Speech and literacy in the summer sand

When playing in the sand this summer, consider these simple ways to incorporate expanding language and literacy skills in a fun new way! Have your child trace or write letters in the sand using different items such as their finger, a stick, a small stream of water, or rocks. You can also build roads for your sandbox cars or rivers for your boats that are in the shape of letters.  

You can talk about sensations with describing words such as, “hot, wet, dry, gritty, rough, and smooth.” Action words can also be emphasized such as, “pour, pat, dump, sprinkle, dig, fill, rake, shake, stir, bury, and scoop.” Whether in the sandbox, at the lake or ocean, have fun practicing taking turns and sharing the sand tools and molds to build a structure as a team.