06/05/2026
One of the best speech therapy tools you have this summer doesn't cost a thing — it's at the park.
Toddlers learn best when they're moving, exploring, and genuinely excited about what's around them. That makes a trip to the park the perfect place to sneak in some real listening and direction-following practice — the kind that builds the foundation for following instructions in preschool, staying safe in public, and understanding language in longer, more complex chunks.
The secret is to start simple. One step at a time. "Find a red leaf." That's it. Once your little one gets the hang of it, you layer in a second step: "Find a red leaf and put it in your pocket."
You're not drilling — you're playing.
And in between, try a "freeze" moment: everybody stops, gets quiet, and counts the sounds they can hear. Birds, wind, a dog barking two streets over. You'd be surprised how much a toddler will tune in when you make listening feel like a game.