22 Best Scavenger Hunt Ideas!

Scavenger hunts are a fun and easy summer activity – they’re inexpensive, entertaining for the whole family, and can be done no matter the location (indoors, outside, at the beach, etc.). Check out this website for free, printable scavenger hunts or get creative and make your own!

Here are some ideas on how you can tailor your scavenger hunt to practice speech and language skills:

Articulation: Put together a list of items that contain your child’s speech sound. For example, if your child is working on the /l/ sound, you could include words like leaf, log, caterpillar, dandelion, and snail for a backyard scavenger hunt.

Language: You can use scavenger hunts to target a number of concepts your child is working on, such as shapes, letters, descriptors (e.g., soft vs. hard, tall vs. short), categories, etc. The opportunities are endless!

New Insight About How Dogs Process Speech!

If you are a dog lover, you will enjoy this new study! “Humans keep talking to dogs whose sensitivity to human communicative signs is well known. Both the words what we say and the intonation how we say them carry information for them. For example, when we tell ‘sit’ many dogs can sit down. Similarly, when we praise dogs with a high toned voice, they may notice the positive intent. We know very little, however, on what is going on in their brains during these.” Researchers are using MRIs to study how dogs are processing speech and findings indicate plenty of similarities with how humans process speech! Read the article here!

Beat the Heat!

The hottest part of summer has definitely arrived and your stay-at-home activities may have slowly dried up… Never fear! Click here for fun summer activities to keep cool and work on speech and language at the same time. We love the ideas of ice sensory play and smoothie making to target your child’s specific speech and language goals. Stay cool!

How to Make a Volcano!

Making a volcano is a great way to target speech and language goals! However, make sure you do this activity outside! See an outline below and grab the full details here!

Ingredients:

• Dish soap

• Cold water

• White vinegar

• Food coloring

• Baking soda slurry (fill a cup about ½ with baking soda, then fill the rest of the way with water)

• Empty 2 liter soda bottle or water bottle

Instructions:

1. Combine the vinegar, water, dish soap and 2 drops of food coloring into the empty soda bottle.

2. Use a spoon to mix the baking soda slurry until it is all a liquid.

3. Eruption time! … Pour the baking soda slurry into the soda bottle quickly and step back!

While this is a fun activity, you can also focus on speech and language!

Articulation – while making the volcano, keep an ear open for the speech sounds your child is currently working on in therapy. For example, if your child is working on the /k/ sound you could target: cold water, volcano, food coloring, keep stirring, etc. Incorporating difficult speech sounds into play helps to reduce stress and creates natural opportunities to practice.

Sequencing – review the steps of making the volcano with your child and see if they can predict the next step while you are making the volcano! We recommend using full sentences to help incorporate transition words (e.g. First, Next, Last).

Getting Children and Teens Outside While Social Distancing!

“As states start to ease restrictions related to COVID-19​, many families are looking for healthy ways to play outdoors. B​ut what can you actually do outside with your children while staying at a safe distance from others? Think nature exploration!” See the full list of suggestions by clicking below. Enjoy!

We're Happy To Be Back!

While it may look different than we’re used to, we are happy to be back!

Re-opening and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

Now that the state of Massachusetts has entered Phase 3 of their re-opening plan, the SLP Center will be resuming in-office services. In order to keep your family safe, we are implementing a number of strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The health and safety of everyone is our priority.

The new SLP Center strategies include: reduced on-site staff during any given shift, staff health screenings, use of protective equipment (masks, face shields, plexiglass barriers), maintenance of physical distancing whenever possible, and stringent cleaning/disinfecting policies.

We ask that our families implement the following strategies before visiting our clinic: calling upon arrival to complete a patient health screening, thorough hand washing, and use of protective equipment (face masks for individuals over the age of 3).

It is of the utmost importance that you stay home if you or anyone in your household feels sick. We are following MA.gov and CDC guidelines. If you would like more details about our COVID-19 policies, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly at 781-792-2700. As always, we look forward to continuing our commitment to improving the lives of our patient’s through communication.

