When it comes to childhood memories, I remember spending many afternoons playing with bubbles. There is just something magical about bubbles that kids enjoy. Bubbles are one of those toys that are great to bring out on a spring or summer day. There are so many great ways SLPs can use bubbles in speech therapy.
Bubbles are also near to my heart because they are affordable for SLPs on a budget! This post is filled with all the ways you can utilize bubbles in your speech room.
Where Can You Buy Bubbles for Your Speech Room?
Buy them on Amazon. If you want containers that are no spill, then here are mini ones (Amazon affiliate link) that hold two ounces of bubbles. Or, you can get a bigger container from Fubbles (Amazon affiliate link) that allows you to have multiple wands in the container. Walmart and Target are always my local go-tos for finding bubbles.
If you are the adventurous DIY SLP, then here is a recipe for how to make GIANT bubbles. Here is another recipe for homemade bubbles. Did you know that you can also make DIY wands with pipe cleaners (Amazon affiliate link)?
It is super esy, and it’s an affordable way to have extra wands on hand for your mixed groups.
Visual Supports To Help Communication With Bubble Play
If you need visual conversation scripts to help show your students how to have a conversation while playing with bubbles, these are pre-made, editable bubble conversation scripts. There are three different levels and you can switch out the images to fit your student’s AAC device. If you want more info about conversation scripts, check out this blog post.
Using Bubbles in Speech Therapy With Preschool Children
Bubbles can be used to target so many skills! Listed below are some of my favorite ways to utilize bubbles.
- Turn-taking and waiting: Students can practice basic social skill requests and comments while playing with the bubbles.
- Play following directions Simon Says: Work on using basic concepts or multi-step directions with bubbles, such as, “Clap your hands and then blow a bubble.”
- Use as a reinforcer: The student has to practice target stimulus items and then gets a chance to blow bubbles.
- Describe bubbles by attributes.
- Make your own wands as a cooperative lesson for ? in the group, being flexible and engaging with peers.
More Ideas for Using Bubbles With Preschoolers
- Tape different cards on the wall: Students can say their word or use a carrier phrase with which picture they want to blow the bubbles near. Have students try to blow the bubbles above or below the cards.
- Make your own bubbles with your students: Work on sequencing the steps for making the bubbles. Ask your students wh- questions about the process and have them share their opinions about homemade bubbles versus store-bought bubbles.
- Answer and teach simple “Who” questions: Who has the wand? Who is popping the bubbles?
- Play Red Light, Green Light with bubbles to teach CORE vocabulary for “stop” and “go.”
- Build sentence structures: The bubble is floating in the sky. The bubbles are under the table.
- Bubbles are a great tool for joint attention and teaching cause and effect. Withhold the bubbles or the wand until the student gives you joint attention.
Have A Cheat Sheet With Skills You Can Target With Bubbles
Bubbles can be used as a play-based therapy tool to target all sorts of verbs, language skills, and articulation/phonology. It can be tough to remember all the targets to hit in a mixed group. That’s why I created cheat sheets to help SLPs. You focus on the therapy with the students rather than worrying about the targets you are going to use in the session. Need toy companion cheat sheets? Grab my toy companion cheat sheets designed for Pre-K thru 2nd grade for 14 of your students favorite toys.
Using Bubbles in Speech Therapy with Older Children
Bubbles can be used with your upper elementary and middle school/high school students as a STEM project or science experiment. You can have your students make DIY bubble wands. They can make predictions about which “wand” will make the best bubbles. Check out this post from Natalie Snyders for more details.
How Do You Use Bubbles in Speech Therapy?
Do you have a fun way to engage your students with bubbles in speech therapy? Share in the comments, tag me on instagram @thedabblingspeechie, or email me at feliceclark@thedabblingspeechie.com.
