When you think of speech therapy, you might imagine a clinical setting with a table and chair, structured activities, worksheets, drills or other exercises. What you may not have expected to see is play, toys, and fun!
Why is Play More Effective Than Drill Sheets?
Although the idea of drill sheets seem effective and helpful, the skills learned in these drill-type worksheets don’t carry over to natural speech/communication. They could also be pretty boring! Children learn best in environments where they feel confident and comfortable. Play keeps your child interested and motivated to continue learning in a natural way. When children engage in play they use language in real-life situations, which makes it easier for them to apply what they’ve learned. Your therapist will be skilled to use play in order to maximize learning opportunities for your child!
The Developmental Importance of Play:
Play is important to speech development as it encourages both language, imagination, cognition (our understanding of how things work) and social skills. Through play, children practice understanding and using words to communicate, as well as turn-taking and interacting with others. The use of play in speech therapy supports creativity, confidence, and problem-solving, providing a strong foundation for language development.
1. Natural Learning Environment
Play in speech therapy provides a natural environment for communication, especially when it involves role-playing or pretend scenarios! For example, pretending to sell or buy ice cream helps to practice ordering, choosing flavours/colours, and discussing toppings, which offer multiple opportunities for language growth!
2. Social Interaction
Play is a perfect setting to practice and develop social communication skills such as, understanding social cues, making eye contact, and using appropriate body language. Playing a game of “Simon Says” is one way children learn to practice listening skills, follow directions, and take turns in a social setting. These interactions, though playful, teach important skills for building relationships and participating in social activities.
3. Language Development
Through playing, children learn new words and phrases, and they can use these words in contexts that are relevant for them. For example, a child playing with barn animal toys might learn the names of different animals, practice action words (e.g., “jump” “run”), and even use longer sentences like “The horse is chasing the goat!”
How Play is Used in Therapy:
Specific toys are chosen to work on language goals
Play provides a realistic context for children to work on their goals
Play is used to build relationships, engagement, and motivation
Play can be a goal of its own; if your child benefits from expanding their play skills
For any questions, contact us today!