Building Summer Language Skills: What Parents Can Do

Building Summer Language Skills: What Parents Can Do

Summer break is full of possibilities—and it’s the perfect time to boost your child’s language development in fun, everyday ways. By choosing active, language-rich experiences (both digital and non-digital), you can keep your child’s communication skills growing all summer long.

Here’s how:

1. Choose Active Over Passive Screen Time

While many kids spend more time on screens during the summer, not all screen time is created equal. Not all screen time is “bad”—but some kinds are better for language development than others. Passive screen time, like watching YouTube videos or cartoons alone, offers limited opportunities for interaction. Active screen time, on the other hand, encourages talking, thinking, and responding.

Try these ideas:

1. Watch a show together, pause to ask questions: “Why did he do that?” “What do you think will happen next?”
2. Choose apps that involve storytelling, problem-solving, or creating (e.g., Pink Cat Games, Speech Blubs, or PBS Kids).
3. Play video games with your child—talk about strategy, characters, and next steps as you play.

Pro tip: Narrate what’s happening on screen and encourage your child to do the same.

2. Read Every Day (In Any Format)

Reading is still one of the best ways to build language. It doesn’t have to be a big production—just 10-15 minutes a day makes a difference.

1. Let your child choose the book.
2. Ask questions like, “What’s happening?” or “What would you do if you were the character?”
3. For older kids, audiobooks are great too—just pause to talk about what’s happening or make predictions.

3. Make Chores and Errands Talk-Time

Everyday tasks are full of language opportunities!

1. While cooking: “Let’s sequence the steps—what do we do first?”
2. At the store: “Can you find something round/yellow/frozen?”
3. In the car: “Tell me three things you saw out the window.”

Describing, labeling, problem-solving, and comparing all build vocabulary and grammar skills naturally.

4. Encourage Pretend Play

Whether it’s playing restaurant, school, or superheroes—pretend play builds vocabulary, sentence structure, and storytelling.

1. Join in the fun and model new words: “Welcome to the bakery! We have chocolate croissants and blueberry muffins.”
2. Add props like boxes, costumes, or stuffed animals to keep it fresh.

5. Make Conversation a Priority

The most powerful language tool your child has is you. Talk often and listen well.

1. Ask open-ended questions: “What was the best part of today?”
2. Share stories from your own childhood
3. Let your child take the lead in conversation

Summer doesn’t have to mean learning loss.

With a little intention—and a lot of talking, playing, and connecting—your child’s language skills can keep growing all summer long.

Hanna Webb, M.S., CF-SLP

References:

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016).Media and young minds. Pediatrics, 138(5). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2591

Mol, S. E., & Bus, A. G. (2011). To read or not to read: A meta-analysis of print exposure from infancy to early adulthood. Psychological Bulletin, 137(2). https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021890

Stagnitti, K., & Lewis, F. M. (2015). Quality of pre-school children’s pretend play and subsequent development of semantic organization and narrative re-telling skills. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 17(2), 148–158. https://doi.org/10.3109/17549507.2014.954623