The summer holidays are right around the corner and for some, it is the ideal time to develop communication skills before the school year begins. The summer holidays are fast approaching, and for some, it is the perfect time to develop their communication skills before school starts.
The summer season is often thought of as a time for rest, vacation, and a summer break from school. Summer months are a time of relaxing and enjoying life’s pleasures for children, but they can also be a crucial time for growth and development. Summer speech therapy can be one of the best times of the year for children to make meaningful progress when they have difficulty with communication, language, and/or speech.
Many parents ask themselves if they should continue therapy over the summer. The answer is typically yes. Indeed, speech therapy in the summer break period has its own benefits that can enable children to develop their communication skills, enhance their confidence, and get ready for school success on the first day of classes.
From speech therapy for kids to pediatric speech therapy or specialized speech and language therapy services, summer offers the opportunity for flexibility and consistency to help your child make lasting progress.
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Quick Facts About Speech and Language Development
- Nearly 1 in 12 children experience a speech, language, voice, or swallowing disorder. Source: (ASHA)
- Speech sound disorders affect approximately 10% of children. Source: (NCBI) / NIH
- Students may lose 17–34% of learning gains during summer breaks without consistent practice.
- Early speech and language intervention is associated with stronger communication and literacy outcomes. Source: (ASHA)
What Is Summer Speech Therapy?
Summer speech therapy is speech and language intervention services that are offered in the summer months when children are not in school. These services are intended to help children to develop their communication skills throughout long school breaks without reverting to a child’s previous stage of development.
Summer schedules can be more flexible than the school year. Children are less academically challenged, enabling speech-language pathologists to work on communication objectives in a more relaxed and enjoyable setting.
Summer therapy can focus on:
- Speech sound production and articulation
- Expressive language skills
- Receptive language development
- Social communication skills
- Literacy and school readiness skills
- Support with fluency and stuttering
- Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
Also Read: What is Speech Therapy? Complete Guide for Children & Adults
Who Can Benefit from Summer Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy during the summer can help children of all ages, such as:
- Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers with Language Delays
- Children who have speech sound difficulties
- Children with ASD
- Children from the age of 5 to 12 who are having difficulty with communication skills.
- Pupils ready for entry to kindergarten
- Children with social communication difficulties
Speech and language therapy can be continued over the summer, ensuring children do not lose momentum and continue to develop skills which will help them to be successful at home, school and socially.
Why Summer Is the Ideal Time for Speech Therapy?
The summer months make for the perfect time for speech therapy. The summer months provide the perfect reason to pursue speech therapy.
1. Prevents Summer Learning Loss
The “summer slide” is one of the top worries of parents and educators. Studies have demonstrated that over extended school breaks children lose their academic and language skills.
Communication skills are not an exception. Pupils may not make as much progress or even go backwards if they don’t keep practicing their speech and language.
Speech therapy during the summer helps to consolidate the skills acquired during the school year and continues to offer speech-language pathologists opportunities to reinforce communication skills.
2. Increasing opportunities for individual attention.
Children may have a lot going on in their schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and family activities during the school year. During the summer, there is more time to work on therapy.
Children have less competing demands so they can use more of their energy on therapy sessions and home practice activities and make progress more quickly towards their communication goals.
3. Reduced Academic Stress
The school year is a stressful time for many children. During the summer, there is less stress and more opportunity for learning to happen naturally through play, conversation and meaningful experiences.
This casual setting can make kids feel more at ease and involved in therapy sessions.
4. Better Parent Involvement
Parents often have more time during the summer months to be more involved in therapy.
If parents are aware of and support the therapy strategies at home, children will make better progress. During the summer season, there are excellent opportunities for family involvement and regular practice.
5. Extended opportunities for real world practice.
There are many opportunities for children to practice speaking skills throughout the summer.
Examples include:
- Family vacations
- Summer camps
- Trips to the zoo
- Visits to parks
- Community events
- Playdates with friends
Children use these real world experiences to transfer their communication skills out of the therapy room.
How Summer Speech Therapy Supports School Readiness
One of the most significant advantages of summer speech therapy for many families is better school readiness.
Why is it important for students to be ready to school?
School readiness is more than just academics. Children require good communication skills in order to:
- Follow classroom instructions
- Participate in discussions
- Build friendships
- Communicate ideas and emotions
- To comprehend story and lessons
- Develop literacy skills
If a child does not get the help needed because of communication problems, he or she may have learning and social difficulties.
