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Speech Ideas for a Fun 4th of July!

Amanda Nichols, MCD, CCC-SLP

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe that it is almost July!!! Summer is already in full swing and the days are only getting hotter. This weekend we get to celebrate one of my favorite holidays! The 4th of July is a great excuse to spend all day outside, play in some water, and enjoy good food straight from the grill. 

This 4th of July is probably going to look a little different than others but that doesn’t mean you can’t still make the most of it. Whether you’re spending it at home with your family, attending a socially distant gathering, or relaxing at the lake/beach, I wanted to give you some fun ways you can incorporate speech and language into different activities as you celebrate! 

Reading is such a great activity no matter your child’s age.

Books are one of my favorite things that promote language development!! They help develop a child’s language skills by engaging their imaginations, introducing them to people/places/things they don’t normally see, increasing their vocabulary, introducing them to literacy early on, teaching them about feelings, and so much more. As you read through the book, emphasize the words that are new to your child’s vocabulary. Then point to the picture of that word while saying the new word again. Read the same books over and over and begin to ask your child to point to the pictures of the newly introduced vocabulary on their own. I encourage all parents to sit down with their child and read at least 2 books before naptime and bedtime. 

Here’s a list of some great 4th of July books you can read to your little ones or that your older ones can read to you:

The Berenstain Bears God Bless Our Country by Mike Berenstein

The 4th of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh

Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong

The Night Before the Fourth of July by Natasha Wing

F is for Flag by Wendy Cheyette Lewison

Curious George Parade Day by H.A. Rey

Corduroy's 4th of July by Don Freeman and Lisa McCue

Fourth of July Mice by Bethany Roberts

Parade Colors by Barbara Barbieri McGrath and Peggy Tagel

Games to Get Outdoors

I encourage you to take this time to spend as much time outside and away from screens (TVs, tablets, phones, video games, etc) as possible (weather permitting)! Enjoy being with your family and finding activities/games that everyone can get involved in. Playing games with others promotes taking turns, patience, eye contact, sharing, requesting, and commenting. It is also a great way to incorporate sensory play! Have your child form a question of what they want to play with, ask your child whose turn it is, tell them to describe what they see/feel, have them practice their speech words in between each turn, etc. 

Here’s some great outdoor activities you can do:

Raining? No Worries!

If it’s raining and you’re stuck inside, here’s some great indoor activities/crafts: 

Who doesn’t love a fun, colorful snack??

Most kids I know do! Get in the kitchen and make a mess because making snacks is a great way to engage kids and teach them about different foods. Making stuff in the kitchen is a great way to work on following directions, spatial concepts (in, on, out, off), time/sequential concepts (first, last, next, then, after), pronouns (I, you, we), verbs (need, pour, mix, shake, open, close, stir, bake), and introducing new foods and textures of foods your child might not typically eat. Narrate everything that you do!!! Some examples of things to talk about: where the food comes from, where the fruits grow, the size and shape of each ingredient, the colors of each item, count the number of ingredients, describe how they taste (sweet, sour, salty). Kids are much more willing to listen when they are engaged in the activity with you and motivated by the end result! 

Here’s a list of some easy snack ideas that kids will love the process of making of them as much as they love eating them:

4th of July Social Story from National Autism Resources

National Autism Resources has a fun Social Story you can print out and color with your kids as you talk about what they can expect on the 4th of July! The holiday can come with a lot of bright lights and loud sounds that can overwhelm a child that is sensitive to these things. National Autism Resources gives you some tips and advice to help navigate the holiday’s celebrations and how to encourage 4th of July safety. 

https://www.nationalautismresources.com/4th-of-july-social-story/