It’s always tricky finding a way to get kids to practice between speech therapy sessions. In summer it can be especially challenging as kids take a vacation or maybe even their speech therapist takes a few weeks off! I find if my students design the calendar, they are more apt to use it and put it in a prominent place in the kitchen where Mom or Dad can help prompt them to practice.
Last week a 7 year-old boy working on /s/ decided to use my “Tape a Doodles” to make the lines between days. He was so motivated and enjoyed designing his calendar. He missed a session because of being sick so when I arrived there today and asked, “Did you practice?” he said, “Yes, do you want to see my calendar?” He was so proud of his work and I was thrilled that he had followed through on practice.
In the summer, speech schedules have to be flexible as families and therapists take a break and go on vacation or just take a break. Getting kids to consistently practice really contributes to continued progress.