Conversations About Summer Memories: Helping AAC Users Share Their Stories

Summer break is full of fun — vacations, camps, swimming, family visits, fireworks, ice cream, and more! When school starts, kids love to tell their friends and teachers all about what they did.

For AAC users, this is an important chance to connect with others and practice communication. With a little support, they can join in the conversation and proudly share their summer memories.

🌞 Why Summer Stories Matter

Sharing what you did over the summer helps your child:

• Build friendships by joining the conversation.

• Practice telling stories in their own way.

• Feel proud and included in classroom life.

🗣️ Tips to Support Summer Storytelling

Here are a few simple ways you can help your AAC user talk about their summer:

1. Use Sentence Starters

Give your child a framework to begin their story. Try modeling phrases like:

• “I went to…”

• “I saw…”

• “I played…”

• “I liked…”

• “It was…”

These starters make it easier to jump into a conversation.

2. Share Photos as Conversation Anchors

Pictures are powerful! Send a few photos from the summer to school, or keep them ready at home. Pair each photo with a simple caption on your child’s AAC system. For example:

• Pool picture → “I went swimming. It was fun!”

• Ice cream picture → “I ate ice cream. Cold but yummy.”

3. Ask Gentle WH-Questions

Help your child expand on their story without making it feel like a quiz. Try:

• “Who did you go with?”

• “What did you do?”

• “Where did you go?”

• “How did you feel?”

These questions encourage more details while keeping it natural.

📱 Words to Model on AAC

Here are some useful words for summer storytelling:

• Core Words: go, like, play, fun, see, with, happy, hot, again

• Fringe Words: beach, pool, camp, grandma, fireworks, ice cream

💬 Example Conversation:

• Parent: “What did you do?”

• Child (AAC): “Go pool.”

• Parent: “Yes! You went to the pool. Did you like it?”

• Child (AAC): “Like. Fun.”

Simple exchanges like this build confidence and help your child be part of bigger group conversations.

👥 Getting Ready for School

You can also help teachers and classmates get to know your child by:

• Sending a short “Summer Memories” page with photos + captions.

• Practicing key phrases at home before school starts.

• Encouraging siblings or friends to practice asking your child about summer, so they’re ready for peer conversations.

🎁 Free Resource: Summer Memory Board

Here’s a list of words you could include on a small AAC board for back-to-school sharing:

go, play, fun, water, hot, ice cream, camp, fireworks, swim, beach, family, like, see, happy, again.

Make it fun — let your child point to words, combine them into sentences, or use them as reminders to open up their device.

✨ Final Thought

Every child deserves the chance to tell their story. With a little preparation, your AAC user can share their summer memories with teachers and friends — building confidence, friendships, and joy as the school year begins.