your child says and adding another word or two onto their phrase/sentence. For example, if your child says “tree!” you would respond “big tree!” or “I see a tree!”

Requesting Assistance: Give your child a snack, but don’t open it for them right away. Wait for your child to communicate (gesture, sound, words) they need help opening it. Wait a few seconds, open the snack for them while labeling the action “open” or “help me”. By doing this, your child makes the connection that their words and communication have meaning.

Blog written by: Mazal Karan, MS, SLP-CF