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Marisha

Books by Theme

July 30, 2016 by Marisha 16 Comments

Confession. I’m a book nerd, and I love using books in speech therapy. I compiled a list of my favorite books, sorted by month and then by theme. I hope this list helps makes therapy planning easier!

Before we jump into the list, here are a few frequently asked questions…

1. What are the main criteria that you think about when picking a book for speech therapy?

I wrote a post about it here!

2. There must be hundreds of books here! Do you use them all in therapy?

Not all in one year! I typically use 2-3 books a month (across my caseload).

3. How do you use these books in speech therapy?

I created activities and guides for many of these books. Check out the SLP Now Membership to access them.

4. I’m on a budget. Do you have any tips to build my library without spending a fortune?

Head over to this post for some ideas that won’t break the bank!

5. How can I access the list of books for speech therapy?

Check out the list below!
Click on any of the column headers to sort by title, month, theme, etc.
You can also use the search bar to generate a quick list too. For example, if you type in “February”, you’ll see all of the books for February!

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Filed Under: Therapy Ideas Tagged With: Books, Freebies, Literacy-Based Therapy

Crafts for Speech Therapy on a Budget

July 22, 2016 by Marisha Leave a Comment

I don’t know about you, but I love using crafts in therapy. They are PERFECT for mixed groups. I find that I can target most goals using crafts, which is great, because they’re fun, too! They also double nicely as a carryover activity/homework.

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the products. *

I think the biggest objection to crafts is that they can be time-consuming and expensive. Right?!

Have you ever found that perfect craft on Pinterest? And then you try to assemble it, and it takes FOREVER? If it takes me 30 minutes to make a craft, there is no way my students will be able to get through it in a session. (I also wouldn’t have time to prep all the pieces!)

Good news? There are crafts out there that can be assembled within minutes, so you have plenty of time to expand on all of the rich language opportunities involved with assembling a craft. You just need a few (inexpensive) materials.

The Must-Haves

So, here we go… Here is a list of my “must-have” materials (and a peek at how I used them)!

1. Paper Plates

I got mine from Target, but most stores would probably have a good deal!

2. Paper Bags

Target again!

3. Pipe Cleaners

I like getting these at the dollar store.

4. Astrobrights Paper

This is a little bit of a splurge, but it saves me so much time! (Time is money for a busy SLP.) I love being able to print out my craft templates. This saves me some prep time, because students can easily cut out their own pieces. This gives us more opportunities to target those speech and language targets.

You can get a pretty smoking deal for a big pack of this paper on Amazon, but you can get smaller packs at most stores for $3-4.

Honorable Mentions

I also have a few honorable mentions…

1. Popsicle Sticks

I don’t use these as often, so I buy small packs of these at the dollar store.

2. Banners

I occasionally use banners in my crafts. Target had a mega role for a few dollars, but the dollar store always has these, too.

3. Pom-poms

There are super fun, and kids love them! I love that you can glue them on dry erase markers as an eraser, and they’re a fun add-on to crafts. I just have a hard time getting them to stay (without pulling out a hot glue gun), so they’re not used as often in my speech therapy room.

Want more ideas for crafts?

Check out the SLP Now Membership. You can get access to low prep, themed crafts for the whole year! Each craft includes instructions (with real pictures). I love being able to use the pictures as visual supports. (The membership also includes so many resources to make this the easiest year yet, so be sure to check it out!)

Stay tuned to see how I use crafts to support a variety of speech and language goals!

 

* Marisha Mets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.

Filed Under: Therapy Ideas Tagged With: Crafts, Theme-Based Therapy, Tools

MEGA Giveaway for SLPs

July 17, 2016 by Marisha 148 Comments

Who’s ready for a giveaway and lots of FUN this week?

The SLP Now Membership is being released! After many months of development, it’s ready for YOU. I don’t know about you, but I am ready to celebrate!

In a therapy rut? Tired of spending countless hours prepping for your speech therapy sessions? Check out this amazing resource!

I’m going to be hopping on Facebook Live every day this week for some SLP chats (Monday – Friday). A schedule will be posted on my Facebook page, so you know when I’ll be live. At the end of every stream, I’ll pick a one lucky SLP to win the prize of the day. Stay tuned to see what the prizes are. 🙂

But wait! That’s not all.

