With the pandemic, online studies, and work-from-home protocols, everyone can safely conclude that the school year that just ended has had more than its fair share of challenges to learners, teachers, and parents alike. Without a doubt, the next year will have its own unique challenges. As a speech therapist, you need to keep up with new activities to help your clients with speech impediments, delayed speech, and other speech disorders. Here at Fusion Web Clinic, we offer the only all-in-one clinic management software designed specifically for pediatric therapists. Schedule a demo with us to get a feel of our customized software.
Tons of activities can help you in your organization to combat speech disorders in your clients. Every type of activity addresses a specific form of speech disorder. These are simple everyday activities that will go a long way to refine your clients’ speaking skills.
1. I-Spy
This age-old game has never gone out of fashion. You can play it one-on-one with the child or with a group of kids, in the case of group therapy sessions. One person identifies a common object in the room, then gives a set of clues to help the child guess the name of the object. If the child guesses the name of the object correctly, they’ll have to use the word in a sentence. This game sharpens a child’s social and listening skills and helps practice sentence fluency.
2. Hopscotch with Words
This beloved children’s game, played in many parts of the world, can be instrumental as you conduct your speech therapy sessions. Draw hopscotch on the ground and write target words in each box. Have the child say the word in the box out loud as they play the game. You can add a twist by having the child use the word in a sentence. This game is part of the speech therapy activities that help with articulation, especially with problematic sounds, and sentence construction, as well as diction.
3. Word Search Puzzles
Word search puzzles are applicable to all ages. They vary in difficulty, ranging from easy puzzles with a few words to complex ones with words written backwards or diagonally. Choose the appropriate puzzle for the child’s age. When the child finds a word in the puzzle, have them say it out loud and use it in a sentence. You can download word search puzzles over the internet or make your own and customize them for your clients. Word search puzzles are an excellent speech therapy activity. They help with pronunciation, sentence construction, and the development of problem-solving abilities.
4. The Alphabet Game
There are many different forms of this game. The key aspect of this game is teaching the child to identify an object that starts with a specific letter of the alphabet. There may be multiple objects that begin with the same letter or sound. Give the child a specific letter or sound and have them identify objects that start with that sound or letter. This game is similar to I-Spy, but instead of giving clues to the objects, you let the child see and identify them. This game helps children with pronunciation.
5. Word Treasure Hunts
This is like hide and seek, but instead of looking for people, the child will search for hidden words and objects. Hide words or objects in the playground or sandbox and have the child look for them. The kid will win the game once they find all the words and objects and receive a prize at the end. For an extra feature, you can have the child construct meaningful sentences with the words or state the use of the hidden objects. You can play the game in group therapy to nurture social interactions in the children. This game is part of the speech therapy activities suitable for children aged 5-7 years and teaches them proper pronunciation, sentence construction, and develops healthy social interactions.
6. Flashcards
Flashcards can help kids get the hang of difficult sounds such as /l/, /r/, /s/, /sh/, /ch/, and voiceless /TH/. You should have customized flashcards for each child since every child needs unique speech therapy interventions. You can make this activity more engaging by providing the child with a separate, unrelated activity to do simultaneously, like coloring. You can also provide a reward when they finish the activity and pronounce all the words correctly and use them accurately in sentences. Flashcards help to refine pronunciation in children.
7. Frog Hop in Speech Therapy Activities
This activity is similar to hopscotch, only that you don’t have to draw the hopscotch on the ground. Write the words on paper and stick them on the ground. Cover the words with clear plastic film to protect them and have the child hop on the words like a frog on lily pads. When the child lands on a word, have them pronounce it and use it in a sentence. You can add an interesting feature by placing the words in levels according to difficulty and offering a prize at the end of each level, then a grand prize at the end of the activity. This fun game doubles as a speech therapy activity and still provides physical exercise.
8. Mirror Exercises
This exercise is specifically designed to deal with articulation issues. Most children with articulation difficulties do not know how to move their mouths to make sounds. Let the child face a mirror as they sound out words on flashcards. This will help them see how the mouth moves as they make a particular sound. For similar sounds, such as /l/ and /r/, /s/, /sh/, and/ch/, you can pronounce each sound slowly with the child in front of a mirror to demonstrate the differences in mouth movement and lip positioning. Mirror exercises can help the child identify the differences in sounds and how to physically pronounce each sound correctly.
9. The Name Game
This is a simple activity, where you give the child a simple word and have them say a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word. It not only tests memory and spelling, it also helps develop proper pronunciation. This is a fun game that helps children identify different sounds and differentiate them correctly.
There are tons of activities to refine a child’s articulation, language skills, social interactions, phonology, and measure their progress. Fusion Web Clinic keeps your practice management streamlined so that you have more time to focus on activities with your clients. Schedule a demo today to learn more.