Good
morning! I hope everyone is staying warm! These cold Midwest days are
starting to wear on all of us, I think. I know spending so much time
inside can make us feel stir-crazy at times...and some of our kiddos
(ok, teachers too! ;)) may have a little extra energy to expend. Why
not channel some of that energy into practicing speech sounds?!
I
took the following activity idea and adapted it from a handout that can
be downloaded from the Super Duper Publications website....
Fun with a homemade MYSTERY BOX!
*Make a “mystery box” using common household objects and your child’s toys/items you can find around your home.*
1) Cut a slot in the top of a good-sized box (maybe a shoe or boot box?). Make
sure that your child’s hand plus an object fits through the slot.
2) Help your child decorate the box the way he/she wants it to look. This makes the child feel like he/she is participating and provides a great language-building activity. Get creative and brainstorm things you could use to decorate the box? Stickers? Markers? Paint? Here is a great recipe I found on Pinterest for homemade puffy paint using items you probably already have in your home.
3) Choose a sound that your child has been working on in speech therapy sessions and go on a hunt around your house for items that have that sound in them. For younger children, it will be easiest to find things that start with that sound. For older children, you can have them find things that have that target sound anywhere in the word. You could even make this a "contest" between siblings...for example, who can find the most things that have the S sound in their name in five minutes??
4) Have your child(ren) tell you about the items he/she found. You could expand this by having he/she tell you WHERE he/she found it or tell you HOW the item is used. Place all of the items in the mystery box!
5) Let your child choose an object out of the box and say/name it, use it in a phrase, sentence, or ask the child more questions about the item to elicit conversation. Variation: Everyone playing the game could close his/her eyes while one person chooses an item. The person choosing could then describe the item and have the other people guess which item is being described.
6) Continue until your child sees all objects and completes each task.
7) For a special treat, secretly put a “surprise” in the box your child can keep or eat!
2) Help your child decorate the box the way he/she wants it to look. This makes the child feel like he/she is participating and provides a great language-building activity. Get creative and brainstorm things you could use to decorate the box? Stickers? Markers? Paint? Here is a great recipe I found on Pinterest for homemade puffy paint using items you probably already have in your home.
3) Choose a sound that your child has been working on in speech therapy sessions and go on a hunt around your house for items that have that sound in them. For younger children, it will be easiest to find things that start with that sound. For older children, you can have them find things that have that target sound anywhere in the word. You could even make this a "contest" between siblings...for example, who can find the most things that have the S sound in their name in five minutes??
4) Have your child(ren) tell you about the items he/she found. You could expand this by having he/she tell you WHERE he/she found it or tell you HOW the item is used. Place all of the items in the mystery box!
5) Let your child choose an object out of the box and say/name it, use it in a phrase, sentence, or ask the child more questions about the item to elicit conversation. Variation: Everyone playing the game could close his/her eyes while one person chooses an item. The person choosing could then describe the item and have the other people guess which item is being described.
6) Continue until your child sees all objects and completes each task.
7) For a special treat, secretly put a “surprise” in the box your child can keep or eat!
Let these ideas get you started, but feel free to adapt and shape these ideas into your own fun activities at home with your family! Practicing articulation can be lots of fun and can be something that is easily incorporated into your daily life at home! HAVE FUN and enjoy time talking to and playing with your child!
Some ideas for five commonly misarticulated sounds are:
S Initial (at the beginning of words)
sucker
cereal sucker
celery
cent
seed
seashell
salt
soap
soup
softball
sock
S Medial (in the middle of words)
bicycle
dinosaur
motorcycle
pencil
receipt
baseball
glasses
icing
bracelet
whistle
S Final (at the end of words)
bus
dress
shoelace
horse
dental floss
lace
purse
ice (in a baggie)
necklace
SH Initial (at the beginning of words)
shoe
shapes
ship
shirt
shells
shampoo
shoelace
sugar
shovel
shark
SH Medial (in the middle of words)
horseshoe
toothbrushes
tissue
marshmallows
nutshells
washcloth
dishes
invitation
lotion
flashlight
SH Final (at the end of words)
hairbrush
toothbrush
fish (toy/picture)
mouthwash
nail polish
dish
leash
paintbrush
starfish
licorice
ring
rabbit
robe
rattle
ribbon
radio
rocket
raisins
R Medial (in the middle of words)
airplane
carrots
earrings
horse
purse
fork
marbles
markers
shirt
fire engine
fish (toy/picture)
mouthwash
nail polish
dish
leash
paintbrush
starfish
licorice
R Initial (at the beginning of words)
rope
roserope
ring
rabbit
robe
rattle
ribbon
radio
rocket
raisins
R Medial (in the middle of words)
airplane
carrots
earrings
horse
purse
fork
marbles
markers
shirt
fire engine
R Final (at the end of words)
(teddy) bear
car (toy)
pear
jar
flower
feather
dollar
dinosaur
paper
letter
K Initial (at the beginning of words)
can
can
key
car
comb
candy
kite
carrot
cow
cat
corn
K Medial (in the middle of words)
chicken (toy or picture)
bacon (toy or picture)
pumpkin
rocket
helicopter
bicycle (toy or picture)
sneaker
napkin
chocolate
monkey
snake
book
cake
rake
milk
black (crayon/paper/paint/marker)
L Initial (at the beginning of words)
lamp (toy/picture)
lamb
leaf
ladder
lemon
letter
lipstick
lotion
lizard
chicken (toy or picture)
bacon (toy or picture)
pumpkin
rocket
helicopter
bicycle (toy or picture)
sneaker
napkin
chocolate
monkey
K Final (at the end of words)
sock
stick
truck
blocksock
stick
truck
snake
book
cake
rake
milk
black (crayon/paper/paint/marker)
lamp (toy/picture)
lamb
leaf
ladder
lemon
letter
lipstick
lotion
lizard
L Medial (in the middle of words)
balloon
collar
dollar
jelly
necklace
pillow
ruler
elephant
marshmallows
helicopter
balloon
collar
dollar
jelly
necklace
pillow
ruler
elephant
marshmallows
helicopter
L Final (at the end of words)
bell
ball
bowl
nail
football
pencil
towel
seashell