You can also enter here to win a MEGA bundle of prizes. (You also get extra entries for showing up to the live chats!)

Did you see what’s included? A yearly membership to the SLP Now Membership! Check it out here!

What if you purchase the membership AND win the giveaway? You have the option to add an additional year to your membership OR I can waive your membership fee.

Be sure to stop by my Facebook page each day to check out the awesome prizes. Don’t forget to tune in each day so you can win too! 🙂

Now are you ready? Enter below.

Lesson Plan Membership Giveaway
Click here to read the terms and conditions for the giveaway.

Filed Under: Outside the Speech Room

Books for Speech Therapy on a Budget

July 6, 2016 by Marisha 13 Comments

I LOVE incorporating books in therapy, but there is one big hurdle: finding the books! The first place I often look is Amazon. I have Amazon Prime, so it’s great when I need books in a hurry. But is there a better way? Here are six of my favorite ways to find books (THREE are free!).

1. Amazon

Yeah, don’t roll your eyes just yet! Did you know that you can find used books on Amazon? They’re often priced at 1 cent. You still have to pay $3.99 for shipping, but–if it’s a more expensive hardcover–it might be worth it. Half.com is another option for used books.

2. Used Bookstores

Goodwill is at the top of my list. It can often be hit or miss, but I have found so many books for less than a dollar. It’s worth spending some quality time sifting through the books to see if you find your treasure. AbeBooks is my favorite online store for books! You can get some really good buys!2029

3. Scholastic

Remember book orders when you were a kid? The good old days!

Well, book orders are even more exciting now. If you work in a school, then you can sign up for the Scholastic Reading Club. They offer really nice discounts on books. A few months ago, I was able to purchase a bundle of 25 books for $25!

They also having amazing warehouse sales. If you sign up, then they’ll email you information about upcoming sales. Great way to check out tons of books without breaking the bank!

SLP hack for free books? If you talk to your teacher friends, then you might be able to get some free books. Teachers save up tons of points from their class’s book orders (which you can redeem for free books and other teacher supplies). Some teachers are kind enough to share those points with SLPs like us. The PTSO at my school earns a lot of points from the book fair, and they’ve offered to purchase books, as well.

4. YouTube

Yup. We’re still talking about books. There are some channels that have videos of people reading children’s books. This might be helpful for therapy in a pinch.

5. Epic

Epic is an AMAZING app, and it’s FREE for educators. Epic has tons of e-books (and audio books) to access instantly from your computer or tablet (Apple and Android). It allows you to create profiles for you students so that they can get personalized book recommendations and rewards for reading. Pretty awesome!

6. Library

There’s a good chance your school or local library has a lot of the books you’re looking for. The library is also a great place to search for books, and the librarians are often helpful (and know what books kids are loving)!

If you have a library card, then you can also find books ONLINE! Another great option if you’re trying to find a book in a pinch.

So there you have it! Six ways to find books on a budget. What is your “go-to” for finding books on a budget?

P.S. If you’re looking for some inspiration, check out a massive list of books by theme HERE!

Filed Under: Therapy Ideas Tagged With: Books, Literacy-Based Therapy

Book Organization for SLPs

June 21, 2016 by Marisha 14 Comments

Hey there! I’m finally on summer vacation! I took time for some much-needed R&R and now I’m ready to hit the ground running with some summer organization projects.

The first project I’m tackling is my BOOKS!

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the books. *

Step 1: Purge!

I started out by spreading out all of my books on the floor. I sorted them by category. This helped me decide which books to keep and which books to donate. I found out that my spring book bin is pretty empty, but I have TONS of winter books. I’ll donate the winter books that don’t “spark joy” and maybe look for some spring books.

Side note: I read the The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo last year, and was able to implement some of the suggestions–like organizing my clothes. (I’m hoping to do more this summer!)

A photo posted by Marisha (Road to Speech) (@roadtospeech) on Dec 23, 2015 at 2:36pm PST

Anyway! Back to books…

Step 2: Gather Supplies

I made some labels and use these awesome bins from Walmart to keep me organized.

Book Organization Book Boxes

I was originally using baskets from the dollar store, but I decided to go with bins that can latch so they are more portable. This will make it easier to store books and switch them out with the seasons.

