Speech at the Beach 2023 Recap!
Blog post written by Sara Enger, M.S. CCC-SLP
In the heart of summer, young voices found their place to shine at our "Speech at the Beach" therapy camp!
This one-of-a-kind camp brought together eager participants, dedicated speech therapists, and a beachy theme that combined learning with leisure. Over the course of a week, attendees delved into the world of speech therapy through engaging activities, valuable lessons, and a refreshing touch of sun-soaked inspiration. Speech at the Beach aimed to combine the joys of summer with the pursuit of effective speech therapy techniques. Divided into two groups—early language and articulation—the camp offered tailored experiences to meet the diverse needs of its participants.
Early Language Group: Building Blocks of Communication
For the early language group, each day of the camp was dedicated to exploring a different concept or strategy crucial for fostering early language development. From enhancing vocabulary to encouraging play based learning, campers engaged in interactive sessions that encouraged their natural curiosity and creativity.
Day 1: Preverbal Skills
The camp kicked off with an introduction to preverbal skills including joint attention, turn taking skills and building blocks to communication. Speech therapists used fishing games to encourage language production and demonstrate joint attention and turn taking. Parents were encouraged to ask questions and join in the beachy fun!
Day 2: Learning Through Play
With the sun high in the sky, campers and their parents learned about how to use play to enhance expressive and receptive language. Campers enjoyed playing with Mr. Potato Head and a Farm. The Steel City Speech Staff shared tips about using the toys to model language and increase interaction.
Day 3: Simplified Language
This day emphasized helping campers develop their vocabulary by modeling simplified language.Campers enjoyed a sand sensory bin and paint dot activity. Staff members shared about the importance of modeling simple words and phrases multiple times throughout a play session.
Day 4: Extensions and Expansions
Campers enjoyed the magic of storytelling and enjoyed an interactive story time with the book “How to Catch a Mermaid.” Campers enjoyed painting a poster with sea sponges to create an underwater art piece! This day was dedicated to increasing the camper’s utterance length through the strategies of extension and expansion. Staff members taught parents how to expand words to simple phrases.
Day 5: Language using Household Items
The final day of the early language group centered on using household items to model language. Campers enjoyed creating a telescope out of a paper towel roll. Staff members shared tips for using tissues, paper towel rolls, bows, and cups to increase expressive and receptive language skills. Group discussions, engaging books and cooperative games helped campers navigate the shores of effective communication. Campers then enjoyed popsicles to celebrate the last day of Speech at the Beach!
Articulation Group: Surfing through Sounds
While the early language group explored the foundational elements of communication, the articulation group dove into the world of speech sounds. Each participant worked on improving their speech clarity through engaging exercises, all while soaking up the beach atmosphere. Each day began with a whole group activity, after which the campers split into two groups and embarked on targeted articulation exercises. In these intimate settings, skilled therapists employed sensory bins filled with sand and shells, craft projects involving speech-focused tasks, and captivating games that ensured a fun learning environment.
Day 1: Building Connections
As the campers arrived with excitement bubbling in their eyes, Day 1 kicked off with the spirited "Beach Ball Get to Know You" icebreaker activity. Laughter and camaraderie filled the air as children tossed the beach ball and shared their names, favorite summer activities, and the sounds they love to make. Breaking down barriers, they began to form connections that carried them through the week.
Day 2: Cake Walk
A twist on a classic game, Day 2 brought the "Beach Ball Cake Walk." With each step, campers enjoyed ocean music and earned cosmic brownies for winning. The brownies were definitely a hit!
Day 3: Would You Rather
Day 3 introduced the "Summer Would You Rather" activity. Campers pondered amusing dilemmas, expressing their preferences and reasoning with clarity. The beach became a classroom of communication as they articulated their choices, refining their speech while sharing their imaginative thoughts.
Day 4: Painting & Story Time
Campers let their artistic talents shine as they immersed themselves in painting with sea sponges. Following this burst of creativity, they gathered for an interactive story time with the book “How to Catch a Mermaid.”
Day 5: Limbo!
As the camp drew to a close, Day 5 presented the exciting "Ocean Limbo" challenge. Laughter echoed as campers bent , swayed, and ducked their way under the limbo pole.
Speech at the Beach 2023 was a resounding success - our campers left the shores of the camp with improved speech skills, boosted self-esteem, and a treasure trove of fun summer memories!
We are already planning for Speech at the Beach Summer 2024! If you are interested in gaining more information or staying informed, please contact us at contact@steelcityspeech.com. Classes are determined by level of interest, so let us know what you’d like to see offered next!
We hope to see you at next summer’s Speech at the Beach!