Tools for Kids

For all of my Albertan friends, I found a cool business that sells OT products. Now if you work with kids, you know that I like to incorporate OT in my Speech sessions. I have found so many interactive and engaging ways to use Mat Mat in preschool! You can talk about body parts, what they are used for, sounds, and the concepts of the pieces... Opportunities are endless.

Then we have Learning Without Tears- you can introduce the artic sound that the child is working on, then to use it in different ways you can have them make it with play-doh, writing it with the chalkboard, crayons, build it with the wooden pieces and use the stamp and see. I absolutely love that you can use so many multisensory activities that will keep the little guys involved!

 

 

Tools for Kids is a cost-effective way to get the LWT materials quickly and easily, especially if you live in Alberta.  

In their words- "Occupational Therapy Products at Tools For Kids Inc!

Tools for Kids Inc. is a home-based business supplying pediatric Occupational Therapy products in Canada. As Occupational Therapists in Canada, we know of the limitations for buying our “tools” locally and we hope to make that more convenient for therapists, parents, educational staff and all those involved with children who have special needs.
Tools For Kids Inc. carries some of the most popular lines of pediatric O.T. supplies, including Handwriting Without Tears®, Alert Program® and PDP products. We also carry those small items such as pencil grips, oral motor products, adapted scissors and hand fidgets.
As Occupational Therapists, we know that there are times when a child needs special tools to learn a skill or participate in an activity with their peers. Learning and participating in school should be fun and easy! Specialized scissors that spring open and require less muscle control can make the difference between having an adult precut an art project and a student being able to cut it out by themselves. Hand fidgets and wiggle cushions can help many children get to that just right speed to learn and listen. These tools should be easy to access for everyone."

Camping Theme

 

Kids love the camping theme!

I  love a dramatic theme for the kids to encourage free play and language skills.

Here are some of the toys I use to go with my theme!

TEACHING AAC

 

I am working with a lot of students who are using an AAC. 2 years ago I didn't have one kid on my caseload and knew nothing about AAC's - I had to learn, and I had to learn quickly. And not only did I have to learn I had to learn how to teach others to implement it- no pressure :)

 

I found this excellent resource that supports me and the staff of the students I serve in a comprehensive step by step toolkit that hits on all of the critical areas!

 

1) AAC Basics

 

2) ACCESS

 

3) MODELING

 

4) CORE VOCABULARY

 

5) COMMUNICATION OPPORTUNITIES

 

This pack is filled with challenges, ideas on monthly core words, the list goes on. It is everything you need!

It's great! I highly recommend :)

Growing Bundle

  

GROWING BUNDLE!!~
Check out my first ever growing bundle!! Not only are there activities, but there is information on how to interact with kids and play with the toys :)



In it is everything you need to help train your early education staff or new aides. It is a must have for all early intervention workers and special education staff.
It has all the basics of promoting speech language therapy in and out of speech therapy.
Topics-

• get down to their level
• repetition
• match
• model
• more
• visuals
• statements, not questions

DOWNLOAD Preview for a quick look!
Newly added
**Difference between Speech and Language
**rate
**wait
**questions
**toy posters
**toy bin cheat sheets
the importance of choices
and more!~
There are also many activities that work in preschool classrooms, daycare, and any children who need to work on their language skills.
** PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES- BUS THEME!
** COMMUNITY HELPER PRESCHOOL PACK!
Preschool Activities will be added monthly!
Take a look at the preview for preschool activities!
There are some handouts that would work for staff or parents.
**Included are many different options of visual schedules.

 

CVC Center

 

Hey Guys! 
Need a quick, easy center to get you through the last bit of the year?

CVC Words center: students will LOVE that provides a lot of CVC word reading practice!
Students choose a CVC card and then they

• segment it,
• talk about the beginning sound,
• produce a rhyming word,
• write it and then
• build it
• vocabulary- use it to introduce new vocabulary

So many skills in one- to target language skills you can talk about the category name of the item, label its parts, name things that are associated with it.. the possibilities are endless!
There are CVC words included, but you can also add your own, or use non-sense words.

 

Groups- what do can I do!?

 

These Tic Tac mats are an excellent game for speech therapy that targets many goals. It is a quick, easy option for group therapy- for those days when you don't have the energy or creativity to come up with something on your own, let me help ;-)

You can use them to target:

*turn-taking
*social skills
*'wh' questions
*verbs
*sequencing
*phonological awareness- including rhyming, syllables, segmenting, identification of phonemes and blending.
*concepts
*vocabulary
*multiple meaning words

They can be used in small groups or one on therapy. Once the student has worked on it, you can send it for homework for extra practice!

Tap The Sounds

 

•This is a fun activity that you can use as a center, independent or group work. You can use these task cards for many uses. You can have them count sounds in words, tap them, colour them, use play-doh, and there are recording sheets for beginning sounds, ending sounds and writing the words.

•Print off mats and give your students a b/w version or the color version (laminated). You can then give them any number of tasks cards you want and have them count the sounds (phonemes) NOT LETTERS in words. There is also a page for them to write the answers.

•Most of the words are CVC. Included are over 80- 2 to 4 sound words with blends, and diagraphs.

•/v/ /e/ /s/ /t/

•/p/ ng/ /k/

•/r/ /ing/ (ing) is 1 sound (ng)

•/t/ /ee/ (tea)

•I purposely did not write down the words so that you can change them, or use the version you like.

•For example- 43- can be a chain, or link & 47 can be soda or pop.

•If you have questions, email me mindy@creatingcommunicators.net.