It’s Spring! Time to catch those leprechauns, look for gold and go on egg hunts. No doubt you’ll find many events going on around you for St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) and Easter (March 27th). But just in case you’re looking for some spring activity ideas, here are some fun St. Patrick’s Day and Easter themed activities you and your little one can do together.
Whenever I come across a website that I think could have a meaningful positive impact on the work we, as speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and educators do, I feel I immediately have to share such a resource on the Speech Buddies blog. Today, that site is Teachers Pay Teachers, an ingenious market, for educational resources developed by teachers, that anyone—teachers, SLPs, homeschoolers, grandparents—may access a la carte for a nominal fee.
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Some of the most important and valuable opportunities to improve communication skills come from the real world. If your child is working on speech and communication issues and you’re searching for enrichment activities to support those efforts, look first to your local community. There are easy, free, fun, and meaningful options just waiting for your kids to be able to practice their speaking skills. Continue reading
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Most kids look forward to summer break with excitement and eagerness, but parents and teachers often worry about the effects of the summer brain drain – or summer slide – that can negatively affect your child’s basic academic skills. On average kids in the United States lose 2 months of math and reading skills over the summer break – which adds up to a full year during just the elementary years alone! Research also shows that kids from lower income homes are even more at risk for this summer slide as their educational resources become less available.
If your child has a speech delay or disorder, or any other type of challenge that makes learning more – challenging, this summer slide can be a real drain on the brain. Maybe your school doesn’t offer summer speech therapy, or your child is already a reluctant reader. There are ways to help. Try some of these fun and easy ways to build your child’s readings skills during the summer and avoid the summer slide (unless you’re headed to the park).
1. Make a field trip out of your child’s summer reading interests. Maybe your son can’t wait to head to the local amusement park, so get him even more excited by encouraging him to read about the 10 highest roller coasters on Earth! If your daughter loves to go for bike rides, encourage her to read about local trails and pick a new one to try each week. Reading maps is a legitimate reading skill that has practical implications for the future. Continue reading