Moving soon? I’m going to keep the box that the bins came in so I can package them up, and they’ll be ready to move!

UPDATE: I ended up using file totes instead!

A post shared by SLP Now® (@slpnow) on Nov 27, 2017 at 6:46pm PST

Check out this post for details on how I put this together!

Step 3: Make a List

I don’t know about you, but I tend to forget which books I have! I don’t know how many times I went to Goodwill and ended up buying a book I already have… I decided to make a Google Sheet to keep track of the books I have. You can check the template out here. Next time I’m standing at Goodwill, I can open the sheet on my phone to make sure I’m not buying duplicate books.

It’s also a nice reference to have when you’re planning therapy. I print a list of all of the books in each category and stick the list on the corresponding bin.

The spreadsheet is really simple, but this way doesn’t take forever to set up and maintain. I especially love the “Category” column; it will help me keep track of where I’m storing the book (e.g., in the winter bin).

They have apps that let you scan books and add them to your “library,” but I haven’t had much luck with them. They always seem to crash, or half of my books aren’t in their database (and I have to add them manually anyway). If you have a favorite app to keep track of your books, I’d love to hear!

Looking for themed books ideas? Check out this page for a list of my favorite books!

Now it’s your turn! How do you organize your books? Let me know in the comments!

* Marisha McGrorty is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.

Filed Under: Speech Room Organization Tagged With: Books, Literacy-Based Therapy

Easy Meal Plans for SLPs

June 14, 2016 by Marisha 4 Comments

Today, I wanted to share something a little different… What do you think about meal plans?

Have you heard of Trello? It’s kind of amazing! I use it to keep myself organized at work and at home, but today I want to show you how I use Trello for meal planning.

Look at this beautifulness… Check out the video tour HERE!

I love using Trello for my meal planning for a few reasons…

  1. It’s easy to use. It didn’t take long to figure out how to use the app and add recipes.
  2. It’s visual. I love visuals!
  3. Drag and drop. I’ve always wanted to be able to drag and drop a meal plan (weird, right?!). I’m so glad I finally found something that makes it easy to do that.
  4. It saves me time. All of my recipes are in one (beautiful) place.
  5. Recycle! I can easily “recycle” my meal plans. I can copy boards and save them (or re-use the same week). Save even more time!
  6. It’s portable. You can also download the app on your phone, which makes it easy to access at any time.
  7. It’s shareable. I shared the board with my husband, so he’s in the loop, too. You could also share with friends for inspiration.
  8. It’s FREE!

You can try it for yourself here!

Stay tuned to hear more about how I use this tool to manage my life and my school SLP work!

But first… tell me! What do you think? How do you plan your meals? Would you use Trello?

Filed Under: Outside the Speech Room

The Ultimate SLP Planner

May 29, 2016 by Marisha 20 Comments

Oh, am I excited to share this with you! I’m an absolute planner addict, but I struggled to find a planner that “gets” SLPs. I created pages that will help us stay organized and manage our ever-growing workload. Check out the Ultimate SLP Planner on Teachers Pay Teachers–just updated for the 2017-2018 school year!

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the products. *

I created this planner because I needed a tool to keep everything in one place. I needed a planner that could help me manage my schedule, my speech therapy caseload, my professional development, and more–really all things related to my life as a school-based SLP. I bought some big, fancy planners (which I love), but they didn’t do much to help me manage my caseload.

The planner includes 126 pages to help you get (and stay!) organized, including…

A Year at a Glance Calendar (June 2016-November 2017)

Monthly Calendars (One- and two-page layouts)

Week at a Glance Planners (Four different options)

To Do Lists (Many different options)

Caseload Management Sheets (Student information, parent contact sheets, referral/screening logs, progress report logs, student birthdays)

Paperwork Management Sheets (e.g., IEP/evaluation checklists, paperwork logs)

Lesson Plan Organizers (e.g., year overview, therapy schedule, weekly schedule, weekly lesson plan templates, and more)

SLP Organization Tools (Professional development logs, additional hours worked, passwords, contacts)

Common Core Guides (K-2, more coming soon!)

Notes Pages

Additional Blank Templates

So. Much. Stuff. Take a peek here!

The download includes a mega 126-page PDF file.

