I think every pediatric speech language pathologist has a “bag of tricks”. It is not always a literal “bag” but these are the essential items that we always have close by to keep our students motivated. Just like magic, we can make a simple worksheet or set of cards much more engaging with these speech therapy essentials. As a result, these items are like gold and I couldn’t imagine doing therapy without them. I just celebrated my 25th year as a speech and language pathologist (about me). Over the years, my bag of tricks has grown. I’m sharing some of my favorite tips and tricks with all of you today!
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Magnetic Wand and Chips
Many speech language pathologists (SLPs) use a magnetic wand and magnetic chips in the speech room. I often add dice or a spinner and have students race to fill up their page. For example, if they roll a “3”, they will say 3 words and add 3 chips to their page. This makes it feel more like a game and helps keep them engaged longer. Tip: Use the spinners/dice that only go up to 3 to make the activity last longer! Also, I always wait to give them their wands at the end to pick up the magnetic chips. Using the wand to pick up the chips is the fun part but it can definitely be a distraction during the activity. The picture below shows how magnetic chips can be used with my Winter Penguins Articulation resource.
Chipper Chat activities by Super Duper Publications use magnetic chips and “magic” wands. Use my affiliate code Pinwheel10 to save 10% off any purchase from Super Duper Publications!
Dot Markers
You will find dot markers in most speech therapy rooms across the country. I even remember using classic bingo daubers (before washable dot markers were available). Dot markers are especially easy for little hands to hold and always fun to use. You can find a variety of speech and language activities like these Speech Mittens Articulation pages that work well with dot markers.
Fun Pointers
It is always good to have a variety of fun pointers on hand. You can use a traditional teacher pointer or a seasonal pointer like a witch finger at Halloween time. I recently discovered these googly eye pointers and my students love them. They are perfect for searching text with elementary aged students. Sometimes we will search for the main idea or search for a certain vocabulary word in the text. I like using a small magnifying glass to look for clues in a text or photo to practice supporting our thinking. We have also used a magnifying glass to search for Hidden Pictures or for “What’s Different?” in two scenes (see image above).
Tally Counter
My students have always enjoyed using tally counters to count their own number of trials per session. They just love new gadgets and it’s funny how fascinated they are with these little counters. Each time they push the button, the tally will increase with each trial. We usually have a goal for the session (e.g., 100 words) and my competitive students are very motivated by this!
Magnetic Fishing Pole
I have a simple homemade fishing pole that is made out of a wooden dowel, yarn, and ring magnet. You can also purchase them online or find them online with magnetic fishing games or puzzles. Simply attach paper clips to any cards like these Feed the Cat (CV, CVC, CVCV) articulation cards and you can create a fishing game!
Sticky Hands
I have a love/hate relationship with sticky hands but they can be VERY motivating for our students. During therapy sessions, we mostly use them to pick up small cards from the table. Depending on the student, I might only put one card on the table at a time to keep the activity under control. Sometimes I will even send a mini sticky hand home with cards for home practice too.
Suction cup toys
I have purchased a couple of games that come with suction cup wands. My students love using them to pick up cards from the table. I recently discovered these little suction cup animals and they are perfect for picking up laminated cards too! Aren’t they adorable? The task cards in this photo are conversation starters that you can use to get to know your students better. They happen to be FREE when you join my email list!
Popping Fidgets
Finally, these popping fidgets have recently made it into my bag of tricks too. I simply have my students “pop” a bubble each time they say their targeted word or answer a question. Sometimes I pair them with a Boom Card activity like this Polar Bear Match Articulation Memory Game to make it more tactile. They are also handy to pull out when students need a quiet fidget to stay focused.
What's in your bag?
I hope you learned a few new ideas from this post. You can find many more of my favorite speech therapy materials on this page: My Favorite Amazon Finds. What do you have in your bag of tricks? What would you add to your list of favorites? I would love to hear from you too! Comment below
