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The winter break is coming up. In fact, depending on when you read this, it may be already here, or long passed. But regardless, the winter break is a time where, for many of us, our regular routines fall to the wayside in lieu of different events. Your kids aren’t going to school. Your career likely slows down, if it doesn’t pause altogether. You’re spending more time inside than usual. This year it’s because of COVID-19, but if you’re reading this in the future, it’s hopefully just because of the cold weather. If your kids are doing speech therapy treatments for articulation, this is a time where you might scale back their appointments. But speech therapy is an ongoing process. Just like any pursuit, letting it slide for a few weeks can cause you to lose progress. But it doesn’t have to. Your Child Deserves A Break If you had parents who pushed you to keep studying as hard during winter, summer, or spring breaks as you did during the school year, you might remember resenting them for it. You work hard during the year, and you deserve some time to relax during the winter holidays – so do your kids. Nobody expects you to pick up the slack where your child’s teachers, speech language pathologists, or other professionals leave off during the winter break. But at the same time, it’s helpful to intersperse some short, limited lessons in with their leisure time. That way, both you and your child can enjoy the winter holiday properly. Speech Articulation Exercises For The Winter Break Given that the winter break is two weeks long, we’ve broken the following activities into a fourteen day outline. These are short, simple activities you should be able to work fairly easily into your routine. The focus when it comes to these exercises is not necessarily to push your child to progress further, but rather to prevent them from losing progress. That way, they can return to school and speech therapy and continue to advance. Week 1 Of Speech Articulation Exercises Speech therapy for articulation issues often revolves around specific issues. As a result, these activities are focused on helping your child continue to develop their articulation of their speech sound. Sunday’s Speech Articulation Exercise Have them read a book – or read a book to them if they’re too young to read on their own – and count the number of times their speech sound pops up. Monday’s Speech Articulation Exercise Sing a song with them that has a lot of their speech sounds in it. You can choose a song they like, a song you like, or simply make one up. This will give them an opportunity to practice their speech sounds, perhaps without even realizing it. Tuesday’s Speech Articulation Exercise Play a game - a board game, an imagination game, it doesn’t really matter the type – and have your child count the number of times they hear their speech sound. Wednesday’s Speech Articulation Exercise Invite a friend over for a play date, and have your child use their speech sound for at least 15 minutes. You can even talk to their friend to get them in on what you’re doing and why. Thursday’s Speech Articulation Exercise This one might be the most relaxing for both of you. Put on a movie, and have your child count the number of times they hear their speech sound. Friday’s Speech Articulation Exercise When it’s time to go to bed, put together a list of ten words that have your child’s speech sound in them, and have them say them. Alternately, you can let your child lead here by letting them choose the words themselves. Saturday’s Speech Articulation Exercise Take a break today! Everyone deserves a day off, and you’ve both earned it. Week 2 Of Speech Articulation Exercises After a week of this maintenance activity, your child should be able to maintain their progress, if not advance further. The purpose for a new week’s worth of exercises isn’t necessarily to make further progress, rather to give your child some variety. Feel free to swap each of these out on different days if it fits your schedule better – the point is to keep them working on their speech sounds. Sunday’s Speech Articulation Exercises This can be a fun way for your child to explore their surroundings. Go through your house and have your child find 10 items that have their speech sound in it. You can also do this while you’re at a store, which might make shopping trips more manageable. Monday’s Speech Articulation Exercises Kids can be quite funny! Give your child a chance to strengthen their funny bone as well as their speech – have them tell a few jokes with their new speech sounds. Tuesday’s Speech Articulation Exercises If you find yourself in the car, play a game of I Spy. But instead of a guessing game, have your child point out five different items that have their speech sound in it. Wednesday’s Speech Articulation Exercises Kids are natural born story tellers. Being able to tell a good story will serve your child in so many different aspects of their life. So having your child make up a story – even a silly one – while using their speech sounds will help with two different skills. Thursday’s Speech Articulation Exercises Pick a specific room in your house – your kitchen, your bathroom, your living room, whatever – and have your child point to five different items that have their speech sound in it. It’s a good idea to choose a different area in the house than you chose for Sunday’s exercise. Friday’s Speech Articulation Exercises It’s time to flick on the tube. Watch a tv show and have your child count how many times they hear their speech sound. Saturday’s Speech Articulation Exercises Take a break today! Book An Appointment With New Horizons Wellness Services If your child is showing signs of struggling with speech articulation, we can help. The winter break is a time for rest, celebration, and making memories—but it doesn't have to mean a pause in your child's speech articulation progress. As routines shift and schedules loosen, incorporating small, enjoyable articulation exercises into daily life can make a big difference. These short, engaging activities not only keep your child practicing their speech sounds but also allow both of you to enjoy the holidays without added pressure. Remember, the goal during the break isn’t to accelerate progress, but to maintain the valuable gains your child has made so far. With just a few minutes a day, you can help ensure that your child returns to therapy ready to continue moving forward—not starting over. And when the break is over, we’re here to support your family. At New Horizons Wellness Services, we offer compassionate and effective speech therapy tailored to your child’s unique needs. Whether your child is just beginning their articulation journey or building on existing progress, our experienced team is ready to help. In addition to speech therapy, our team also offers a range of services to support your child's overall development. Our Counseling Services provide emotional support for children who may feel frustrated or self-conscious about communication challenges. We also offer Occupational Therapy Services that can enhance a child’s fine motor skills and sensory processing—abilities that often complement and support speech therapy progress. For younger clients, our Pediatric Occupational Therapy helps build the foundational motor, sensory, and coordination skills that are essential for effective communication. We also support adults through Occupational Therapy for Adults, which addresses fine motor, cognitive, or sensory needs that may impact day-to-day functioning—ideal for families navigating challenges across different age groups. If your child struggles with engaging with peers or social communication, our Social Skills Group is a fun and supportive environment where they can learn to connect with others while strengthening speech and interaction skills. Book an appointment with us today to continue building on your child’s success—because every voice deserves to be heard, clearly and confidently. We’re here to help every step of the way. Frequently Asked Questions: What are some simple articulation activities I can do with my child during winter break? You can try fun and easy articulation games like “I Spy” using target sounds, storytelling with picture books, singing holiday songs that emphasize specific speech sounds, or practicing sounds during daily routines like brushing teeth or setting the table. These small moments can reinforce progress without making it feel like formal practice. Why is it important to maintain speech therapy routines during school breaks? Speech skills can regress without regular practice, especially for children still mastering certain sounds. Maintaining even light, consistent engagement over the break helps preserve their progress and prevents the need to relearn skills once therapy resumes. Can other services like occupational therapy or counseling support my child’s speech development? Yes. Occupational therapy can improve the sensory and motor skills that support speech production, while counseling helps children build confidence and manage emotions that may impact communication. These services can complement speech therapy for more holistic progress.

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