If your child receives speech therapy through school, you probably already know what happens in June: it stops. No more pull-out sessions. No more IEP goals being worked on. No more weekly check-ins with their SLP.
For some kids, that two-and-a-half-month gap is no big deal. But for many others, summer break means losing ground on skills they worked hard to build all year.
The Summer Slide Is Real
You’ve probably heard of the "summer slide" for reading and math. The same thing can happen with speech and language skills. When kids stop practicing consistently, some of the progress they made during the school year can fade.
This is especially common with:
- Speech sounds that were still being learned (not yet automatic)
- Language skills like sentence structure and vocabulary
- Fluency strategies for stuttering
- Social communication skills that need regular practice
It doesn’t mean your child forgot everything. But when September rolls around, their school SLP may need to spend weeks reviewing instead of moving forward. That’s lost time.
Why Summer Is Actually a Great Time for Speech Therapy
Here’s the thing most parents don’t realize: summer can actually be the best time to work on speech.
- Less stress, more focus. Without homework, tests, and the daily school routine, kids often have more energy and attention for therapy.
- Flexible scheduling. No rushing from school pickup to an appointment. Summer schedules are more open, which makes it easier to fit sessions in.
- Consistency matters. Regular weekly sessions over the summer can help your child hold onto their progress — or even get ahead before the new school year starts.
- A head start for fall. Instead of spending September catching up, your child can walk into the new school year ready to build on what they’ve already mastered.
What If Your Child Has Never Had Speech Therapy?
Maybe you’ve been told by a teacher that your child is "hard to understand." Maybe their report card mentioned a speech or language concern. Or maybe you’ve been wondering for a while but haven’t had time to look into it during the school year.
Summer is the perfect window to find out where your child stands. A speech screening takes about 15 minutes and can tell you whether there’s something to address — or whether your child is developing right on track.
If therapy is recommended, starting over the summer means your child can begin making progress before school even starts. That’s a meaningful head start.
Tips to Support Speech at Home This Summer
Whether or not your child is in therapy, here are simple things you can do every day:
- Read together daily. Even 10–15 minutes of reading aloud builds vocabulary, comprehension, and listening skills.
- Narrate your day. Talk through what you’re doing — cooking, shopping, driving. It gives your child natural language input without feeling like a lesson.
- Play word games. "I Spy," rhyming games, 20 Questions — these are fun and they build language skills at the same time.
- Slow down and listen. Give your child time to finish their thoughts. Resist the urge to jump in or finish their sentences.
- Limit screen time during conversations. Turn off the TV and put phones away when you’re talking together. It makes a real difference.
How Online Therapy Makes Summer Easy
One of the biggest barriers to summer speech therapy is logistics. You’re already juggling camp, vacations, and childcare. Driving across town for a 30-minute appointment can feel impossible.
That’s where telehealth changes the game. Your child can do therapy from home, from grandma’s house, or from wherever you happen to be — as long as there’s a screen and an internet connection. No driving. No waiting rooms. No missed sessions because of travel plans. (Want to know what a session looks like? Read how online speech therapy actually works.)
Don’t Wait Until September
If your child has been receiving speech therapy at school, now is the time to plan for the gap. And if you’ve been thinking about getting your child screened, summer is the time to do it.
We offer a free speech screening — it’s quick, it’s done over video, and there’s no obligation. We’ll let you know honestly whether therapy would help.
We’re currently accepting new clients with no waitlist, flexible scheduling including evenings, and your child works with the same therapist every session.
Call (917) 426-7007 for a free consultation — or request a free screening online.