by Tamiko Teshima, M.A., CCC-SLP
Practice Owner & Speech-Language Pathologist
Duncan Lake Speech Therapy, LLC
The holiday season is full of opportunities to connect, create memories, and—without much extra effort—boost your child’s language skills! Everyday holiday traditions and activities can become fun and engaging ways to support language development. So, just in case your holiday season wasn’t busy enough (haha), here are five holiday activities that are both festive and language-enriching.
Bake Holiday Treats Together
Baking is not only a delicious holiday tradition but also an incredible way to work on language skills.
- Vocabulary Building: Introduce new words like “whisk,” “knead,” “measure,” and “dough.”
- Sequencing Practice: Have your child retell the steps of the recipe after you finish.
- Following Directions: Ask your child to follow simple or multi-step directions, such as “Add the flour, then stir it with a spoon.”
Pro Tip: Let your child be the “chef” and read the recipe aloud, practicing functional reading skills in a fun way.
Create Holiday Cards or Letters
Writing cards or letters to family and friends is a meaningful tradition that also fosters communication skills.
- Expressive Language: Help your child dictate or write what they want to say. Encourage them to include greetings, kind messages, or details about their year.
- Articulation Practice: If your child is working on specific speech sounds, guide them to include words with those sounds. For example, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” might be great phrases for practicing /m/ or /h/.
- Bonus – Fine Motor Skills: Drawing and writing on cards also support fine motor development!
Decorate Together
Decorating your home or tree can spark creativity and conversation.
- Descriptive Language: Talk about the colors, shapes, and sizes of ornaments or decorations. Use words like “sparkly,” “striped,” or “round.”
- Comparisons: Compare items using phrases like “bigger than,” “smaller than,” or “the same size as.”
- Following Instructions: Let your child be the “director” as they explain where decorations should go, practicing their ability to give clear instructions.
Read Holiday-Themed Books
Reading holiday books is a classic way to engage in seasonal fun while supporting language growth. Shout out if you read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, my personal favorite.
- Comprehension Questions: Pause while reading to ask your child questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why did they do that?”
- New Vocabulary: Discuss the meanings of unfamiliar words or phrases like “tradition,” “celebration,” or “jolly.”
- Retelling Stories: After reading, ask your child to retell the story in their own words, practicing narrative skills.
- Bonus Activity: Act out the story with family members to make it even more interactive.
Sing Holiday Songs and Play Games
Music and games are perfect for making language practice playful and fun.
- Singing: Holiday songs introduce rhythm and rhyme, which help with phonological awareness. Encourage your child to sing along or clap to the beat.
- Guessing Games: Play games like “I Spy” with holiday items. For example, “I spy something red and shiny on the tree.
- Storytelling Games: Use holiday-themed prompts like “What if Santa got stuck in the chimney?” to inspire creative storytelling.
The holidays are a wonderful time to slow down and focus on your family, and these simple activities offer the added bonus of boosting your child’s communication skills. Whether you’re baking, decorating, or singing, the key is to engage in meaningful conversations and have fun together.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Duncan Lake Speech Therapy!
P.S. You know, we do have a holiday enrichment activity post about Thanksgiving, too, if you’re interested!
