Everyday Speech and Language Skills: Bath Time

Everyday Speech and Language Skills: Bath Time

Here it is October already! We have had a great time at race and are so lucky to continue to provide programs and support to our families. This month let’s talk about bath time. This time of the day is such a great time to build speech and language skills. Here are some ideas to try…

Labeling items: Take time while giving your child a bath to label what is in the bathtub with him.  You can label the water, shampoo, soap, sponge, wash cloth, toys, etc.  Hold up each thing and show it to your child while you say the word. You can also use those words in sentences to expand utterance. “Look, here is the shampoo.”, “The sponge will get you clean.”, “Oh, the water feels good.”, etc.

Using and labeling action words: Talk about what you and your child are doing while you’re giving your child a bath.  You can use words like, squeezing, washing, splashing, etc.   Be sure to use these words by themselves as well as in sentences. Examples include, “You are splashing!”, “Mommy is washing your leg.”, “Daddy is squeezing the ducky.”

Use describing words (adjectives): Talk about how things feel in the bathtub, is the water hot or cold? Is the bottle smooth or bumpy? If your child is old enough, ask him/her questions.

Bath Books: Book-reading is a great way to work on your child’s speech and language skills.  Fortunately, there are many fun bath books that your child can read in the bathtub.  Your child can be looking at pictures while you’re scrubbing and soaping him or her.

Discussing today’s events: While giving your child a bath, talk to her about what happened in his or her day.  Be sure to ask specific questions like “what did you eat for lunch?”, “who did you play with at recess?” and “what did you make during craft time?”.  You may also want to stick with questions you know the answers to (things you did with your child) so you can help her if she gets stuck. You can also do the same and talk about your day. It’s always good to let your child know about your day. You will be surprised what your child can teach you about what he or she thinks about your day.

I hope these ideas are helpful. Please leave some comments to let us know how they work or if you have ideas! Until next month!

Some of these ideas and others can be found here: https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/bedtime-routine-activities/