Supporting Kindergarten Readiness
Children entering kindergarten have good language skills. Summer therapy can be used to help develop:
- Vocabulary
- Listening skills
- Turn-taking
- Question answering
- Storytelling abilities
- Social interaction skills
These skills help ease transitions to formal schooling.
Building Literacy Foundations
Language skills are highly related to reading and writing proficiency.
Strengthen: Summer speech therapy can help strengthen:
- Phonological awareness
- Sound discrimination
- Vocabulary development
- Narrative skills
- Comprehension abilities
These essential skills are essential for future success in school.
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10 summer speech therapy activities that parents can do at home
The best part of summer speech therapy is that we have the chance to practice the communication goals throughout the day! Parents can help their child’s speech and language development by adding fun and engaging activities to their daily routine.
1. Read Together Every Day
Reading is one of the best language development activities for children of all ages. Select books that are appropriate for your child’s age and have your child:
For each of the following, forecast what will come next.
- Describe pictures
- Retell the story
- Answer questions concerning characters and events
Reading enhances vocabulary, comprehension, and expressive language skills.
2. Make an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt for the Summer.
A scavenger hunt helps children develop their vocabulary, follow instructions and use descriptive language.
Have your child look for objects with the following clues:
- A thing that has a round shape.
- A green object or thing. A green thing or object.
- What makes a sound? What does something have to be in order to make a sound?
This activity is good for receptive and expressive language skills.
3. Practice Storytelling
Storytelling develops skills in narration which are essential for academic performance.
Encourage your child to talk about:
The activity they enjoy most in the summer time.
- A recent family trip
- The activities they do at camp.
- Their dream vacation
Follow up questions to extend conversations and enhance communication.
4. Visit Local Attractions
Natural opportunities for language learning occur in trips to parks, zoos, museums and beaches.
Use these experiences to add new vocabulary and for discussion.
Examples include:
- Animal names at the zoo
- Describing playground activities
- Talking about the weather and nature
- Talking about transportation
5. Play Board Games
The following board games encourage:
- Turn-taking
- Following directions
- Problem-solving
- Social communication
Games provide a fun way to practice speech and language skills.
6. Write a Summer Journal
Older children may be able to write or draw about their experiences of the day.
This activity strengthens:
- Vocabulary
- Sequencing skills
- Story organization
- Literacy development
7. Cook Together
Cooking activities introduce:
- New vocabulary
- Following directions
- Sequencing concepts
- Measurement terms
Children are encouraged to practice communication when they are involved in preparing meals.
8. Encourage Peer Interaction
Children develop at play dates and in community activities:
- Conversational skills
- Social communication
- Turn-taking
- Problem-solving
9. Use speech sounds in every day routine.
Children practicing articulation goals can practice target sounds while:
- Riding in the car
- Going for walks
- Shopping
- Playing games
Shorter, frequent practice sessions can be most effective.
10. Follow Your Speech-Language Pathologist’s home exercise recommendations.
Regular work between therapy sessions will have a great impact on the results.
The parent should collaborate with his/her speech-language pathologist to make sure activities meet the child’s individual goals.
In-Person vs Online Summer Speech Therapy
There are increased choices for access to high quality speech and language therapy services for today’s families.
The advantages of face-to-face speech therapy are numerous.
In-person sessions offer:
- Face-to-face interaction
- Hands-on activities
- Structured learning environments
- One-on-one interaction with therapy materials
Families often choose to attend sessions face-to-face when their child is younger or if they feel in-person sessions are helpful for their child.
Benefits of Online Speech Therapy:
The convenience and accessibility of online speech therapy Ontario services has made them more popular.
Benefits include:
- Flexible scheduling
- Access from home
- Reduced travel time
- The number of specialists is upgraded. More specialists are available.
- Regular assistance during holidays
Virtual sessions are very effective for many children, and since technology is natural attention and engagement, they excel at these.
Which of the following is the best fit for your child?
Your child’s best option will be determined by their:
- Age
- Communication goals
- Learning style
- Family schedule
- Individual needs
In the summer months, many families opt for a hybrid approach to speech therapy Ontario, combining in-person and online services to get the most out of summer time.
Summer Speech Therapy Services Across Ontario
Speech Specialists is proud to provide children and families across Ontario with unique speech and language therapy, tailored to each child’s communication needs.
