This article offers you to explore a some exciting fun speech therapy activities for kids that are designed to help them take their communication skills to the next level.
Children pass through various phases in their development period. All of which are equally challenging. But kids pass through some with relative ease while getting stuck in others. Every kid responds to things around him in unique ways natural to him. His way of processing and then articulating his surroundings is different. Sometimes they need additional help.
Speech therapy is required when kids need help in overcoming communication problems. Challenges like stuttering, articulation, and comprehension problems can be easily tackled with therapy. Unlike adults, children find it rather difficult to engage in therapies. The solution lies in creating an enjoyable and comfortable space for them. The activities must also have fun elements in them. Outside the clinical settings, speech therapies at home or any other familiar place can work wonders. Various studies are available to prove this point.
Here we have compiled a list of some speech therapy activities for kids, filled with the fun element. The goal is to boost their communication skills in a fun way from the comfort of their home.
Hopscotch Word Fun
For this activity, you will need chalk and a space preferably a sidewalk or your drive space.
Use the chalk to draw a hopscotch grid with squares and rectangles on your driveway. Now write a target word in each box. Make sure you choose target words per the therapy goals. If you are working on vowels, then the words must also contain vowel sounds in different combinations.
To start the game, the child has to stand at the head of the grid and throw a stone on the grid. He then has to jump through all, skipping the one with the marker. The child has to pronounce the word in each box, loudly, as he passes.
Repetition is essential in this activity. You can also introduce variations to make the game more interesting. Adding gestures or movements related to the words is also a good idea. This activity is highly recommended as it also provides physical activity.
The Alphabet Game
Alphabet game is another fun activity you can take with your kids for letter recognition. You can play this in any outdoor setting whether walking or driving. The activity revolves around finding and calling out the alphabets that appear on the signs and billboards.
For kids, you should focus on getting them to recognize the letters and pronounce them aloud. You can also get them to narrate the order of the alphabet. If the kids can come up with a word with the spotted letter, that would be a good option too.
Similarly, you can work on their pronunciation. Once they pronounce a word, focus on its clear sound. This simple activity can go a long way in improving their speech skills.
Word Search
Word search is another educational activity to do with your kids. Specifically, this targets their word recognition and reading skills. You can easily find printable word search activities on the internet. Make sure that whichever you choose should be appropriate to their age.
So once you have got your hands on a suitable one, get your kid to find the words listed at the bottom of the grid. Ask them to say it out loud once they have located the word from the grid. This will help them in pronunciation along with visual recognition.
Word search is a popular healthy game to play with friends and family. In this way, speech therapy can be performed in a very jovial and competitive setting.
Hide-and-Seek with Words
This is another fun way to make vocabulary learning easier for your kids.
For this, you would need to write words on small cards. If the kids are younger, you can also use interactive pictures. Now, hide these words around the house. Make sure that the seeking part is challenging but not too difficult for them. Ask the kids to find the words hidden anywhere.
If you see them losing interest, drop some hints to keep them engaged. Once they find a word, ask them to read it out aloud or describe it in case of a picture. Involving their friends in the game can make it a bit more interactive and competitive. Kids are found to be performing better under such situations.
Praise must be followed for successful finding and pronunciation of words. Make sure you take breaks and move on to another activity before they get bored.
I Spy
This entertaining game is engaging for both kids and adults. Vocabulary, communication, and cognitive abilities are directly challenged in this game. Also, there is no bound of time and space to play this game.
Start by selecting a player. He will have to select an item in the room without revealing it to anyone else. Then, he has to describe the item. Its color, shape, size, or any other thing he deems worthy. Often the phrase, “I spy with my little eye, something that is…” is used.
The other players have to guess the item based on the clues provided. They are also allowed questions regarding the object. Allow guessing till the correct answer is reached.
The player who has guessed correctly must then use the word in a sentence and say it aloud. Now it will be his turn to become the spy. And that’s how the game continues.
A positive effect is noted on the fluency, communication, and cognition of the kids in this game. Language use can also be improved through this activity.
These simple yet engaging games can be played from the comfort of your home. As they are played in familiar settings, children are comfortable and get enough space to perform naturally. These activities are so important for kids on multiple fronts. Parents must incorporate them into their daily routine and substitute them with unhealthy screen time. However, you must note that for complex cases, professional medical attention should be sought at the earliest.
