Speech/Language October Tips

It’s that time of the year again and pumpkins are all around us! Here are some fun ideas to use pumpkins and encourage your child’s language development:

• Gather a few pumpkins or gourds of different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Allow your child to explore the pumpkins at their own pace. You can use language strategies such as commenting and self-talk. For example: “You have the large pumpkin”, “that pumpkin is bumpy”, “the pumpkin stem feels rough”.

• Cut the tops off of your pumpkins and encourage your child to feel the inside. Talk about words like slimy, seeds, sticky, scoop. If you don’t think your child will want to explore the inside of a pumpkin, put some pumpkins in the sink or bathtub and wash them. Use action words such as wash, wipe, scrub, and dry.

• Play hide and seek with a pumpkin. Take turns hiding a pumpkin with your child. Use language such as “my turn” and “your turn”. Help your child use spatial words such as in, under, and on top to describe where they hid or found the pumpkin.

Happy October from the ELC Speech/Language Team!

Miss Casey, Miss Liz, & Miss Tijana