Summer Games – Making them purposeful!

Summer is a great time to play games!

Outside when the weather is nice, or around the dining room table if it is too hot or raining. You can easily turn any game into Purposeful Play and incorporate speech/language or fine motor practice.

We are playing Uno here, each turn you must state the name of the card and color to practice clear and fluid speech.

#BestofAll Abby enjoyed all of us sitting together to play a game!

Holding cards is a fine motor skill that can carry over into occupational and academic hand tasks. The same goes for having to move small pieces around a game board, picking up and rolling dice.  Talk about what each piece is doing to make board games include language. For example, in Candyland, my blue guy is going forward 2 purple squares!

Language, colors, and numbers!

Outside play of course brings more gross motor skills in any sport or active play. If you draw hopscotch with chalk, change from numbers to words or sounds for your child to practice reading and/or saying.

Non-verbal? Use signs in any of the above or approximations of any of the words.

Have fun and be creative!

Going swimming? Swim like a duck and quack! Swim like a dolphin and squeak! Splash back and forth to each other as you say the letters of the alphabet!

Most importantly playing games together is a great way to have quality time with family and/or friends.

Submitted by Ann Cobb, GiGi’s Playhouse Program Coordinator/Speech Pathologist