Break the ice and ignite communication skills in preschoolers with these fun and engaging fall-themed speech therapy games. This blog post highlights interactive activities which provide a playful environment for language learning and social interaction.
Fall is such a versatile theme to use in speech therapy because you can incorporate apples, harvest, pumpkins and more. I'm going to share some of my favourite books, toys, songs, and preschool activities about spring! These activities can be used both during in-person sessions as well as during speech teletherapy sessions (with a little bit of creativity!)
These activities are do-able with things you likely already have and are totally free!
Most of the suggested companions for some the activities are part of my Fall Themed Unit! It includes over 70 pages of activities, including visuals fine motor, gross motor, crafts, and so much more! They just make some of the activities easier to plan and prep since the binder PRINT AND GO!
CRAFTS:
Create a Fall Themed Scene: Use mini drill cards and stick them onto a fall themed scene. All you need is glue, paper, and some colourful cereal. A great way to work on concepts above/below and same/different! Need scenes and mini cards? Use the ones included in my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit!
Leaf Tree : Collect leaves from outside (or buy them from the Dollar Store) and stick them onto a masking tape truck using sticky tack OR to a piece of paper using glue.
Make an apple tree! Use red pom poms, tweezers, and a paper tree! Stick the pom poms on the sheet using some glue. This is a perfect craft that isn't messy or time consuming.
Paper Plate Pumpkin: Another easy craft! All you need is brown construction paper, a green pipe cleaner, orange paint, and a paper plate. Paint the plate orange, stick on the stem and the leaf and you're good to go!
Leaf Rub: Go on a treasure hunt for leaves outside. Place the leaves under paper and rub crayons on them
These crafts are so easy and are totally 'do-able' in your therapy room!
GAMES:
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: This quick turn taking game is a preschool favorite! It is also a fun way to incorporate fine motor skills into your session. I love to pair it this simple game companion, which includes dozens of goals for expressive language, receptive language, articulation, phonology, and more!
Pumpkin Patter: Pitter patter around a 'pumpkin patch'. Use different size pumpkins for the children to walk around. When you say freeze - they have to find a pumpkin to sit/stand on. To target concepts, ask them what size they're pumpkin is. To target verbs and verb tenses, use different themed verbs! You can find a set of Fall Themed Action Cards in my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit.
Guess my Scarecrow: Draw some scarecrows with your student. Make sure they are different from one another! sTake turns describing and guessing which scarecrow you have! This is an all time favorite game of my preschoolers because it is sort of like I spy and Guess Who put together! Don't like drawing? Fond a set of Scarecrow Cards in my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit.
PLAY ACTIVITIES:
Create a pumpkin patch! Use images of pumpkins, cut out pumpkins from the dollar store, or make pumpkins! Pair lego, pumpkins, and Little People Figurines to create a fun and easy therapy activity. Don't forget to have your student 'set up the patch'. They will love stacking hay and picking pumpkins! You can target following directions, pronouns, concepts, and more!
Fillable acorns from Learning Resources: Fill the acorns with mini items (erasers, toys - anything that fits!) or mini visual cards. Kids love the element of surprise. You can hide them around the room, throw them in a sensory bin, or use them with people figurines (like Little People) to create play scenarios! These mini visuals are from my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit.
Need a list of theme related words to target during play activities? Check out my Themed Articulation Word Lists that include a variety of nouns, verbs, and adjectives to make your therapy planning easy!
BOOKS:
Apple Trouble: The cutest story that follows a hedgehog who keeps getting things stuck in her spines! Her friends help her along the way!
When the Leaf Blew In: When a fall leaf lands on the cow's nose, one silly thing leads to another until the whole barnyard is turned upside down!
10 Red Apples: The farmer's apple tree is losing apples one at a time to different animals. Kids love the funny sounds in this story.
Old Lady who Swallowed some Leaves: A spin on the classic story, Old Lady who swallowed a fly that includes loads of fall themed vocabulary.
How to Catch a Turkey: Join the kids as they try to capture the turkey! Giggles guaranteed!
If you are interested in an easy preschool craft to use with these books, check out these No Prep Book Craft Sheets!
SONGS:
These songs are all available on YouTube and have fun and playful tunes - perfect for your preschoolers! I like to listen to the song TWO times. The first time we listen and the second time I pause the song to allow my students to fill in the blanks. These are also easy to send for homework to promote carryover.
HANDS ON ACTIVITIES:
These mini object scenes are perfect to use for a hands-on activity to target spatial concepts, following directions, verbs, concepts and more!
Don't have mini objects? Don't worry - kids love using pom poms, rocks, coins, and game pieces. One of my favorite tips is to pair these scenes with game pieces (Sneaky Snacky Squirrel acorns are the first that come to mind for a fall theme!).
This mini object scene is from my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit.
If you need a little bit of structure to get loads of trials - make sure to incorporate an activity that keeps your students engaged and encourages lots of practice. One of my favourites is this Themed Drill Sheet (also part of my Fall Themed Speech Therapy Unit.)
Paired with mini erasers, mini objects, or a dry eraser maker this activity will keep your students practicing and engaged the entire time (honestly, I don’t understand why - but it’s true!).
By incorporating these fall-themed speech therapy games, preschoolers can have fun while improving their communication skills. Act now and create an engaging, educational experience for your little ones!
I hope you found this list helpful!
