Summer Sound Hunt:
A Scavenger Game for Speech & Language Fun
Looking for a way to sneak in speech and language practice while soaking up the summer sun? Try a Summer Sound Hunt — a fun, active scavenger game that helps your child build phonological awareness, speech sound production, and vocabulary on the go! Short on time? Check out this printable version of the game!
What It Targets:
• Speech Sound Production (Articulation)
• Beginning Sound Awareness
• Descriptive Vocabulary
• Categories and Sorting
• Turn-Taking and Expressive Language
Create a fun game that your child can learn language skills while playing!
Take pictures to look back on the experience, let them teach you, and find other ways to motivate them like making it a competitive game!
How to Play:
Sound-by-Sound Hunt
Choose a target sound (like /s/, /b/, or /k/), and go on a hunt around your yard, neighborhood, or park to find items that begin with that sound.
Example:
If you’re working on /s/:
• Look for: sun, sand, stick, scooter, sock, snack, slide
• Say the word together
• Stretch the sound (“ssssssun!”) to reinforce awareness
• Bonus: Use the word in a sentence (“I see the sun in the sky!”)
Variations by Age:
Ages 2–4: Sound Awareness + Naming
• Pick just one sound to focus on per outing
• Use real objects around the house or yard
• Model the word and sound clearly: “Look! A ball! /b/, /b/, ball!”
• Keep it playful and brief
Ages 5–8: Target Speech Practice + Language Expansion
• Challenge your child to name 3 things that start with a target sound
• Sort items by sound (“These start with /s/, these start with /t/”)
• Add adjectives: “It’s a smooth, speedy scooter!”
• Use in storytelling: “Can you make up a story using three /s/ words?”
Category Challenge Version
Instead of focusing on sounds, turn it into a category hunt:
• “Find something that’s a fruit.”
• “Find something that’s green.”
• “Find something that flies.”
Then:
• Describe the item
• Talk about where it belongs (“Is a banana a fruit or a vegetable?”)
Speech Sounds to Try (with example items):
Sound Sample Hunt Items
/b/
ball, bubbles, bike, bird, blanket
/k/
kite, key, cat, car, corn
/s/
sun, sand, swing, sock, scooter
/t/
towel, truck, tree, tent, toy
/m/
mud, mailbox, milk, marker, mat
/f/
flower, fan, flag, feather, foot
Children learn as they play.
Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.
-O. Fred Donaldson
Bonus Tips for Parents:
• Bring a clipboard or small basket to collect safe items
• Use your phone to take pictures of each item (then review them later!)
• Turn it into a Bingo board or checklist for added motivation!
• Let your child “be the teacher” and quiz you on the sound!
Check out this printable to take with you on your net adventure!
Look for more tips and ideas on our socials this month–
Need more ideas? Contact us to get the conversation started!