7 Thanksgiving-Themed Speech Therapy Activities
Leanne Sherred, M.S., CCC-SLP
Turkey Day is nearly upon us! In addition to visiting with loved ones, making favorite holiday foods, and slipping into those stretchy pants, Thanksgiving is also a chance to have some fun with speech and language practice. Here are 7 easy activities for kids recommended by our speech therapists. Get into the holiday spirit while practicing speech sounds, vocabulary, and language comprehension. Let's dig in!
1. Cook with your child
If you’re doing the cooking this year, invite your child to join in the fun! Sure, preparing the entire feast with your kiddo alongside you might sound... stressful. But you can keep it simple by limiting this to one or two favorite Thanksgiving staples (that’s mashed potatoes for me!).
If your child’s old enough, help them follow a recipe and contribute to the cooking process. This is a fantastic way to improve their vocabulary and direction-taking skills. You can say, “Pour in a cup of milk” or “Gather a teaspoon of sugar,” and have your child follow along. Make sure to clearly label the names of each food or ingredient as well: turkey, potato, green bean, cranberry, butter. For an added layer of complexity, you can also include adjectives to describe each food, such as “hot turkey” or “sour cranberry.”
2. Practice speech with thankful words
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on things we’re thankful for. If your child is working on speech sounds, a twist to this annual tradition is to have them brainstorm words that start with the sounds they’re practicing. For example, if your child is working on their /r/ sound, you could have them say, “I’m thankful for _____” and then fill in the blank with any /r/ words that come to mind: rolls, rainbows, rockets. If your child is having trouble thinking of /r/ words, write them down on a sheet of paper and have your child pronounce these words on their own. Or you can model them first and have your child imitate your words.
3. Play a memory matching game
Making a memory matching game is a simple way to teach your child themed Thanksgiving words. They can also practice articulation sounds and improve their short-term working memory.
Print out identical pairs of cards that contain photos of target words.
Mix them up, and place them face down on a table.
Without looking, your child has to choose the first card, then the second, and see if it’s a match!
When they do find a pair, have them use the word within a context that’s right for their skill level. For example, if your child isn’t yet saying full words, have them practice saying the first letter. So they could practice the "c" sound in "corn." If they’re learning to pronounce single-syllable words, have them repeat the word several times. If they’re already saying words, have them use it within a two- or three-word phrase: "I like corn."
If you need help brainstorming Thanksgiving words, here are a few examples:
Thanksgiving Word List from Ms. W at Teachers Pay Teachers
Thanksgiving Vocabulary Words from Beth Lewis at ThoughtsCo.
4. Make puppets
This is a great language-building activity to teach vocabulary words and direction taking. Best of all, your child gets a fun craft as a reward when they’re finished! This activity from DLTK provides step-by-step instructions and templates for building a paper bag pilgrim puppet using everyday household items. Make sure to clearly label each body part and clothing item as your child builds their masterpiece (belt, hat, arms, eyes). Say the words and have your child imitate you to help reinforce these new vocabulary words.
And of course, once the puppet is done, it's time for some conversation! He or she can talk with other puppets, stuffed animals, or maybe even that one grumpy uncle at the holiday meal...
5. Craft a turkey cut-out
Similar to the craft above, this hands-on activity from The Speech Bubble SLP helps your child decorate a turkey. Simply cut out each of the feathers and have your child write down different Thanksgiving words and definitions, or things that they’re grateful for. Then, your child can draw or color the feathers and glue them on the turkey to create fun and festive refrigerator decor!
6. Try a Thanksgiving word search
The /s/ and /z/ sounds can be tricky for many children in the early stages of speech development. This Thanksgiving-themed word search from Super Power Speech is a stimulating activity that focuses on /s/ and /z/ sounds when they come in the beginning, middle, or end of words. For extra practice, every time your child finds and circles a word, have them repeat the word several times, paying specific attention to the target sounds.
7. Read Thanksgiving books
It’s hard to overemphasize the importance of regularly reading to your child. It helps with vocabulary expansion and reading comprehension, along with many other important speech and language skills. Add to the fun with Thanksgiving-themed books--there are plenty to choose from at your library or bookstore! Some of our favorites include:
Where Is Baby’s Turkey by Karen Katz
Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
Five Silly Turkeys by Salina Yoon
Reading is important for children of all ages, even babies and toddlers who haven’t yet said their first words. For younger children, point to the pictures and model their names: “turkey!” If your child is able to identify the item in the picture, use that target word in longer phrases: “The turkey is running!”
Find more at-home speech therapy strategies
Helping your child with their speech doesn't have to feel overwhelming. There are plenty of ways to sneak in practice during your everyday routines. And the more you practice at home, the faster your child will make progress.
At Expressable, our speech therapists are committed to coaching parents and caregivers to support their child's communication. Check out our guide to 15 proven speech therapy strategies you can start using today. Or visit our YouTube channel for a library of videos demonstrating these techniques. Remember, any time spent together is an opportunity for communication. Make the most of it!
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication and feeding, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 3,000 5-star reviews from our clients (4.9/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
Communication is more than words. It’s how we share how we feel and show who we are. We’re here to help you or your child do just that.
