Take Me Out to the Ballgame: A Baseball Game Is Full of Language Opportunities

As an SLP, I love helping families see how everyday outings can support communication. A trip to a baseball game — whether it’s a Chicago Cubs game, a Chicago White Sox game, or a local game — can be a fun, natural way to build speech and language skills.

BEFORE the game

Talk about what you might see:

• bat

• ball

• glove

• helmet

• scoreboard

• snack stand

Ask simple questions like:

• “Who do you think will win?”

• “What do you think we’ll eat?”

• “What do players wear?”

DURING the game

Use the moment to build language naturally:

Ask WH- questions

• “Who is batting?”

• “Where did the ball go?”

• “What happened?”

Practice describing

• loud

• exciting

• fast

• crowded

• cold

Encourage requesting

• “Can I have popcorn?”

• “I want water.”

• “Can you help me?”

AFTER the game

Help your child retell the outing:

• “What was your favorite part?”

• “What did we do first?”

• “What snack did you get?”

Outings like this are wonderful for building vocabulary, conversation, sequencing, and social communication — all in a way that feels natural and motivating. You do not need to “do therapy” at the game. Just notice, talk, ask, and enjoy.