With dreary weather in this week’s forecast, you may feel stuck inside! Check out this cute paper plate umbrella craft that’s perfect for a rainy day! You can use any arts and crafts supplies you have on hand and it’s a great activity for the whole family. Plus, there are lots of ways to support great speech and language skills while having fun!

Here’s a list of some things you may want: paper plates cut in half (or you can just use construction paper),, markers/crayons/colored pencils, paints and painting tools (if you don’t have paintbrushes, small sponges and cotton balls will work), and other craft supples (yarn, pompoms, craft jewels/beads, stickers, glitter glue, etc.).

Speech and Language Connections

Articulation – Draw or print and glue pictures of words containing your child’s target speech sound(s) on the umbrella. Practice saying each word 3 times before coloring the pictures in!

Expressive language – Practice color and shape vocabulary by having your child describe what their umbrella looks like. Children can also use their language to request what items they want. This activity also provides a great opportunity to talk about springtime vocabulary, such as weather, nature (e.g., birds chirping, flowers blooming, etc.), and more!

Basic Concepts – This activity can be great for working on basic concepts such as top/bottom, big/small, left/right, on/off, etc. If you’re working on locational concepts/prepositions, take turns giving instructions on where to display your finished masterpieces at home (e.g., “Hang my umbrella above the plant” or “Put the umbrella next to the window”).