Memorial Day Language Activities | King Speech Therapy Services, PC

Expansion & Extension Strategies

Expansion: Repeat what your child says and add grammar to make the phrase fuller. (TIP: Use short, complete sentences.)

Extension: Add more information and details to help your child learn longer ideas.

Expansion Examples:

Child: “candy” → Parent: “Mmm, it's a yummy candy.”
Child: “roof” → Parent: “The roof is big.”
Child: “house” → Parent: “It's a gingerbread house.”
Child: “sticky” → Parent: “The frosting is sticky.”

Extension Examples:

Child: “house cookie”
Parent: “You want to build a big cookie house. Let’s build it.”
Child: “candy on”
Parent: “Yes! You’re putting candy on the roof to make it colorful.”
Child: “door”
Parent: “You want the door! Let’s put the red door on the front of the house.”
Child: “sticky frosting”
Parent: “The frosting is sticky because it helps the candy stay on.”

Language Enhancing Tips!

Follow your child's lead.
Talk about what you see, feel, and do.
Repeat new words often.
Pause (5-10 seconds) to give your child time to respond!
Have fun!

1. Turn BBQ Prep into a Language Routine

Let your child help prepare for the family barbecue while you narrate actions and describe what you see.

Examples:

“I’m flipping the burgers!”
“The watermelon is cold and juicy.”
“You’re carrying the big blue plate!”

You can also model simple action phrases like “pour the lemonade,” “open the bag,” or “mix, mix, mix!” Repetition during everyday routines helps children connect words with actions naturally.

2. Narrate Firework Sounds and Colors

Whether your child sees real fireworks, books, or videos, Memorial Day is a great opportunity to introduce exciting descriptive language.

Examples:

“Boom! The fireworks are sparkling!”
“I see bright red lights!”
“The fireworks are loud and shiny!”

Using animated voices, gestures, and repetition helps make new vocabulary more memorable and engaging for young children.

3. Build Early Language During a Picnic

Picnics create natural opportunities for requesting, commenting, and describing during shared family experiences.

Examples:

“Crunchy chips!”
“The blanket is soft.”
“I want more watermelon.”

You can also describe actions throughout the picnic like “sit down,” “open the basket,” or “clean it up!” Children learn best when language is connected to real experiences they can see, touch, and enjoy.

Next Steps...

If you are concerned about your child's speech and language development - some of the next steps you can take include:

contacting your child's pediatrician (ask for a referral for a speech and language evaluation)
contacting your local regional center to see if your child could be assessed (0-3 years of age)
contacting your local public school district to see if your child could be assessed (3+ years old)
contacting a local speech therapy private practice that specializes in early language development

If you are interested in learning more about our speech and language therapy services and are local to Upland, California (Inland Empire), please contact us to today by completing our Contact form.

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