But guess what? I also made you an editable PowerPoint document, which will allow you to fully customize your planner (including TONS of editable text fields). I also made a video tutorial to walk you through the editing process.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

If you’re as excited about this as I am, then download the planner now! 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Downloaded! So how do I assemble this planner?

I printed out my planner (double-sided) and laminated the front and back pages. This will help with durability and I can write on the covers using my Sharpie markers. Perfect for quick “to do” lists!

This was definitely a splurge, but I also purchased my very own binding machine (affiliate links below). You know what’s cool about this binding machine, though?! It’s super simple to open and close the binding, so I can add/remove pages throughout the year.

You can also bring your planner to your local office supply/printing store, and you can get it bound for a few dollars.  Or an even simpler option is to buy a 3-ring binder!

Filed Under: Speech Room Organization Tagged With: Productivity, Products

End of Year Organization for SLPs

May 23, 2016 by Marisha 7 Comments

It’s almost summer (yay!), and that means we get to talk about wrapping up the school year! Whether you’re returning to the same school next year or not, these tips will help you organize your room and make starting school next year a breeze.

Of course, there are 2,938,492,834 different things to get done to wrap up the school year (e.g., progress reports, last minute IEPs, end of the year gifts, and much more!), but this post will focus on getting your speech room organized for next year. If you want more ideas, then check out this post for ideas on how to keep track of all your other “end of the year” to dos!

Now let’s get started!

First things first…I take some time to get my materials organized. Even though I’m tired and exhausted, I like to get this done at the end of the year, because there are so many other things to accomplish at the beginning of the school year. I sometimes struggle to get started, but I know it’ll be worth it to walk into an organized speech room in the fall (or to leave an organized room for the next SLP)!

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the products. *

1. Declutter Your Materials

The end of the school year is a great time to go through your materials and declutter! I like to take everything off of my shelves (and out of the cabinets) to go through it. I also empty out my desk. (It’s amazing what you’ll find!!) I sort everything by category (e.g., games, TPT materials, preschool toys, etc.). This makes it really easy to decide what I should keep (or not). If you’ve read any of Konmari’s books (see the link at the bottom of this post), this will sound very familiar! It’s kind of a mess at first, but it’s worth it–especially if you’re staying at the same school. I really think that an organized/decluttered therapy room makes it easier for me and my students to focus.

If you end up with too many materials in the “discard pile” after doing this, then see number 2 for idea on how to get rid of these materials!

2. Take an Inventory

You might not have time to make a list of everything you have, but–as you’re packing up–consider taking some quick pictures. Last year, I took picture of my games (all of them in one picture), card decks, etc. It only took a minute or two, and it was a good opportunity to do it (since I was packing and move stuff around anyway)!

If you’re decluttering, you can also take pictures of the things you don’t want. Last year, I put pictures of those materials on a Google Drive doc. It was kind of fun! I shared the document with the other SLPs in my district, and they got to sign up for the materials they wanted. They ended up “claiming” almost everything I posted, so I didn’t have to throw much away. It also made them very happy. 🙂

3. Pack It Up!

I use clear bins and label them. This makes it really easy to find things when I start unpacking in the fall. I don’t have to pack everything because many of my materials are already stored in a portable “system.” Check them out here!

I might also take some time to wipe down materials as I’m packing them, especially the ones that I know got lots of sneezes and snot. It’ll be nice to start the year off with germ-less toys. 😉

And then the papers…

4. Organize the Papers

Keeping up with all of the paperwork throughout the year is a struggle for me. Although I have done much better this year, I know I forgot to add copies of some students’ IEPs to their working files. Since I have to go through to file everyone’s treatment logs anyway, I do a quick audit of my files to make sure everything is in the right spot. Read about some tips for how I do this here.

As I’m organizing my room, I also go through and gather all of the papers (mostly therapy activities, parent handouts, and homework) that inevitably make their way around my speech room. I have a place for all of these papers (in a binder or a file), so I take some time to put them where they belong.

One last tip, especially if you’re switching schools…

5. Leave Notes

When I started at my current school, the previous SLP left me notes about the kids on my caseload and some important things to know about my school (e.g., a map, meeting information, important phone numbers, where to find important documents, list of students screened for follow-up, last year’s schedule, etc.). It was SO helpful!

