50 Fun and Easy Articulation Activities for Speech Therapy
Articulation cards are a staple in many speech therapy rooms – they’re versatile for practicing speech sounds with preschoolers and elementary students. But using the same flashcards in the same way every session can get boring and repetitive for kids (and SLPs!). If you’re looking for fun and effective articulation card activities to energize your sessions, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll share dozens of engaging ideas for using articulation cards in new ways. These activities will keep children motivated, inject some play into practice, and help you reach those all-important repetition targets for better progress.
Why Use Creative Articulation Card Activities?
Repetition is key in articulation therapy, but drilling cards over and over can lose a child’s interest. Research suggests that high-frequency practice – at least 50 (and preferably 70+) correct trials per session – is most effective for children with speech sound disorders. That’s a lot of repetitions! The best way to hit those targets is by making practice fun and varied. By turning articulation drills into games, movement, or play-based activities, children stay engaged longer and happily practice their target sounds many more times.
Variety also helps with generalization. Using articulation flashcards in different contexts (movement games, tabletop games, sensory play, etc.) encourages kids to produce sounds in various situations, which can aid carryover. You can use these ideas in one-on-one sessions or groups, and even adapt many of them for home practice with parents. The key is to tap into children’s natural love for play – when kids are having fun, they’ll hardly realize they’re doing “speech work” and will be more willing to practice those target words again and again!
With articulation cards, the possibilities are endless! You can turn them into active games like hopscotch, flashlight hunts, obstacle courses, or bowling; use them for tabletop classics like Memory, Go Fish, or Jenga; add a creative twist with silly sentences, storytelling, or charades; build fine-motor fun with clothespins, hole punches, or playdough smashes; or even mix in pretend play like feeding a puppet, running a store, mailing cards, or putting on a microphone show. Whether your students are hopping, swatting, drawing, stacking, or coloring, these 50 ideas make speech therapy sessions engaging, motivating, and packed with high-quality practice trials.
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WHAT’S THERE?: Place 5 cards around the room. Ask the child to find and label the card in a particular place. For example, “What is beside the lamp?” -> “ Bee!”
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MAKE A ROAD: Place target cards on the floor around the room. Drive cards over the cards. If you have a toy tractor, you can load the cards into the tractor.
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FEED THE PUPPET: Feed a puppet the target cards.
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FLASHLIGHT HUNT: Pin the cards around a room. Turn the lights off and give the child a flashlight to find the cards.
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IS IT A ___?: Ask the child if a card is an item. For example, “Is it a cat?”. You can use the carrier phrases, “No! It’s a ____” or “Yes! It’s a ___.” Have the child complete the blank.
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MUSICAL CHAIRS: Place cards on the floor. Play music and when it stops, have the child find a card to sit on.
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TAKE PICTURES: Use a camera/phone to take pictures of the cards. Kids find this incredibly motivating!
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BOWLING: Put the cards in paper bags. Take turns rolling a ball to knock over the ‘pins’. Say the word when you knock over a bag.
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OBSTACLE COURSE: Make an obstacle course out of items that you have. Make sure to go under, over, and between objects! Place cards throughout the obstacle to practice along the way.
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‘BUY’ THE CARDS: Play store! Use pretend money and have the child ‘buy’ the cards.
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BEAN BAG TOSS: Place cards on the floor. Have the child throw a bean bag on the cards. For more trials, the child can also tell you which card they are aiming at.
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BALL POPPER: Stand the cards up using binder clips, or stick them to a wall. Use a ball popper (or bubbles) to aim for the cards.
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HOPSCOTCH: Make a hopscotch board out of tape on the floor. Place a card in each square. Say the word when you land on it.
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SENSORY BIN: Place the cards in a bin filled with cotton balls, pom poms, and cut up straws - or anything you can think of! Have the child find the items using tongs or tweezers.
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JENGA: Place cards between the layers of blocks.
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FLY SWATTER: Place the cards around the room. Give the child a fly swatter and have the child ‘swat’ each card. Kids love running between the cards!
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TELL SOMEONE: Bring the cards to show the child’s teacher/friend. Ask the student to label each card.
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WHAT AM I DRAWING?: Place the cards face up, in front of you and the child. Take turns drawing one of the items. See if you can guess what it is!
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HIDE UNDER CUPS: Hide the cards under plastic cups.
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SNOWBALL FIGHT: Place the cards upright using binder clips. Use scrunched up paper balls to knock the cards over.
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HIDE IN BOOKS: Hide cards in books. You can use Sticky Tack (or hide under flaps!) to stick the cards to the pages. Say the word when you flip to the page the card is on.
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HANG AND CATCH: This activity takes a little more prep but it is so fun! Hang string with paper clips from the ceiling. Attach cards and have your students pull the cards off the string.