SLP Center Will Be Closed July 2nd & 3rd!

In observation of July 4th, the SLP Center will be closed on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd. Please contact your therapist regarding any necessary schedule changes. We hope you and your family enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Boston Parents Paper 2020 Winner!

Boston Parents Paper’s 2020 Family Favorite votes are in! Thanks to you and your support, the Speech Language Pathology Center of Norwell WON the category of speech therapy!

It is such an honor to be recognized for our hard work and dedication to this community. We look forward to continuing to spread joy through communication!

Home Enrichment, #24 - Upcycled Bird Feeder

Reuse your plastic water bottle to make a bird feeder for your backyard visitors! This cute summer craft is fun and supports good speech and language, too!

Speech and Language Connections

Expressive language – This is a great activity to learn and practice new vocabulary! Talk about the birds you see at your feeder, pointing out the different parts of the bird (such as beak, wings, feathers, etc.), colors, and shapes you see. You can teach concepts such as empty and full by talking about how much birdseed is left in the feeder over time.

Sequencing and problem solving skills – After crafting your feeder, have your child try to retell the instructions in the correct sequence. Ask your child what might happen if you omitted a step or performed the steps out of order (e.g., “What would happen if we filled the feeder with seeds, but didn’t poke any holes in the bottle?).

Salt Tray Activity - Enrichment #23

Grab a cookie sheet, container of salt, and your imagination for this fun activity suitable for (almost) all ages! Salt tray tracings are an interesting way for your child to practice shapes, letters, and words. We recommend that you pick this activity for a sunny day so you can do it outside – in case of spills!

Materials: cookie sheet or tray - salt, sugar, sand, or anything that can be easily manipulated - blank flashcards - optional: colored paper for a fun surprise! - also optional: an unsharpened pencil or a paintbrush.

Directions:

1.     Place the cookie sheet or tray on a stable surface

2.     Place the colored paper directly on the cookie tray

3.     Sprinkle enough salt on the tray to completely cover the surface

4.     Create tracings for your child to copy on the flashcards (symbols, shapes, letters, or words)

Speech and Language Connections:

Phonics: practice letter recognition, with an added bonus of getting to practice writing letters!

Following directions: forgo the flashcards and have your child follow 1-2 directions to create different shapes or pictures.

Articulation: practice target speech sounds by practicing writing the corresponding letter and saying the sound out loud simultaneously.

Vocabulary: have your child think of words that start with each letter. For young ones working on shapes, work on the labels of different shapes!

Activities to help keep your loved ones with Dementia engaged!

“Staying active and engaged is beneficial for both physical and cognitive health, so it’s particularly important for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease to engage in daily activities. Some activities have proven to be particularly helpful for those with dementia, such as games, exercise and outdoor activities, and music and art, as well as maintaining day-to-day routines … these 50 helpful daily activities for people with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease are not listed in order of importance, but they are categorized to help you quickly find the activities that are best for your loved one. “

Look through the link and see if you can find anything fun, engaging, and safe during quarantine!

Enrichment Activity 22: Little Chef Training!

Enlist your little one as your sous chef and hit the kitchen! We’re all doing a lot of home cooking these days. Having children help out in the kitchen is not only an enriching activity, but may also help them explore new foods! Check out the link below to read about how chefs teach their kids to cook in fun and safe ways. 

Speech and Language Connections

Following directions - present one-step, two-step, or even three-step directions to your sous chef to work on this receptive language skill. Following directions is especially crucial in the kitchen.

Sequencing - review the recipe steps with your child. While preparing the meal, encourage your child to determine “what’s next” in the cooking process. 

Expressive language - describe and/or ask your child to describe the different foods and textures that you’re experiencing while cooking. Cooking allows you to “get your hands dirty” and experience foods with all of your senses.

Vocabulary - be sure to review each food item and cooking instrument you use during your recipe! Cooking with your children allows you to build a new vocabulary set during a fun and functional activity!

Camping in the Living Room! Enrichment #21

Just in case you needed another excuse to get closer to your family members, try a family room camp out! This is an easy activity to incorporate imaginative play, articulation, and language skills!