So there you have it! I’m curious… Do you have an “end of the year” routine? Or not? Tell me about it in the comments!

 
* Marisha Mets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.

Filed Under: Speech Room Organization Tagged With: Productivity

Student File Organization

May 16, 2016 by Marisha 2 Comments

Today, I’m sharing three quick tips for student file organization!

As always, it’s important to have a system. Fortunately (or unfortunately), that system is often determined by our school district. Just make sure you know what the system is so that you can easily find what you need. (Future SLPs/other professionals will appreciate it!)

Hint: Read all the way to the end for a FREEBIE! 😉

1. Put It Away Right Away

This one is hard. When it’s  crazy at work, it’s often easy to just stuff papers in our desk (or your hiding spot of choice). However, I find that if I don’t “put it away right away,” then it never gets put away! Then I end up having to dig through all the stacks of papers. It’s easier to just put it away. Or at least have a bin to store papers to file.

2. Use Labels

This is a project that I’m working on, but I have so many outdated files hanging out in my cabinet. I’m going to start putting labels on the files with any pertinent information (e.g., the student’s name, date they exited/moved). This way we can easily purge outdated files (and clear up some much-needed space).

3. Use Dividers

To organize individual files, I make my own dividers for data sheets, IEPs, and METs. This is especially helpful for students who have been receiving services for several years. Their files are often bursting at the seams, which can make it difficult to quickly find what I need. These simple dividers are a quick fix!

Click here to grab my divider template! The download includes pre-made dividers, a blank version, as well as an editable template. Just print, cut along the dotted lines, fold along the solid lines, and you’ll have dividers ready to go!

Filed Under: Caseload Management Tagged With: Freebies, Paperwork

Lesson Plans: Tips for SLPs

May 8, 2016 by Marisha Leave a Comment

Creating fun, engaging, individualized lesson plans week after week can be a challenge. How can we do it all??

This is something that I’ve been putting a lot of thought and energy into, and I want to share it with YOU!

Join me for a FREE lesson planning series! Enter your email below to sign up.

When you sign up, you will receive a series of five emails–filled with tips and FREE resources! It’s going to be a fun week, so be sure to join us.

This series is currently under construction. Stay tuned for an exciting update!

Filed Under: Caseload Management Tagged With: Freebies, Therapy Plans

To Do List Tricks for SLPs

April 25, 2016 by Marisha 6 Comments

This time of year is especially crazy! Anyone else feel like a headless chicken? Unless I have a calendar or my to do list in front of me, I often don’t know what’s next. Here are five things that I use to help keep me on track…

1. Caseload Spreadsheet with Due Dates

Pretty simple, but so important. I have a spreadsheet listing my students’ names and their evaluation/IEP due dates. This helps me quickly see when everything will be due. Excel has a nifty feature to sort by date, so it’s easy to see which paperwork is due first. (Check out this post for more details. It’s one of my oldies, but it’s still helpful!) If I have a lot of meetings due at the same time, then I might add a column to put in the scheduled meeting date–so I know which paperwork needs to get done first.

2. Google Calendar for Scheduling

My Google Calendar keeps me on track! I put all of my appointments in my calendar. I love it, because it syncs with my phone and my personal computer. If I need to schedule a personal appointment or if something comes up, I can easily see which days/times would work best. Here are a few things that I’ve done to make it work for me…

I schedule all of my therapy times and make the appointments reoccurring.

I also enter my meetings. (Since my therapy times are already blocked off, it makes it easy to see when I’m free.)

3. Google Calendar for To Do List Items

I create “all day” events for my to-do list. This is my favorite feature, because it has helped me be consistent and follow through with things I say I’m going to do.

Every month or so, I sit down and look at my caseload spreadsheet. I put in an event for when I need to start scheduling a meeting, writing an IEP, etc.

I make reoccurring to dos for things I need to do every few weeks or once a month (e.g., turn in overload paperwork).

As things come up, I add events to my calendar. If a teacher asks me to screen a student, I put it on the calendar. If I need to turn something in, I put it on the calendar. If I need to follow up with a teacher, I put it on the calendar.

Jumping ahead a little…I also use checklists to keep me on track. Depending on how much extra help I need, the checklist tasks may or may not make onto my calendar!