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PLAYDOUGH: Smoosh play dough on the card each time you say the word (make sure your cards are laminated!).
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TIC TAC TOE: Print a few copies of your articulation cards and play tic tac toe! Give each player 6 copies of a card.
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MAKE A SHAPE: Make different shapes with your cards (square, circle, triangle).
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HOPPING: Place the cards around the room on the ground. Hop from one card to another.
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SIMPLE DRILL: Pair your card with a drill card and cover each number with a token or a mini object.
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ROLL AND SAY: Roll a dice. Say the word the number of times indicated on the dice.
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MEMORY: Print two sets of cards and play memory.
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GO FISH: Use two sets of cards to play Go Fish.
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MEMORY GAME: Place several cards face up on the table. Have the child study the cards. Flip them face down and see how many card the child can remember.
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FISHING: Use a magnet and paper clips to create a fishing game.
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WHAT’S MISSING: Put 2 or 3 cards on table, face up. Let the child take a quick peek and then close their eyes. Take one card away or turns one card over. Ask the child to guess which one is missing.
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MAIL CARDS: Make a mailbox out of a tissue box. “Mail” the cards to family and friends.
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EGG CARTON TOSS: Place one card in each section of the carton. Have the child toss a coin into the carton. Say the word on the card where the coin landed.
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TELL A STORY: Use several cards to create a story. (This is best for conversation level).
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SILLY SENTENCES: Make a silly sentence with each card.
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POP IT: Use a Pop it fidget toy and have the child push one section each time they say the word.
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USE CLOTHESPINS: Have the child place a clothespin on the card each time they say the word.
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COLOR AND CREATE: Use black and white Articulation Cards. Allow the child to color and create their own set that they can use and take home! (My Articulation cards come in black and white and color for this purpose!)
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BURY AND FIND: Bury cards under pom poms, cotton balls, or sand. Have the student use a shovel or tongs to find the cards/
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BUCKET TOSS: Place cards in buckets. Throw crumbled paper or a ball in to the bucket.
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MINI OBJECTS: Lay your cards on the table and cover them with mini objects. Simple but effective.
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BUBBLE BLOW: Place cards on the wall using sticky tack or Painter’s Tape. Blow bubbles onto the cards. Say the word when the bubble lands on it.
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MICROPHONE/TELEPHONE: Say your words into a telephone or toy microphone. You could also use paper towel rolls.
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HOLE PUCH: Print Black and White Cards and hole punch the cards each time you say the word.
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MAGNET WAND: Use a magnet wand and magnetic chips. Place a chip on each card the you say the word. Use the wand to pick up all the chips when you are done!
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BLOCKS & CARDS: Place a block ad then lay a card on top. Continue until the tower tumbles. See how high you can build the tower before it falls!
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SPOON RACE: Place the card on a spoon and see how fast you can make it across the room. Say the word when you place the card on the spoon.
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FEED ANIMALS: Use toy animals and have them ‘eat’ the cards. Kids think this is hilarious!
As you can see, articulation cards can be used for so much more than basic drill-and-repeat. By rotating through these activities, you’ll keep your students on their toes and excited to see “what game are we playing today?” Many of these ideas also target language, turn-taking, and gross/fine motor skills as a bonus. Feel free to adapt and expand on them – the possibilities are endless!
FAQs about Using Articulation Cards in Speech Therapy
Q: What are articulation cards and how are they used in speech therapy?
A: Articulation cards (or flashcards) are picture cards that represent words targeting specific speech sounds. SLPs use these cards to help children practice pronouncing sounds correctly. For example, a set might have 20 picture cards for the “S” sound (sun, sock, sailboat, etc.). In therapy, we often use articulation cards for structured practice: the child names the picture and focuses on saying the target sound in the word correctly. They are used for drills (lots of repetition of the sound), in games (like memory or craft activities, as described above), or even in sentences and storytelling for more advanced practice. Articulation cards are a convenient, versatile tool because they allow a child to practice many words with their target sound in a short time, which is crucial for improving articulation skills.
Q: How can I keep articulation practice fun and engaging for my child/student?
A: The key is to turn practice into a game or play activity. Children get bored with just “say this word 10 times,” so use creative approaches like the ones in this article – hide the cards for a treasure hunt, incorporate movement (hopping, bowling, racing), use pretend play (feeding a puppet, playing store), or classic games (Go Fish, Memory). Offer choices: for example, let the child pick which game or activity to do next. Giving some control increases their motivation. Keep sessions dynamic – alternate between a high-energy activity and a quieter one to maintain interest. Also, keep the practice positive and rewarding: praise their efforts, make it silly, and celebrate milestones (“Wow, you said that word 5 times!”). When articulation practice feels like play, kids are excited to participate and will put in more repetitions without even realizing it.
