Every child’s communication journey is unique. As speech therapists, we design goals based on milestones your child is working toward—whether that means improving clarity, expanding vocabulary, or targeting functional communication for home and school.
Depending on your child's needs, their goals might focus on social skills (pragmatics), language expansion, pronouns, or turn-taking. We often work on descriptive words, answering WH-questions, using prepositions, and following directions.
Making these goals as fun and engaging as possible through play! You don't need a therapy room to see major progress. Here are simple, everyday ways to bring these goals into your home.
Master Prepositions with Hide-and-Seek
Teaching positional words (like on, under, behind, inside) works best when children can physically see or experience the movement.
The Running-Around Game
Pick a favorite toy (like a teddy bear) and run around hiding it in silly places. Keep your voice animated, dramatic, and full of suspense!
What it sounds like: "Where is the bear? Is he under the pillow? No... Is he inside the fridge? No... Is he behind my back? No... Is he on my head? No... Oh, there he is! He’s under the couch! I found him!"
The Object-Movement Game
Keep the child still but move the toy quickly around the room, modeling the prepositions as you go.
What it sounds like: "Look! The bear is on the shelf. Now the bear is behind the pillow. The bear is on my head... the bear is on YOUR head! The bear is inside the bathroom. The bear is next to the microwave."
Pro-Tip: If your child wants a turn to hide the object or move it around, let them! This is a fantastic way to encourage language expansion and see if they remember the prepositions you just modeled.
Exploring Emotions Through Animation
Teaching emotional vocabulary helps children identify their own feelings and build empathy for others.
Step 1: Use a Simple Visual
Use a poster, a laminated sheet, or a DIY drawing with simple faces representing basic emotions. A great starter list includes: happy, sad, mad, silly, tired, frustrated, sick, scared, and surprised. Point to a face and physically act out that emotion with big, animated gestures. Encourage your child to imitate your expressions!
Step 2: Level Up with Video & Books
Watch: Queue up the YouTube clip "Inside Out Emotion: Guess the Feelings." It is a short, engaging tool that helps kids identify emotions visually.
Read & Talk: Transition to emotion-focused books or picture descriptions. Talk aloud about real-life feelings to normalize them.
What it sounds like:
"Mommy didn’t sleep enough last night, I feel tired."
"Ouch! I bumped into the couch, that hurt!"
"I watched a sad movie, I was sad... now I feel better."
"WH" Questions Naturally
Answering Who, What, Where, and Why doesn't have to feel like a quiz. You can easily weave these into open-ended play or storytime.
The "Teach and Answer" Play Method
When playing with toys, ask the question and immediately answer it yourself. Your child will absorb the structure and eventually start shouting out the answers for you!
What it sounds like: "Ooh, I see a cow! Where does a cow live? On the farm! What sound does a cow make? Moo! Ooh, look, an airplane! What does an airplane do? It flies. Where does it fly? In the sky!"
The Storytime Method
While reading their favorite books, pause on the illustrations to ask simple, inviting questions.
What it sounds like: "I see a bright sun. I see a blue bird. What do you see?"
Mastering Directions During Daily Routines
Tackling 1- to 2-step directions builds executive functioning and listening skills. The best part? You can practice this during normal household routines.
The Clean-Up Routine
Turn tidying up into a collaborative mission.
What it sounds like: "I need help. Get the cow and hand it to me," or "Pick up the trash and throw it away."
Everyday Helpful Tasks
Incorporate small requests throughout the busy day to keep them engaged.
"Can you grab the remote and bring it to me?"
"Go to the kitchen and tell daddy you’re hungry"
"Go to the closet and grab your shoes."
✨ The Golden Rule: Connection is the Best Teacher
There are endless ways to work on language goals at home, and there is absolutely no right or wrong way to do it.
Giving your child your undivided attention is the absolute best way to bond and build their language skills. You don't need to carve out a separate "lesson time." Instead, narrative your day during normal events:
Narrating characters during a family movie night
Exploring textures together with a DIY sensory bin
Having them help you prep ingredients for dinner
Getting ready to go out, snack time, or bedtime routines
Have fun, lean into the silliness, and enjoy this quality time together!
Author: Amber Drew, C-SLPA
