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ZuluWe hop
e everyone enjoys the winter break. Here are some fun activities to try:
2025 Winter break SLP activity calendar
Category: General (Page 1 of 4)
As the days get colder and the season grows festive, children can enjoy hands-on activities that spark both creativity and communication. By using strategies like narrating, recasting, and expanding introduced in our last post, parents and educators can turn everyday moments into meaningful learning experiences.
From crafting and cooking to storytelling, these winter activities give children many chances to learn new words, build sentences, and share their ideas while having fun.
Be sure to check out the poster below for suggested activities and tips to support language skills.
Wishing you and your little learners a warm, joyful, and inspiring winter season!
DLD Awareness Day – October 17, 2025
Today is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Awareness Day! Developmental Language Disorder is a hidden, but common, disability that affects 1 in 14 people. DLD causes difficulties understanding and using language for no known reason. Try this quiz from RADLD to test your knowledge and learn more about DLD.
Grammar Skills Spotlight
Children with DLD may have more difficulty with grammar skills than their peers. Check out this handout to learn about expected grammar skill development for Kindergarten to Grade 3 students, as well as for information about spotting DLD in English Language Learners (ELL).
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Welcome back to another school year, everyone!
A new year always brings about the opportunity for growth and learning for all: teachers, students, parents…everyone! Exposure to new things expands our thinking. It allows us to see different perspectives and possibilities, normalize differences, and challenge stereotypes, promoting greater understanding of ourselves and others. When we think about creating inclusive classrooms (or being a member of any space that feels inclusive for us!), often something that is a required support for one person has the potential to be a helpful support for all people once they get a chance to see it and try it themselves.
This year, Edmonds Community School has included a Communication Board in their school’s student agenda:
A Communication Board is a low-tech AAC (Alternative & Augmentative Communication) support that has frequently used vocabulary words. It can be used by an individual to point to what they want to communicate when oral speech is not coming easily. It can also support understanding in a conversation by adding visual information to what is being said. It can be especially useful for students who are non-speaking, who are learning a new language, who have difficulty with producing speech sounds accurately, or those who are experiencing big emotions and struggling to get their words out. It also can be an early literacy support by exposing pre-readers and early readers to the written form of words they know to hear and say but cannot yet read.
I encourage you to print a low-tech Communication Board for yourself or for your students to try as an extra support for communicating; what is necessary for some people can be helpful for many others too!
Happy learning and communicating this year!
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As the school year draws to a close, students across Burnaby are eagerly anticipating the arrival of summer. This transition period offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the progress made throughout the year and to plan engaging activities that can help students continue developing their communication skills during the summer break.
Reflecting on Achievements
The end of the school year is a time to celebrate the hard work and achievements of our students. Whether it’s mastering new speech sounds, improving social communication, or enhancing language skills, each milestone is a testament to our student’s dedication and hard work at school. Take a moment to acknowledge these accomplishments, this positive reinforcement can boost their confidence and motivate them to keep practicing over the summer.
Summer Activities to Support Communication Skills
Summer in BC is filled with opportunities for fun and learning. Here are some activities that can help students maintain and develop their communication skills:
Ideas for daily language fun!
SLP Activities Calendar – July 2025
SLP Activities Calendar – August 2025
- Burnaby Community Summer Activities: The City of Burnaby Recreation and Arts have a wide range of exciting summer activities. You’re sure to find something unique for you and your student!
- Outdoor Adventures: Families are encouraged to explore local parks, beaches, and hiking trails. These outings provide a natural setting for practicing descriptive language, storytelling, and social interactions.
- Community Events: Many communities host summer festivals, fairs, and markets. Participating in these events can help students practice conversational skills, learn new vocabulary, and engage in social exchanges.
- Reading Programs: Local libraries often offer summer reading programs for children. Joining these programs can enhance literacy skills, expand vocabulary, and foster a love for reading.
- Creative Arts: Activities like drawing, painting, and crafting can be great for developing fine motor skills and encouraging expressive language. Students can describe their creations, tell stories about them, or even create a summer scrapbook.
- Sports and Games: Team sports and group games are excellent for practicing turn-taking, following instructions, and using social language. Whether it’s soccer, baseball, or a simple game of tag, these activities promote physical and communicative development.
