Take Speech Therapy Outside This Spring: Fresh Air & Fresh Goals!

Hey SLP friends! 👋🏼

Let’s be real—at this point, we are all ready to be outside as much as possible! It's summer, the sun is shining, and you might be taking summer clients that want to be outside just as much as you do. Instead of feeling stuck inside drilling vocalic /r/ in a windowless closet, why not take therapy outside?

And no, fresh air doesn’t have to equal chaos in your sessions. Contrary to popular belief, your students can stay focused while soaking up that sunshine. In fact, a change of scenery might be exactly what they need to stay engaged and motivated—and the best part? You can still target all your speech and language goals in fun, natural ways.

So grab your clipboard, some sidewalk chalk, and maybe a few bubbles—it’s time to take therapy outdoors! Here are some of my favorite spring-themed speech therapy activities that are perfect for the great outdoors 👇🏼

🌸 1. The Sound Trail

This is one of my favorite low-prep ways to work on articulation while getting those bodies moving. Use sidewalk chalk to create a winding trail or a hopscotch board. Inside each space, write a word with your student’s target sound.

As they hop, step, or tiptoe to each square, they say the word out loud. It’s movement-based, multisensory, and perfect for kids who need a little wiggle room during sessions.

🎯 Target skills: articulation, phonological awareness, gross motor coordination

🍂 2. Find and Tell

This one’s perfect for targeting expressive language and descriptive vocabulary. As you walk around the schoolyard or park, ask students to find objects that match a category or description—“Find something smooth,” “Find something that is red,” or “Find a rock shaped like a heart.”

Once they’ve found it, prompt them to describe it in full sentences:

“It’s a small, smooth stone that’s kind of sparkly.”

Boom—targeting adjectives, sentence structure, and critical thinking, all without a single flashcard.

🎯 Target skills: descriptive language, sentence formulation, categories

🪵 3. Pretend Play with Nature

Let’s get a little imaginative. Collect natural materials like sticks, rocks, leaves, and flowers. Use them to set up a pretend play scene—maybe you’re cooking soup over a pretend campfire or building a tiny fairy house in the grass.

Have your students narrate what they’re doing as they play:

“I’m stirring the soup with this big stick,” or “The fairy is sleeping on a soft leaf.”

It’s a creative and low-pressure way to get kids using verbs and adjectives in context.

🎯 Target skills: imaginative language, verbs, adjectives, sequencing

🫧 4. Bubble Pop Sentences

Who doesn’t love bubbles? Bring a small bottle outside and blow some magic into your session. As kids chase and pop bubbles, they can practice target sounds, say phrases, or build short sentences.

Try prompts like:

“I popped a big bubble!”
“The bubble went up!”
“Blue bubble pop!”

This one is especially fun for younger students or early language learners. And hey, let’s be honest—it’s kind of fun for us too.

🎯 Target skills: articulation, sentence structure, early language

🍃 5. Nature Sound Match

This is a great activity for students working on specific sounds. Go on a little nature walk and collect various items—leaves, sticks, acorns, feathers, flowers. Then, ask your student to name the item and come up with another word that starts with the same sound.

Example:

Leaf → “Lemon”
Stick → “Snake”
Flower → “Fish”

You can turn this into a game, a challenge, or even a simple sorting activity depending on your student’s level.

🎯 Target skills: articulation, phonemic awareness, vocabulary building

Why Outdoor Speech Therapy Works ☀️

Outdoor activities naturally encourage movement, imagination, and curiosity—which makes them a great match for speech therapy. Plus, sessions that feel more like play often reduce anxiety and increase participation. It’s a win-win!

So don’t feel stuck inside this spring. Taking your sessions outdoors doesn’t mean losing structure—it just means refreshing your approach. Whether you’re working on articulation, expressive language, or following directions, these outdoor speech therapy ideas can help you hit your goals and get some vitamin D.

Final Tip: Don’t forget to bring clipboards, a portable mirror (if working on articulation), and maybe even a small blanket to sit on. A little prep goes a long way to making outdoor therapy successful and stress-free.

Now go enjoy that sunshine—you’ve earned it! 🌞

Happy speeching!

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