🌟 The Joy (and Pain) of LEGOs! 🌟
Is there anything WORSE than stepping on a LEGO with bare feet? Ouch!
Maybe the never-ending task of picking them up when they’ve been dumped all over the floor (sorry, I’m being dramatic, but if you know, you know!)🤭.
But here’s the good news: LEGOs are a hugely motivating activity for many kids and a fantastic way to engage them in a calm, screen-free way! 🎉
While following a set to assemble can be great for older (and some younger) kids, free play with existing structures or loose LEGOs is where the magic happens most of the time within my therapy sessions! It’s an amazing opportunity to spark their creativity while also boosting their speech and language development.
BONUS? LEGO has many themed sets for many favorite characters (Disney anyone? °o°) for added motivation and excitement!
SLP Pro Tip:
Build to Learn!
You can build anything with LEGOs (obviously!), so why not match your building projects to the targets or themes you’re working on? If you’re targeting words that start with /b/, create “big” structures that can go “boom” when they break on the floor (watch your toes!), and don’t forget to say “bye” when it’s cleanup time! 🧱✨
You can also focus on preschool concepts like:
Colors (e.g., “red,” “blue”)
Sizes (big, small)
Shapes (square, rectangle, triangle)
Locations (top, middle, bottom)
Following Directions and answering yes/no or “wh” questions.
Fantastic for expanding utterances for different developmental levels too:
1-word: “more!”
2-word: “Red one!”
3-word: “I want LEGO!”
Questions/Statements: “Can I have two?” or “I made a big tower!”
And of course, don’t forget the endless fun of incorporating figurines for basic or advanced pretend play. Plus, it’s perfect for fine motor practice! 🙌 💪
PSA:
Younger toddlers and preschoolers are best suited for LEGO Duplo-sized blocks, but remember—these LEGOs grow with your child! Don’t rush to get rid of your Duplo stash; simply store them away when they lose interest and bring them back out later. Just make sure to tuck them away in a closed bin or a zipper bag so you don’t spill them everywhere while re-organizing 😅
Hey, builders! 🏗️ Don’t forget to grab your Duplo mat for building all those awesome structures! It makes transport a breeze and keeps your creations safe on the shelf! 🎉 No more worries about your masterpiece tumbling down!
Tools For Better Speech
Click the pictures for a link to the toys that inspired this blog and my daily therapy!
<3
Sara
For more tips on using play for speech and language development, don’t forget to check out our other blog posts and linked resources!
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