Easy Speech Therapy Activities for Winter Break

Winter break is a wonderful time to relax, celebrate, and spend time with family, but it’s also important to keep kids engaged in educational activities. When children take a long break from practicing communication skills, they may need extra time to regain momentum once school resumes. Incorporating simple, fun speech therapy activities into your holiday routine can help maintain their progress and set them up for success when they return to class.

Here are three easy and festive ways to keep your child engaged while reinforcing their speech and language skills:

1. Family Movie Nights with a Twist

Turn your cozy movie nights into a fun way to practice communication skills. After watching a favorite holiday film, spark a conversation with your child.

What to do:

• Retell the story: Ask your child to summarize the movie in their own words.
• Share opinions: “What was your favorite part, and why?”
• Dive deeper: Ask questions like, “Why do you think the main character made that choice?” or “What would you have done differently?”

These discussions help build comprehension, critical thinking, and narrative skills while encouraging your child to express their thoughts clearly.

2. DIY Holiday Cards

Creating holiday cards for family and friends is a great way to work on both expressive and written communication.

What to do:

• Plan the message together, asking your child to think about what they’d like to share or say.
• Encourage them to speak each sentence aloud before writing it down to practice articulation.
• After the card is finished, have them read it aloud, practicing clear and confident speech.

This activity blends creativity with communication and is perfect for fostering connection with loved ones.

3. Cookie Baking Conversations

Baking is a sensory-rich, hands-on activity that offers countless opportunities for practicing speech and language skills.

How to involve your child:

• Read the recipe together, and ask your child to repeat each step.
• Use descriptive language: “What do the sprinkles feel like? What color is the frosting?”
• Practice sequencing by asking, “What did we do first? What’s next?”

This activity is not only fun but also helps with comprehension, vocabulary building, and critical thinking.

Why It’s Important

Winter break can lead to learning loss if children disengage from educational activities. Speech therapy progress, in particular, benefits from consistent practice, even in small doses. By incorporating playful, educational moments into your holiday traditions, you’re helping your child maintain their skills and ensuring they’ll feel confident and prepared when school resumes.

Remember, every activity doesn’t have to be structured — small moments of conversation and creativity make a big impact.

For more tips on supporting your child’s progress during winter break, reach out to your TeleSesh therapist or explore our blog for additional resources. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for daily tips and information!