Summer often brings a welcome break from school routines, but many parents wonder how they can continue supporting their child’s communication skills while enjoying the season. 

The good news is that some of the best learning opportunities happen during ordinary moments, such as walking to the park, shopping for groceries, making lunch, or playing outside. 

Children learn language through meaningful interactions with the people around them. The more they hear, see, and experience language in everyday life, the more opportunities they have to understand and use them. 

Everyday Moments Matter 

Think about how many conversations happen naturally during a typical day: 

• Choosing what to wear
• Watching a squirrel run across the yard 
• Packing snacks for an outing 

These experiences provide real reasons to communicate, which often makes learning easier and more motivating for children. 

Three Simple Strategies You Can Use Anywhere 

1. Comment More Than You Question
   • Parents often feel they need to ask lots of questions to encourage talking.
   • Instead of:
     • “What’s that?”
     • “What colour is it?”
     • “What is the dog doing?”
   • Try making comments:
     • “I see a big dog!”
     • “He’s running so fast.”
     • “That dog has fluffy ears.”
   • Comments reduce pressure and provide a strong language model for your child to hear and copy. 

2. Follow Your Child’s Lead
   • Talk about what they are interested in:
     • “That rock is smooth.”
     • “You found a tiny bug.”
     • “The puddle made a big splash!”
   • Children are often more engaged when adults talk about what already has their attention. 

3. Give Your Child Time to Respond
   • After making a comment or asking a simple question, pause for a few seconds. Some children need extra time to process what they hear and decide how they want to respond. That response might be a word, a gesture, a sound, or simply looking toward you.
   • Those quiet moments can create valuable opportunities for communication. 

You Don’t Need to Create Extra Time 

Many families already have busy schedules during the summer. The goal is not to add another activity to your day. Instead, look for opportunities within the activities you are already doing: 

• In the car, talk about what you see outside the window. 
• At the park, describe actions like climbing, jumping, and swinging. 
• During snack time, offer choices and wait for a response. 
• On a walk, notice birds, flowers, construction vehicles, or changing weather. 

Remember!! Communication Is More Than Words 

Communication includes: 

• Gestures
• Eye contact 
• Facial expressions 
• Sounds 
• Words 
• Sentences 
• Taking turns 
• Sharing ideas 

Celebrate all attempts to communicate. When children feel successful, they are often more willing to keep trying. 

Try This Today 

Choose one everyday activity you already have planned. 

For five minutes: 

• Follow your child’s interests.
• Make more comments than questions. 
• Pause and give them time to respond. 
• Add one or two words to what they say. 

You may be surprised by how much communication can happen without any special materials at all. 

The best speech and language opportunities often happen during ordinary summer moments. You do not need perfect activities or resources. A connected conversation, shared attention, and a little extra time can go a long way in supporting your child’s communication growth.