Best winter activities for promoting communication.

We have prepared a summary of the latest ideas that Dr. Sagiv-Friedgut gathered. All activities will help you promote communication in your home environment.

Jump in the puddles

For those of us who would like to learn how to communicate with the help of the cold weather. The family is standing by a puddle in their boots. The best way to encourage communication is to jump into the puddle in turns. Each time someone jumps, you can practice the words: “jump”, “in”, “out”, “dad”, “mom”, etc. 

It is possible to jump into the puddle (“jump”).

Splashing water with a kick (“kick”) 

Or throw a stone into the puddle (“throw” or “stone”)

If your child does not like water and asks to be lifted over the puddle, you can encourage them with the words “pick up” or “lift me.” 

Blanket train 

The dream train on a duvet – there are special fun times in the house that Dr. Sagiv-Friedgut’s teacher, Professor Gale McGee, used to call “monkey hour.”

Your child is sitting or laying on a fluffy blanket as you pull them around the house like a train. Are you working on a word or syllable? If so, you can give a model – “pull” and wait for a vocal response.

If your child is already speaking in a short sentence, you can ask them more complex questions, such as: Where to go? To the kitchen or the living room? Slow or fast? 

If siblings or friends are around, they may pull each other in turns.

Five little monkeys jumping on the bed

Many children enjoy jumping on the sofa or bed. While they jump- we, the parents, hold their waists so their jump will be higher and much more fun. 

It is a classic Shared Control activity- using the Play&Pause technique.

You have their motivation – They want to be bounced

You can use the Shared Control technique – just stop bouncing and wait for communication. 

How can we promote using language? When a child is just starting to speak, you may say: “hop, pop. hop” and then you will wait for them to make a sound. For children who already speak, you can give a model like: “jump,” “higher,” “up to the sky,” or ask: “alone or with mom/dad?”

Socks & Boots

Winter has arrived, and with that comes socks and boots. 

You can actually play a lot of fun sensory games with footwear. Try to tickle, get confused (wear the shoes on your child’s hand instead of on their foot, wear your boots on their feet). You may also pause in the middle while you put them on and wait for your child to communities.  

After your child is engaged and having fun, try to create an opportunity for communication. When a child is just starting to speak, say: shoes, boots, socks, yes, no.

For children who already speak, try: I am confused, Mother’s/Father’s boots, etc.