Speech and Language Connections

Imaginative Play - Don’t have sleeping bags, headlights, or marshmallows - no worries! Grab anything you have laying around and expand your child’s imagination! They may come up with some things you never would have expected.

Articulation - Bring in items that have your child’s speech sound and practice the sound each time they refer to or touch that item.

Language - Ask and answer wh- questions, follow 1-2 step directions, or make predictions! Additionally, you could talk about materials needed when you camp and how you would use them!

Enrichment Activity 20 - Daily Schedule at Home

With the recent changes to our normal routines, it can sometimes be a challenge to keep the day running smoothly! Here’s a fun, kid-friendly way to create a daily schedule that balances structure and free play! See the original blog post for free schedule templates and tips on building your schedule together.

Speech and Language Connections

Concepts – This activity is great for working on a variety of time concepts and vocabulary, such as numbers on the clock and “AM” vs. “PM.” You can also work on telling time (reading the clock) and estimating how long different activities will take you to do.

Sequencing – Organize the day into smaller parts. For younger children, you might divide your schedule into morning, afternoon, and night. Then, organize daily activities by time of day (e.g., Morning: wake up, eat breakfast, coloring/crafts). For older kids, you might organize and schedule your day by time (e.g., 8:30 am – eat breakfast, 9:00-10:30 – book reading, etc.).

Receptive & Expressive Language – Take turns asking and answering wh- and yes/no questions about your schedule. For example, “What time do we eat breakfast?” or “Do we brush our teeth after going to bed?” Questions can be silly or funny, too!  

Please VOTE “Speech Language Pathology Center” for Family Favorite 2020

Our dedicated staff has continued to provide patients with care using teletherapy during COVID-19. Please vote for Speech Language Pathology Center in the category of SPEECH THERAPY. Thank you to Boston Parent’s Paper for many years of recognizing our clinic as a “Family Favorite”. We love our clients and look forward to seeing you in person!

Camera Roll Story Telling, Enrichment #19

Sit down with your child and scroll through photos on your phone. Try to pick out a picture with your child where something eventful happened that day. For example, maybe they had a soccer game or maybe you went on vacation. Ask them what they remember about the day. Once they have around 3 to 4 details of the day, have them sequence the events. You can have them verbally sequence the events or write down the events. Use the visual provided to help guide them to a succinct retelling! Take turns telling and listening to stories and enjoy your walk down memory lane!

COVID-19 News: Teletherapy to protect patients and providers!

Speech Language Pathology Center has been a provider of telehealth services since 2010. In an effort to protect patients and providers, many insurance companies are now allowing coverage for teletherapy. All of our speech pathologists have exceeded expectations of local and federal requirements to provide the most professional, evidence-based therapy.

SLP Center provides speech and feeding therapy sessions via “TheraPlatform”. First rate services include:

1. HIPAA compliant

2. Designed specifically for speech therapy

3. Easy to use video and audio platform

4. Provides interactive activities.

Screen Time Tips for Parents

“Not all screen time is equal.” We know that screen time sometimes has a bad reputation. At the SLP Center, we frequently use our iPads as a resource to supplement our therapy activities. But what about screen time at home? In light of our current situation, kids are at home and have access to their screens far more than usual. Check out the link below for ideas about how to use screen time as an enriching and educational tool!

Enrichment #18 - Outdoor Obstacle Course!

While children are at school every day, think about how much physical activity they get during recess, gym, and play time. Being at home can make it hard to exert all the energy children have built up. Now that the weather is getting nicer, take some time outdoors to burn that energy. Your children can hop, run, skip, spin, and bear crawl their way through an obstacle course drawn with sidewalk chalk! Get the whole family involved and set timers to see who can complete the course the fastest! If your course gets washed away by rain, you can create another one that’s better and longer than the last!

While this might not seem super relevant to speech therapy, it’s hard work to follow those directions and remember what’s coming next! Bonus - children with calm and activated bodies tend to have better attention to their structured work, meaning they’ll put forth their best effort later in the day! Find an example and some tips here! Have fun!