4. Pre-Made Checklists

I’ve talked about these checklists before, but they are also saving me from losing my mind! They help me…

Not forget important pieces (like scheduling a meeting…eep!)

Not waste time making lists (I’m guilty of making lists to make lists to make lists. Anyone else do that?)

Prioritize tasks

Feel less stressed (They help me feel like I have a plan, and I know the work will get done.)

Keep track of my notes (e.g., If I call a parent and they tell me something I need to include in my paperwork, I can quickly jot down notes on that child’s checklist.)

How? I made checklists for my IEPs and evaluations. I also made a lesson plan template with a to do list. The product includes many more editable checklists (based on other SLPs’ requests!), but the three I listed are my personal favorites. I laminate them so I can reuse them, which I like!

5. Sticky Notes

If there is something that I have to get done by the end of the day, I will jot it down on a sticky note and put it on my desk. I confess. I’m a sticky note waster. I usually put one task on each sticky note. It keeps me from putting too much on my plate, and it keeps me motivated. When I complete a task, I love crumpling up a sticky note and throwing it in the trash! If I don’t finish everything I wanted to get done, then I add it to my Google Calendar.

Those are my five tips for you! Now tell me…what is your favorite way to keep track of all things SLP?

Filed Under: Caseload Management Tagged With: Productivity, Products, To Do Lists

Water Beads for Speech & Language

April 24, 2016 by Marisha 2 Comments

Have you heard of water beads? They are so much fun! They’re also easy to make. I ordered a pound of these beads from Amazon, and I received three small packets of beads. Half a packet made enough to fill a 6-quart tub with room for toys.

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the products. *

I put the dry beads in the tub and filled it with water. I always have to add more water than I expect! It takes a few hours for the beads to absorb the water and get to their full size.

When they’re done, I add some toys! This week I added different frogs and a lily pad. Many of my groups read There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Frog (using this book companion), and the beads were a fun reinforcer. It was also an awesome way to continue working on speech/language skills (and my kids thought they were getting a break!).

Water Beads

Want some ideas for therapy activities? Here are some of the things we worked on:

Describing: The different colors/textures of frogs gave us lots of opportunities! We can also describe the beads (or any other toys you choose). I love using the Expanding Expression Tool and my Teaching Visuals to help support students who need additional support.

Basic Concepts: Students can put the frogs in, on, under, next to, behind, etc.

Verbs: You can hide, scope, squeeze, bounce, etc. the beads.

Following Directions: Going along with basic concepts, students can follow (and give!) directions. Great way to work on receptive and expressive skills!

Articulation: Pick words that the student can use repetitively (e.g., “Scoop __”  or “Squeeze __” for /s/-blends) or strategically select toys that have their sounds in them.

Turn-Taking: The bin I used is pretty small, so some of my groups need to take turns. Even with smaller groups, the students have to share the toys in the bin.

Prepositions: Some beads inevitably fall out of the bin. We can use prepositions to help each other find the beads.

Joint Attention: For my minimally verbal kiddos working on joint attention, we sometimes take beads outside for some fun. They love seeing the beads bounce, and the beads are often a great communication temptation. I’ve gotten some beautiful eye contact, gestures, and some good laughs.

Problem Solving: Oh, and there’s some flexibility/problem solving built in, too… Sometimes the beads will get dirty, bounce out of reach, or (gasp) get smooshed.

And so much more! Let me know if you have more ideas!

A few more thoughts…

The beads hold up for quite a while, but I usually don’t get them for more than a few weeks at a time. I have kids wash hands before and after playing with the beads, but I’m sure germs still build up after a while.

The beads are supposed to be non-toxic, but I avoid using them with kids who I know will try to eat them.

Apparently you can dye and freeze the beads. You can also use them to make slime or add shaving cream. There are many more ideas on Pinterest.

To avoid finding beads around your room (and avoid the germ/eating issue), you could also add the beads to a balloon, water bottle, or plastic bag.

You can find fun toys to add to the beads at the dollar store, but I found some super cute fish and bugs on Amazon!

That’s all! Do you use these in therapy? Want to check them out? Click the link below!

  
If you want to hear me talk about the beads, watch this video!

* Marisha Mets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.

Filed Under: Therapy Ideas Tagged With: Student Engagement, Theme-Based Therapy

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