Although, we may still be wearing boots and sweaters in the middle of May warm weather is near. As the school year ends and summer approaches, words like swimming, lemonade, fire flies, ice cream, picnics, and camp come to mind. For some of us these words may trigger fond memories of our favorite summer or for others it may trigger questions (i.e. What are our summer plans?). While families are busy figuring out summer schedules, children are anticipating their last day of school. In the mix of all the commotion, there are many opportunities to continue to build your child’s speech and language skills. Journals can be used to build language skills, such as keeping a summer word journal. You can have your child pick out the word journal and decorate it, too. Every couple of pages can target a different skill, such as synonyms and antonyms, comparing and contrasting, categories, or unfamiliar words. The word “summer” can trigger many words for the journal (i.e. Name things you wear in the summer. Name insects. Tell how mosquitoes and bees are the same.). You can use pictures from a magazine or paste real objects into the journal. At the end of the week, encourage your child to share the journal with you and connect the words to everyday situations. The journal is portable, so it can be taken to camp or to grandma or grandpa’s house.