6 Effective Ways to Practice Speech and Language on a Nature Walk

Going for a nature walk, whether it's in your neighborhood or a local park, on a hiking trail, or even a city street, is a wonderfully effective activity for building your child's speech and language skills! If you are a parent or a caregiver who would like some specific guidance for how to incorporate speech and language into your outdoor stroll, see below for some fun ideas from our speech therapists!

1. Speech Sound Practice. Pick a target sound (e.g., /s/ for "sun," /b/ for "bird") and encourage the child to find and name objects with that sound.

2. Action Words. Point out verbs in action—"The bird is flying," "The squirrel is jumping."

3. Listening Skills: Stop and listen for different sounds in nature, then describe them together.

4. Simple Commands. Give one-step or multi-step instructions like "Pick up a small leaf and put it in your pocket."

5. Turn-Taking. Take turns spotting things and describing them or asking each other questions.

6. Comparisons. Compare textures, sizes, and colors—"This rock is rough, but this one is smooth".

Let us know below if you've tried any of these activities with your child or tag us on Instagram!