Tips for Parents and Caregivers
May is Speech & Hearing Month. Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) dedicates the month of May to raising public awareness about communication health. The 2025 theme, “S-LPs & Audiologists: Doing More Than You Think”, highlights the vital yet often overlooked role of S-LPs and audiologists. From helping stroke survivors regain speech to supporting those with tinnitus, these professions provide life changing care.
In schools, S-LPs work with students to strengthen their communication skills — from building speech sounds and language to developing social communication and supporting alternative ways to communicate. By partnering with students, families, and school teams, S-LPs help students build confidence and succeed both in school and in everyday life.
This month, let’s recognize the power of communication and the many ways it helps us connect, learn, and grow.
To access resources, learn more, and spread the word, visit: http://speechandhearing.ca.
Autism Acceptance Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the unique strengths and perspectives of individuals on the autism spectrum. Acceptance goes beyond just knowing about autism—it’s about creating environments where autistic individuals feel valued, included, and understood.
Want to know more? Check out our previous blog:
Let’s take this month as an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow together. 💙
Thank you to the parents and caregivers for joining us at yesterday’s articulation workshop. We were excited to see a full house!
We hope you enjoyed the workshop and learned some helpful tips. This is the beginning of a fun speech journey and we encourage you to practice the techniques and activities we explored together. Practicing speech sounds can be enjoyable and stress-free with a few fun activities and a bit of imagination. Remember, every small step counts, and your consistency and support makes all the difference!
We hope you and your child will have a blast with speech practice. Don’t forget to check out the Articulation section of this blog for more ideas and resources. If you have any questions, please reach out to your school’s speech-language pathologist. We are here to support you.
Happy practicing! 
It’s winter! When the weather is cold and rainy, it can be hard to think of ways to have fun outside. Here are ten ideas of fun outdoor activities for those cold or rainy days that have lots of opportunity for using receptive, expressive, and social communication skills. So, dress for the weather and get outside!
Winter is a magical time filled with opportunities to engage children in activities that can enhance their speech and language skills. Here are six fun and effective winter activities that can help elementary-aged students develop their communication abilities, inspired by strategies from speech-language pathologists.
1. Baking Holiday Treats
Baking is not only a delightful winter activity but also a fantastic way to work on language skills. Following a recipe helps children practice sequencing and following directions. You can also introduce new vocabulary related to ingredients and cooking actions. For example, ask them to describe the texture of the dough or the taste of the cookies.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/kids-baking-recipes
2. Winter Storytelling
Encourage children to create and tell their own winter-themed stories. This activity promotes creativity, narrative skills, and vocabulary development. You can provide prompts such as “Imagine you are building a snowman that comes to life. What happens next?” This helps them practice structuring their thoughts and using descriptive language.
https://woojr.com/christmas-ad-libs/
https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/winter-writing-prompts/
3. Holiday Scavenger Hunt
Organize a scavenger hunt with winter-themed items. Provide clues that require children to use descriptive language and follow multi-step directions. For example, “Find something that is white and cold” or “Look for an item that jingles.” This activity enhances listening skills, vocabulary, and the ability to follow instructions.
4. Carol Karaoke
Singing holiday songs can be a fun way to work on articulation and fluency. Discuss the lyrics to help children understand the meaning of new words and phrases. This activity also encourages expressive language as children sing and perform the songs.
5. Building a Snowman
Whether you have real snow or use craft materials, building a snowman can be a great language activity. Have children describe each step of the process and the materials they are using. You can also incorporate social skills by having them work together and communicate their ideas.
https://pjsandpaint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Build-your-own-snowman_Pjs-and-Paint.pdf
6. Winter-Themed Role-Playing
Set up role-playing scenarios such as a visit to Santa’s workshop or a holiday market. This allows children to practice conversational skills, use new vocabulary, and understand social interactions. Role-playing helps them develop pragmatic language skills in a fun and engaging way.
These activities not only make the winter season enjoyable but also provide rich opportunities for language development. By incorporating these fun and festive ideas, you can help children enhance their communication skills while celebrating the joys of winter.
Activities:
https://woojr.com/christmas-ad-libs/
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/kids-baking-recipes
https://iheartcraftythings.com/christmas-coloring-pages.html
https://www.communicationcommunity.com/christmas-themed-scavenger-hunt/
https://www.communicationcommunity.com/hanukkah-themed-scavenger-hunt/
https://www.imagineforest.com/blog/winter-writing-prompts/
https://pjsandpaint.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Build-your-own-snowman_Pjs-and-Paint.pdf