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Beat the Winter Blues: Speech and Language Stimulation Activities

  • Reema Prakash M.S., CCC-SLP
  • 22 hours ago
  • 5 min read

Winter can feel long and dreary, especially when the cold weather keeps us indoors for long periods of time. Yes, when life gives you snow, make a snowman, and pursue other winter activities! After all, this New England region has one of the best snow-laden slopes for skiing. But we’ve already experienced an exceptionally cold winter, and it looks like more Arctic air is headed our way. So what is a parent-of-littles to do when it’s just too cold to go outside?


This season offers a wonderful opportunity to engage in fun indoor activities that also support speech and language development. Whether you are working on a family member's speech therapy plan or a school/daycare providing speech and language therapy for their students, incorporating language-rich experiences into winter routines can make a big difference. I’m excited to share some creative ideas that bring warmth and learning together during these chilly months.


Embracing Winter: Why Speech and Language Stimulation Matters


Winter often means less outdoor play and more time inside, which can sometimes limit natural opportunities for communication. It becomes iimportant to intentionally include speech and language stimulation in daily activities. Speech and language skills are the foundation for effective communication, social interaction, and academic success. When we use everyday moments to encourage talking, listening, and understanding, we help build these essential skills.


Winter Activity Ideas That Spark Speech and Language Growth

Here are some enjoyable winter activities that naturally encourage speech and language development. These ideas are easy to adapt for different ages and abilities, making them perfect for home, school, or therapy settings.


1. Storytelling with Winter-Themed Books


Reading aloud is a powerful way to stimulate language. Choose books with winter themes like snow, animals, or holidays. Pause to ask questions such as “What do you think will happen next?” or “Can you describe the snowman?” This encourages children and adults to use their imagination, inferencing skills, and sequencing skills, and practice narrative language skills. These are some of my favorite winter- themed books:

Preschool

  • The Snowy Day — Ezra Jack Keats

  • The Mitten — Jan Brett

  • Bear Snores On — Karma Wilson

  • Pete the Cat: Snow Daze By James Dean, Kimberly Dean

Elementary School

  • Owl Moon — Jane Yolen

  • Over and Under the Snow — Kate Messner

  • Snowflake Bentley — Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Middle School

  • The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — C.S. Lewis

  • The Long Winter — Laura Ingalls Wilder

  • Hatchet — Gary Paulsen


2. Screen time

Yes, I included this! You might try to enforce a strict digital diet, but technology use and screen time are quite likely over the winter months. Teach active versus passive screen time. Passive screen time takes place when a child watches a show alone and isn’t encouraged to respond to the characters in any way. Active screen time includes using a device to make a video call or watch a show, or play video games, with a parent or caregiver who communicates with the child. Active screen time generates some two-way communication, encourages language use, and involves family members and friends.


3. Cooking and Baking Together


Winter is a great time to bake cookies, make soups, and other winter menu staples. A Cook- Together activity is chock-full of speech and language opportunities. Cooking involves following directions, new vocabulary, action words, narrative language skills, word recall, sequencing, math, fine motor skills, social skills, pragmatic language goals- the list is endless. Talk through the process, name ingredients, and describe textures and smells. This multisensory experience supports comprehension, expressive, and executive functioning skills.


4. Indoor Scavenger Hunt


Create a scavenger hunt with winter-related items or colors. For example, find something white like snow, something soft like a scarf, or something shiny like holiday decorations. Encourage participants to describe the items they find and explain why they chose them. This activity promotes descriptive language and categorization.


5. Crafting with a Purpose


Making winter crafts such as paper snowflakes or holiday cards can be both fun and educational. Use this time to introduce new vocabulary related to shapes, colors, and actions. Ask questions like “How many points does your snowflake have?” or “What color did you choose for the card?” This helps build vocabulary and sentence formation.



6. Movement and Music Activities

Songs with repetitive phrases and rhymes support memory and speech clarity. Movement actually facilitates speech production. Movement games also provide opportunities to use action words and descriptive language. Singing winter songs, doing movement games and mindfulness, and relaxation routines, like:

  • Freeze Dance with a winter twist encourages listening skills and following directions.

  • Follow the Leader – March like a penguin, stomp like a polar bear, tiptoe on “ice.”

  • Red Light, Green Light – Add winter actions (ski, shovel, snowball throw).

  • Hot Cocoa Breathing – Pretend to blow on cocoa, then sip.

  • Snowflake Stretch – Reach up, float down slowly like a snowflake.

  • Ice to Water – Start stiff like ice, slowly melt into relaxed movement.

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6. Last but not least, and actually my favorite on the list- Library Winter programs

When the cold really settles in, our local libraries become some of the coziest places to be. Many are hosting winter reading groups, casual hot-cocoa gatherings, and grab-and-go craft kits that turn snowy afternoons into creative time. They invite readers of all ages to slow down and make the season feel connected rather than confined. Below are some wonderful local libraries and their winter events calendars:


Groton, MA Public Library


Townsend, MA Public Library


Brookline NH Public Library


Chelmsford, MA Public Library


Lawrence Public Library, Pepperell, MA


Dunstable, MA Public Library


How to Make These Activities More Effective for Speech and Language Therapy


To maximize the benefits of these winter activities, consider these practical tips:

  • Model language: Use clear, simple sentences and repeat key words to reinforce learning.

  • Engineer activities so the child has many chances to communicate (not just watch or listen). Pause, increase wait time, allow choice-making, and encourage turn-taking: This builds conversational skills and social interaction.

  • Use visuals: Pictures, gestures, and props can help clarify meaning and support understanding.

  • Be patient: Celebrate all attempts at communication to build confidence.

  • Adapt to individual needs: Provide meaningful, motivating contexts. Embed targets into activities the child cares about.


By integrating these strategies, you create a supportive environment that fosters growth in speech and language skills while keeping the fun alive.


Supporting Speech and Language Therapy Across New England


At Resonate Therapy Solutions, LLC, we understand the importance of accessible, personalized care. Our goal is to provide high-quality speech, language, and swallowing therapy to families and schools. Therapy is provided in person in Groton, Pepperell, Littleton, Westford, Acton, Dunstable, Chelmsford, Tyngsboro, and the southern NH areas of Hollis, Brookline, Nashua, and surrounding communities. We travel beyond these areas on a case-by-case basis. We also offer Teletherapy all across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.


We believe that speech therapy should fit seamlessly into everyday life. Whether you are a parent, family member, educator, or therapist, incorporating speech and language stimulation into winter fun can make a meaningful difference. If you want to learn more about how to support communication development, feel free to reach out or explore our resources.


A child decorates paper crafts on a festive tablecloth at the Dunstable Public Library
A child makes a winter craft snowglobe at the Dunstable Public Library
A family enjoys quality time together, helping their young child press cookie cutters into freshly rolled dough
A family enjoys quality time together, helping their young child press cookie cutters into freshly rolled dough

Make hot cocoa and read a book for a cozy winter activity
Make hot cocoa and read a book for a cozy winter activity

Bringing Warmth and Words to Winter Days


Winter doesn’t have to be a time of quiet and stillness. With a little creativity, it can become a season full of joyful learning and meaningful communication. By weaving speech and language stimulation into everyday winter activities, we help build skills that last a lifetime. So grab a cozy blanket, gather your favorite materials, and let’s make this winter a season of connection and growth.

 
 
 

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