Q: How can parents practice articulation at home with flashcards?
A: Home practice is important for carryover! Parents can use the same articulation cards from therapy (or ones provided as homework) in short, fun practice sessions. A few tips: incorporate practice into daily routines – for example, do 5 minutes of “speech card hide-and-seek” around the living room each evening, or keep the cards in the car and practice words during drive time. Use simple games that don’t feel like work. For instance, play a quick memory match or have the child teach you how to say the words. You can also turn practice into a scavenger hunt: hide picture cards around the house and have your child find and say each item they discover. Consistency is key – 10 minutes a day of fun practice can make a big difference. And always encourage and praise your child for their efforts, keeping the mood upbeat. If flashcards get boring, don’t be afraid to get creative at home too (making silly sentences at dinner with a couple of target words, etc.). The more enjoyable you make it, the more your child will willingly practice.
Q: How many repetitions of a word or sound should a child practice in one session?
A: Speech research suggests that more is better when it comes to practicing a new sound. A general guideline is to aim for at least 50-100 correct repetitions of the target sound per session. In fact, one review found that 70+ trials per session led to better outcomes for kids with speech sound disorders. That might sound like a lot, but those repetitions add up quickly when you embed them in games (for example, 5 words per turn in a game that lasts 15 minutes could easily hit that number). Quality matters too – it’s better to have 50 good productions than 100 rushed or incorrect ones. In group therapy, each child might get fewer turns, so the number of repetitions per child could be lower, but you can adjust by doing extra quick drills. The bottom line: shoot for as many correct productions as you reasonably can in the time you have, without making the child exhausted or frustrated. Using engaging activities (like the ones above) helps maximize repetitions because the child wants to keep playing and practicing.
Q: What if my child finds flashcards boring or is resistant to practice?
A: It’s not uncommon for kids to resist drill practice, especially if they’ve been doing it a while. That’s where all these creative ideas come in! If a child is bored with flashcards, change the presentation. Maybe they practice better with movement – try one of the active games like flashlight hunts or bowling. Or maybe they’re artistic – have them draw their own pictures for words, color black-and-white cards (“Color & Create”), or use stickers and tokens as they practice. Some kids are highly motivated by technology, so using a tablet app or even just the phone camera (like the Take Pictures idea) can re-energize them. Also consider the level of difficulty: if the child is frustrated because the words are hard, simplify the task (practice just the sound in isolation or syllables, or choose easier words) before building back up. Always keep a positive, encouraging tone – use plenty of praise and perhaps a reward system (like earning a sticker after X number of cards). Sometimes letting the child be the “teacher” (they hold the cards and quiz you) can make them more willing to participate. The key is flexibility: have a variety of approaches up your sleeve and switch things up until you find what clicks with that particular child.
Conclusion and Next Steps
With these ideas in your toolbox, articulation cards can lead to engaging, productive speech therapy sessions every time. Feel free to mix and match activities, and remember to give your students plenty of choices – empowering them to pick an activity can boost buy-in and enthusiasm. The goal is to make practicing speech sounds so much fun that kids forget it’s therapy! When students are laughing, moving, and playing while saying their target words, you’re not only achieving high repetitions, you’re also helping them generalize those skills in natural contexts.
Before you go, don’t forget to grab your freebie: if you want an Articulation Activity Choice Board (featuring 30 of the no-prep activities listed here in a handy visual format), be sure to sign up for my email list – you’ll get instant access to this resource to use in your therapy sessions or to send home to parents! It’s a great way to let kids choose their activity and keep track of which ones they’ve done.
And if you’re looking for some bright and colorful articulation cards to refresh your collection, check out my Articulation Cards for Speech Therapy. These cards come in both color and black-and-white (so kids can color their own set) and feature functional, kid-friendly words for all the common sounds. Having a quality set of cards makes all these activities even easier to pull off.
🎉 Happy therapy! I hope these articulation card ideas bring new excitement to your sessions and help your students make fantastic progress on their speech sounds. Try a few out, and let me know which ones become your favorites or if you invent your own twist on them!
You might also enjoy these related posts:
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Top Quick and Easy Drill-Based Activities for Articulation – Discover effective drill techniques and little games to get high repetitions in short time spans. Great for when you need quick, focused practice ideas.
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7 No-Prep Speech Therapy Activities for Articulation & Phonology – A roundup of low-prep ideas (using common objects and toys) to target speech sounds. Perfect for busy days when you need an easy setup.
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Play-Based Articulation Using a Toy Farm – Learn how to incorporate a simple farm playset to elicit tons of articulation trials in a fun, play-based context. If you love play therapy, this one’s for you!
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