August Speech Fun: Summer Skills Before Back-to-School

Easy Ways to Boost Communication Before the School Year Begins

August is that in-between month, summer fun is still in full swing, but back-to-school is right around the corner. It’s the perfect time to refresh your child’s speech and language skills in a fun, low-pressure way so they feel confident heading into a new school year.

The best part? You can build these skills right into your everyday routines.

Keep It Light, Keep It Fun

Before school starts, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s confidence and connection.

Kids learn best when they’re:

• Relaxed
• Engaged
• Having fun

So think of this as “sprinkling in” speech practice, not adding another task to your to-do list.

1. Practice Everyday Conversations

Help your child get ready for classroom interactions by practicing simple conversations.

Try this:

• Ask open-ended questions: “What was your favorite part of today?”
• Practice turn-taking in conversation
• Encourage storytelling: “Tell me what you did at the park!”

 This builds confidence for speaking with teachers and peers.

2. Read & Retell Stories

Reading is great—but retelling is where the magic happens.

After reading:

• Ask: “What happened first?”
• “Who was in the story?”
• “What happened at the end?”

This strengthens comprehension, sequencing, and expressive language.

3. Practice School Routines

Make the transition smoother by practicing routines ahead of time.

Ideas:

• Pretend “school time” at home
• Practice following directions: “Get your shoes, then your backpack”
• Work on answering basic questions: name, teacher, age

 This reduces anxiety and builds independence.

4. Play Games That Build Language

Games are a fun way to target important speech and language skills.

Focus on:

• Turn-taking
• Following directions
• Describing actions (“I rolled a 3!”)
• Using complete sentences

Even simple games like matching or memory can be powerful.

5. Refresh Key Skills

If your child has specific speech goals, August is a great time to review.

Keep it simple:

• Practice target sounds during play
• Use a mirror for visual feedback
• Keep sessions short (5–10 minutes!)

Consistency matters more than long practice sessions.

Confidence Over Perfection

As school approaches, remember: your child doesn’t need to be perfect—they just need to feel comfortable communicating.

Celebrate:

• Effort
• Attempts
• Small wins

That confidence will carry into the classroom.