Speech Therapy Toronto
Families looking for speech therapy Toronto services will be able to find personalized help with speech sound disorders, delays in language development, social communication issues, and school readiness skills.
Speech Therapy Mississauga
Children’s ability to communicate is enhanced by our speech therapy Mississauga services, which utilize evidence-based assessment and intervention programs.
Speech Therapy Vaughan
Families who seek speech therapy Vaughan services can expect individualized treatment plans that concentrate on improving the child’s ability to communicate and gain confidence.
Speech Therapy Pickering
Speech therapy Pickering services assist children with articulation, language development, fluency and social communication issues, and ensure that families are engaged in the speech therapy process.
Speech Therapy North York
Speech therapy North York services are available for families to get tailored speech sound disorders, language delays, social communication difficulties and school readiness support. Your child’s speech-language pathologists are experts in their field and develop individualized treatment plans to help children gain confidence, develop their communication skills and make meaningful progress at home, school, and in social situations.
Speech Therapy Etobicoke
Speech therapy Etobicoke services can help children and families benefit from evidence based assessment and intervention that is individualized to the child’s communication need. From articulation to language development, fluency and social communication, our team is dedicated to assisting a child in acquiring the skills to communicate effectively and confidently in the real world.
Supporting Families Throughout Ontario
Speech Specialists serves Toronto, Mississauga, Vaughan, Pickering and also serves families across Scarborough, Markham, Richmond Hill, New market, Aurora, Brampton, Ajax, Whitby, Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, Hamilton, Grimsby, Ottawa and surrounding areas.
Speech therapy Ontario online also provides families with access to quality speech therapy services from the comfort of their own homes, ensuring support is available regardless of location.
The most frequently asked questions about summer speech therapy.
Question: Should speech therapy be started in the summer?
Answer: Yes. Children tend to have fewer academic demands and more opportunities for focusing on speech development in the summer months, so this is often a great time to begin speech therapy. Flexibility provides for regular attendance and more practice time.
Question: If my child is continuing speech therapy over the summer, should they?
Answer: In most cases, yes. Summer language therapy programs continue language therapy during the summer months to maintain progress, prevent regression, and reinforce language skills prior to the start of school.
Question: How many times a week should my child attend Speech Therapy during the summer?
Answer: The frequency recommended will vary based on your child’s needs and goals. Children benefit from weekly sessions and some may need more intensive support in the summer months.
Question: Is speech therapy a useful aid to school readiness?
Answer: Absolutely. The speech therapy services provided at school readiness will support the development of listening skills, vocabulary, social communication skills, and literacy foundations necessary for academic learning and achievement.
Question: But is online speech therapy effective?
Answer: Yes. Studies and clinical experience demonstrate that many speech and language objectives can be very successfully addressed online by qualified speech-language pathologists.
Question: At what age should children start speech therapy?
Answer: Speech and language therapy can be beneficial for children of any age. The earlier the intervention, the better, especially if communication issues are detected during the preschool years.
Question: What are some home activities parents can do to help a child with speech therapy?
Answer: Parents can help further communication development by reading, telling stories, playing board games, doing scavenger hunts, cooking, and talking with children about using language around the house.
Speech specialists are a key component to helping students reach their goals during the summer months. There are reasons why families choose speech specialists for summer speech therapy.
We know that each child communicates in their own unique way, and at Speech Specialists we know how to work with them. Our highly trained speech-language pathologists develop individualized treatment plans for each child based on their strengths, challenges and goals.
We provide families with:
- Evidence-based therapy approaches
- Experienced pediatric clinicians
- Personalized treatment plans
- Parent coaching and education
- Flexible summer scheduling
- Face-to-face and online courses.
- In-depth speech and language therapy services.
If your child has difficulties with articulation, language development, social communication, fluency or school readiness skills, our team is here to help them be successful.
Help Your Child Start Off on the “Right Foot” This Summer!
Summer is not only a time of school vacation but it is also a time of growth, learning, and communications development. Families can work to avoid regression, build key skills and get ready for school success by continuing speech therapy during the summer months.
Speech Specialists’ summer speech therapy offers many benefits, including enhancing speech clarity, expanding vocabulary, increasing confidence and preparing for school.
From speech therapy Toronto to speech therapy Mississauga, speech therapy Vaughan, speech therapy Pickering, and even online speech therapy Ontario, Speech Specialists has got you covered.
Reach out to our team today and discover how individualized pediatric speech therapy can help your child develop effective communication skills and get a head start on the upcoming school year.