7 Games for Kids with Speech Sound Disorders
7 Games for Kids with Speech Sound Disorders
It can be a common struggle for parents and caregivers to come up with fun games for speech sound practices. Games can be a fun and highly interactive way for kids with speech sound disorders. Everyone loves games. If you are a parent or caregiver who is always on the lookout to make speech sound practice fun, you came come to the right place! Here are some games for kids with speech sound disorders.
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Flashlight Fun
For this game, you will need some objects or pictures. For example, if you are working on the /p/ sound, you can get pictures or objects of a pot, apple, plate, cup, paper, cap, etc. Choose a room such as your child’s bedroom and place these objects and pictures randomly. Then, switch off the lights in the room. Give your child a flashlight and ask them to find the objects/pictures in the room. Children love playing with flashlights and they will enjoy it.
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Memory Match
This is a fun game that you can play with a lot of children. You can make small cards with pictures of the targeted speech sound. You will need two of each picture. For example, if you are working on the /b/ sound, you can get two identical pictures of a bat, ball, biscuit, box, crab, marble, etc. Take all the cards and place them face down. You can show your child the face of the card as you are placing them down. Ask your child to then guess the matching cards. You can take turns with your child playing this game. And whoever makes the most matches wins the game.
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I Spy
Here is a game that you can play outside. This game requires the least preparation. You can visit different places such as a playground, park, garden, etc. You can ask your child to look around them and find items that have the target sound that you are working on. Once they have identified the object, you can use it as a ‘show and tell’ activity and ask your child to describe the object. One of the best things about this game is that you can take turns and also play it in a group!
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Simple Simon Says
This is yet another game that will help your child work on their speech sounds. You can specifically work on the /s/ speech sounds and blends at a sentence level. You can take turns and lay as well as play it in a group. The children can take turns being Simple Simon. You can have a list of sentences ready to use for each child or allow your child to come up with sentences using their target words.
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Bingo
You can choose some pictures or words of a target sound or even write the. Here is a link to a free customizable bingo card generator (https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator). Everyone takes turns saying the words. It is a great way to work on speech sounds when you have multiple family members.
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Board Games
You can use your child’s favorite board game to work on target speech sounds. You can use any game such as chutes and ladders, UNO, ludo, etc. Every time your child gets their turn, they must say a word that has the target speech sound. You can use a previously prepared word list for this activity.
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Jumbled Words
Jumbled words are a really fun way to work on speech sounds. You can choose a list of words of the target speech sounds. Then take one word at a time and jumble the letters. You can give your child some clues so that they get the word. For example, if the target word is /t/ and if the jumbled word is ‘abtle- table’. You can give clues like “It is made of wood” “It has four legs” etc. You can also tell them the position of the target word; in this instance /t/.
Remember, practice makes perfect, but repetitive practice can become boring over time. Remember to mix up the games to make them engaging and fun! Always consult with your child’s speech-language pathologist for additional guidance. Have fun!
Check out our blog: 5 Tips on How to Model AAC at Home – Speech Improvement Center
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