Making therapy PLAYFUL!
What do all children love to do?…….. Play!
It is the foundation of all children’s learning and this is why it is vital that therapy be fun, engaging, and playful. Play helps support the development of receptive and expressive language, social skills, negotiation, and emotional development while also ensuring smiles and laughter.
One of the first questions I ask children or their families is ‘what do you/they like to play with?’
This valuable answer allows me to adapt my approach to ensure engagement which is essential to ensure learning in all children.
Whether your child enjoys colouring-in activities, play-doh play, puzzles, cooking, or simple people games and singing; I believe that it is important for a therapist, working with a child, to be flexible in their approach to ensure that engagement is the primary focus leading to learning.
While working toward any individualised communication goal it is important to couple it with playfulness.
Some playful ideas:
Blow up balloons and let them fly around the room - Can you catch the balloon before it hits the floor?
Go on a ‘hunt’ for things around the garden…be a detective and use a magnifying glass.
Hide cue cards around the room and take turns finding them.
Go for a walk through the neighbourhood - Talk about what you see and then tell the story of your adventure when you get home.
Hide things in a big bucket of rice or water beads - now….FIND THEM!
Do something silly - when putting toys away ask does it go… ‘on your head or your shoulder?’
Make something with craft - use containers from the recycling and help develop their imagination.
Roll your child up in a blanket and pretend they are a hotdog….’ what should we put on top? cheese or sauce?’
Children love to play and play helps them learn!
For more ideas on how to incorporate the above playful ideas, or for other fun tips and how to incorporate your child’s communication goals get in touch with us.
🌟 How will you be playful today? 🌟
Holly Mitchell
Principal Paediatric Speech Pathologist
Director, Playful Paediatrics