Heading back to school as an SLP can be really overwhelming because you don't know what you need, what speech therapy goals you will be target, or who is on your caseload. What if I told you it can all be so much easier?
Using Play Based Therapy can take the planning time, stress, and cost out of being an SLP.
Why? Because by using ANYTHING to target ANY goal, you are able to cut your "needed" resources down and your time prepping.
So, what are some benefits of Play Based Therapy?
You save money! You do not need to spend thousands of dollars on resources. You can use anything in play-based therapy!
Play is on the decline in childhood: Kids are playing WAY less these days, but the reality is that kids of ALL ages need to play. We can bring play back into childhood by using it in therapy! Of course, the play looks different with a two year than a ten year old - but it's still PLAY!
4. Kids learn through play. Children learn during activities that are developmentally appropriate for them and what is more appropriate than play! Also, children are able to build on what they already know when using activities that are familiar to them.
5. It can happen anywhere - anytime. You don’t need a big space, a fancy table, or special materials. You can grab anything that is laying around and provide meaningful therapy wherever you are!
6. You can get a lot of trials. Contrary to popular belief, kids often practice more during play because they are motivated and having fun!
7. Kids are more motivated when the task is meaningful and relevant to their everyday lives. I have even had some kids who NEVER wanted to come to speech start LOVING to come when I started incorporating activities (i.e. ninjas and race cars) into our sessions.
If you are interested in learning more about Play Based Therapy, make sure to check out www.playbasedspeechtherapycourse.com.
This course covers everything you need to know about play-based therapy - including data, play in groups, material selection, and more!
If you have any questions, just email me at annadeeslp@gmail.com!
