speech therapy + the dollar bin || summer felt memory game

I've really been brainstorming of ways I can share creative ideas for building speech & language each week at home with your littles.  There's a lot of great resources out there, guys!  I think I've found a fun way to share ideas with you (that's a tad bit different than everything that's already out there *at least in what I have found, anyway*).

  It's so hard to figure out how to stand out in the blog world & offer something unique & useful!

 

As I'm working & organizing my "speech bins" over the summer, I'm going to feature one fun activity/item from a dollar bin/store that's free or cheap- & ways that a speech therapist might use it in a therapy session.  And how YOU can use it in the same way at home without leaving the house or attending a session! 

***NOT to discredit or encourage missing your speech or language therapy session AT ALL.  Just a little extra! extra for ya;)

 AND you don't have to have a child that needs therapy... these are all great educational things to do over the summer outside of speech development.
 

FIRST UP...
A game that can technically played in silence, can be used in so many fun therapeutic ways with a little chatter added in the mix!
 

 FELT MEMORY GAME
Where? Target
How Much? $3
What ages? 3-6, however you can use it preschool through geriatric if you so choose.  Everybody loves a good memory game!
How many players? 1-2
What skills can be targeted during this activity? Vocabulary, description, visual scanning, short term memory, attention, spatial perception, turn taking, following directions.

If you were to observe me during a session, you would think most of what I am doing is play.
And a lot of talking.
And you're right.
In therapy we have techniques that we call all the talking we are doing. 
"Modeling, self-talk, parallel talk."
What the heck? Right??
In other words, comment on pictures.  
Use a slow pace and use language your child can understand. 
I can instruct til' I'm blue in the face, so I'll just give you an example
 (that's what I always need to comprehend best!)

Say we get the "ice cream" card.

Ice cream!
Look, Cam!  I found the ice cream card.
What flavor do you think this ice cream is?
It is pink.  When I see pink ice cream, I think it is probably strawberry!
It looks like there is a cherry and sprinkles on top, too!
They put their ice cream in a cone.
The ice cream is cold!  If they don't eat it fast, it might melt!
Hmmm.  I wonder where I can find another strawberry ice cream.
(flip another card over in search for it's match)
Is this a strawberry ice cream?
No, it's not a strawberry ice cream.

It may even sound annoying.  I get it.  I annoy myself sometimes.  But, think about it... especially if a child does not talk, or has very few words... think of all of the words you just shared with them while looking at ONE card.  In doing this, I've just given my kiddo so many exposures to the word "ice cream" as well as words associated with it such as "flavor, strawberry, cone, cherry, sprinkles, melt, cold." And what's better?  There's not a lot of pressure on my little friend to have to label or answer a ton of questions.  The next time you find ice cream, see if they remember.  "Look!  It's the _________" (pause for a minute to see if they want to recall or tell you something about it.)  If they don't say the word, its okay!  Say it for them again.  It's all about us exposing them to these fun summer words in the first place.  It may be easy to pick two or three cards per game to concentrate on, rather than trying to use these techniques with every card.  You'll know what to do with how your child reacts to you:)
 
You can even change it up & focus on different things each time.
Wanna work on categories? Ditch the checkerboard & spread out the cards & organize into fruits, drinks, vegetables, sweet treats, main meals... you name it.

French fries are a pretty laugh-able veggie... but Yolo.

Want to target details & descriptions?  Let's do same & different:)
Split cards into two different stacks.  Lay one match on the table and stack the others.  Let child draw card & find the one that is the "same" as their picture. 

For different, stack both sides & draw a picture from each stack & tell whether they are the "same" or "different" & explain why.

My boys are ALWAYS up for a game of "I Spy."  Why not turn one set of the felt cards over & play a round!

What about phonemic awareness?  Gotta love that one for the speechies:)
-Rhyme Each time you turn a card over, name the item and then a word that rhymes with it.

-Sounds in words In an effort not to overwhelm the kiddo, spontaneously have them tell what sound a food begins/ends with. 

"Pizza!  What does Pizza start with?  P!"

Or
"Hot dog!  What sound does "hotdog" end with? G!"

 

Really, the possibilities are endless.  With older kids you could take the felt picture cards & use them for story telling, making up songs, recalling recipes you may cook up with the ingredients.  And there you go, sweet mamas.  For 3 bucks, look at all the cool & fun things you can do to enrich your kids speech and/or language skills right from the comfort of your own home.

*Modifications:  If you're just teaching your child this game, you may want to start with 2 sets of matching cards to practice & explain the concept.  As they understand, add more cards in the mix!

Have a game/activity/toy at home you'd like to use in a therapeutic way?
List below or email me & I'd love to give you some ideas!