Language

The above pictures is of eggs or other capsules filled with different objects.  Use the sound of each object to play a memory game.  The user, adult or child, can verbally describe the sound challenge his/her recall of each sound. 

Preschool language activity

Can you think of all the things you can discuss with this activity?  Shapes, size, amount, texture (toothpick vs marshmallow).  The possibilities are endless!

Another funny one

Lego Literacy

Have you seen Pinterest? It's an amazing website that can provide you with plenty of activities for your clients.

For example- check out the literacy options above. By using legos, potentially color coded, you provide a cue to assist in sentence development.

Preschool ideas

Looking for ideas to assist you in developing activies for you preschool clients?  I like this blog, the author was a teacher before she became a mother.  She has some great thematic ideas.

How to select a book for a session

Below are some links that will assist you selecting books for younger language clients.
Recommended reading from infancy to 12 years old
Books for 3 year old children
Age appropriate children's books.  The link is to the last portion of a 3 part series

Adult vs Child

Several students have expressed worry and fear about creating a child-like therapy session for their adult client. You might have the same goals for an adult client as you would have for a pediatric client, so how do you modify the session? This can be easily remedied when you think about how differently YOU act around the 2 different groups.

When interacting with a child, you tend to use mother-ese or at least a more animated voice. You maintain your client's attention with TV characters, games and toys with movement. 

When interacting with an adult, you use less prosody in your speech and have a more direct attitude. The majority of the session is focused on the task at hand and minimal time spent maintaining client's attention with external reinforcements. 

Simply put, think about how you would speak to your mother or father, what is a common item in his/her day? I highly doubt that it is a sippy cup, a Dora sticker or a stroller.  Nor would you do cartwheels to keep their attention!  Modify what you do to make your session appropriate for an adult client.