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!

Virtual Field Trips! Home Enrichment, Activity 17

Would you and your children like to go on a field trip while sitting on the couch? Now you can! Cozy up on the couch and go on a virtual tour of over forty locations! You can incorporate language skills into these field trips by asking and answering a variety of wh- questions. You can also increase use and understanding of concepts and build vocabulary by finding the location on a map and talking about the animals or people in the various locations.

Home Enrichment #16 - Art Class!

Pick a teacher and hold a painting or coloring class! Use materials you already have (paper, canvas, crayons, paints) and have your “teacher” create the model art piece. Then, the “class” can either imitate the picture independently or follow the teacher’s instructions. Then, take turns being the instructor!

Speech and Language Connections

Following directions: focus heavily on specific, one-to-two step directions as the teacher. Encourage your child to ask for repetitions or clarifications as necessary.

Basic concepts: work on color and shape vocabulary throughout this activity.

Sequencing: targeting this goal works especially well with more complex pictures. As the teacher, give your child two instructions and encourage him or her to determine the appropriate order. As the student, encourage your “teacher” to produce the directions in the same order as the original art piece.

Articulation: practice any target sound your child is currently working on in speech therapy as it comes up throughout the activity.

DIY Mini Pizzas - Home Enrichment, Activity 15!

Here’s a fun and safe way to have kids of all ages help out with making dinner! This activity provides opportunities to work on speech and language skills, exposure to various food types/texture, and lets kids create their own culinary masterpiece! See the original blog post here for ingredients and baking instructions.

Speech and Language Connections

Articulation – listen for words containing your child’s speech sounds. For example, if your child is working on “s” and “z,” have him/her practice these sounds while using ingredients such as “sauce,” “sausage,” and “cheese.”

Expressive language – this activity is great for building new vocabulary! You can also talk about food categories (such as vegetables, meats, fruits) and have your child organize the toppings by category before decorating your pizzas.

Sequencing – have your child explain the steps to topping a pizza as you’re working! For example, “First, spread sauce over the dough. Next, sprinkle cheese on top.” For older children, have them predict and explain what would happen if they completed the steps in the wrong sequence (for example, “What would happen if we baked the dough first, and then put on the toppings?”).

Feeding - Make learning about new foods stress-free. Discuss what each food item looks like, smells like, sounds like, and feels like -- all without any pressure to eat it! Stack up your olive slices and see who can make the tallest tower, take turns making color patterns with bell peppers, or use toppings to make funny faces on your pizza. Food preparation and cooking is a great way to expose a picky eater to a variety of foods, both preferred and new. And best of all, it’s fun for the whole family!

Books for Speech Sound Drill - Enrichment Activity 14!

If your child has specific speech sound goals, reading can be a great way to expose them to those sounds. Below is a list of books organized by speech sound. If your child has goals for “b” or “p”, you could try the Belly Button Book! or Papa Papa. Ask them to fill in the blanks or repeat after you to get them practicing their sounds too. Looking at and listening to books doesn’t feel much like work! If your child is working on language, books are a great opportunity for vocabulary building, answering questions, and recalling story details! Reading can be fun for the whole family.

Enrichment #13 - Mini Golf At Home!

Make up your own mini golf course right at home! Have your kids show their creative side and develop the golf course! The holes could be nice and short (easy for a hole in one) or long and elaborate (going between rooms). This activity is perfect for incorporating language and can be completely customized for your family!

Speech and Language Connections

Articulation - target your child’s speech sounds while setting up the course, before taking a turn, or by placing “roadblocks” (i.e. items or cards that have your child’s speech sounds) all around the course!

Expressive Language - this activity is great for building vocabulary (e.g. labeling household items), using various prepositional concepts (e.g. put it under the table, over the pad of paper), as well as asking and answering questions (e.g. where is the next hole? who hit the ball farther?).

Receptive Language - have your child help you arrange the course and you can work on 1-2 step directions and/or prepositional concepts (e.g. “put the paper towel roll next to the door).

Teaching Phone Numbers to Kids: Home Enrichment, Activity 12

“All children need to learn their phone number. If there’s an emergency, they need to know how to dial 911. If they need to call their parents, they need to know their mom or dad’s phone number. It’s not always easy knowing how to teach phone numbers, but I think this hands-on activity is a great one!” See the original blog here!

Speech and Language Connections

Language and Literacy - Children can follow directions to identify different numbers that you verbally label. Once they have a good understanding of which numbers are which, they can practice saying them while you point! Numbers are arranged differently on a phone than they are on a number strip or math worksheet. Understanding written numbers is an important skill for development of proficiency with math, as well as life skills (like dialing the phone)!.

Social Language - Practicing phone numbers is a great opportunity to discuss life events, emergencies, and why/how we use the telephone. You can practice social scenarios and discuss whether they qualify as emergent or not. You can discuss who will answer the phone depending on who you’ve called and what things are important to say when talking on the phone. Have your child make a list of people they may call and practice the phone numbers associated.

Home Enrichment, Activity 11: April Showers

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”).

Playing Charades for Home Enrichment #10

All you need is a pencil, scraps of paper, and your imagination for this fun enrichment game! If your children don’t already know how to play charades, now is a great time to teach them! Divide your family into teams – or you can play one on one – and start jotting down names.

Here are some modification ideas so the whole family can play! (1) Use words and gestures – traditionally, charades is played using only gestures. If your little one is having difficulty, try using both to keep the game interesting for all! (2) Use words only – challenge your older children to use their describing words only. (3) Use teams – if acting out alone is too challenging for your young children, act it out as a team!

Speech and Language Connections

Vocabulary – help build vocabulary networks by playing the game using categories (e.g. animals, places, Disney characters, etc.).

Social language – charades is a great opportunity to learn how body language and facial expression impact the message that is being sent. It’s also great for turn-taking!

Articulation – try to think of names that contain your child’s target speech sounds. Charade guessing is a great way to target generalization of speech sounds in a fun setting!

Literacy – work on sounding out unfamiliar words while playing the game. For children who have a difficult time with decoding unfamiliar words, maybe review all of the name slips prior to starting the game.

Thank You Cards for Home Enrichment #9

No better time than the present to teach and encourage gratitude! Click on the link below to create free, digital cards for anyone in your life that deserves a big “thank you”. This website allows you to pick a cute card cover from a variety of themes, write text, and even add your own pictures! Practicing gratitude is a life-long skill that can start now! 

Speech and Language Connections

Grammar – have your child write or dictate his or her own thank you message using complete sentences. Extra points for organizing the passage into a cohesive paragraph! 

Articulation – target your child’s speech sounds while picking out the card cover and creating the thank you message.

Social language – determine appropriate thank you card recipients. Have a discussion about reasons why people are deserving of gratitude (think – your local grocery store, trash collectors, caretakers, etc.).

Vocabulary – this activity can work for little ones as well! Use the card cover selection step of creating the thank you cards to practice new vocabulary.

Home Enrichment, Activity 8: Grow Your Own Food!

While most people think food scraps – such as carrot tops, onion ends, celery bottoms, and romaine hearts – belong in the trash can or compost bin, they can be repurposed and enjoyed all over again! Below is a crafty guide to growing your own fruits, veggies, and herbs using materials that you might already have in your kitchen! This is a great springtime activity for all ages with lots of opportunities to work on language skills.

Speech and Language Connections

Expressive language – This is a great time to talk about food names and categories (e.g., Which ones are fruits? Which ones are vegetables?) and learn about parts of the whole – such as stems, leaves, roots, stalks, etc.! Describe the colors, textures, and shapes you see!

Sequencing – Look at the written instructions and pictures to review the steps to planting/repurposing your food items. See if your child can tell you what the next step is as you work! Encourage your child to use complete sentences and include sequence words (such as “first,” “next,” “last”) in their descriptions. 

Following directions – Have your child follow single or multistep directions while creating and/or caring for your planted items (e.g., “pour the water into the bowl” or “pour the water into the bowl, then place the carrot in the water”).

Turn taking and teamwork – If siblings/multiple family members are involved, make sure each person gets a turn to help or complete a step.  This activity provides a great opportunity to collaborate and work together!

Quarantine Journaling for Home Enrichment, Activity 7

We can say with confidence that everyone has a lot of emotions about being quarantined. Some days we can find the small joys in walking outside, while other days the unknown can be overwhelming. However, we are experiencing history in the making and we should journal about it!

Help your kids pick out (or rummage through the house to find) a fun journal, pencils, crayons, and/or paper! Parents you can journal, too! Not only can journaling open a window into your child’s view of the world, but you can incorporate some language-based activities while you’re at it! You and your child can pick your own kind of journaling style (i.e. drawing, writing, a mix of the two). Have fun!

Speech and Language Connections

Executive function - try to organize any thoughts and ideas into a graphic organizer. Let your child plan what materials to use and what style journal they’d like.

Expressive language - use language to describe pictures, discuss events, and write about life at home. You can incorporate as much or as little detail as you want. What was the weather like? What games or activities did you do today? Incorporate social language by talking about feelings, emotions, and how to manage them! This is new territory for everyone, kids included, so let them be honest and open about their feelings. Journaling can be cathartic for children and adults alike.

Writing - do your best to use good spelling, writing mechanics, and sentences. Have your child re-read their sentences and make any edits that may be needed. Be careful with this one, because you want it to be fun. If you and your family members feel comfortable, you can take turns reading your journals as a group.