SLPs are likely to agree on the most asked question in the history of speech therapy. Can we play a game today?
Students (of all ages) love games. But the transition from in-person speech therapy to teletherapy may leave you mourning the loss of your favorite therapy games. I totally get it. Games help you motivate reluctant students, target goals within a slightly less structured activity, and are the ultimate way to break up drill.
But fear not– I'm here to show you that playing games and a teletherapy setting can co-exist. Many of the games that you and your students already know and love can still be played in the teletherapy world. I’ve compiled a list, so get that bookmark button ready. And let the games begin!
Teletherapy Games for Articulation Goals
Line of Four Game (Boom Cards)
When it comes to working with older students in speech therapy, utilizing an element of strategy is so helpful for increasing motivation. Line of Four is a Boom Card game (get it on TpT or Boom Learning) that's likely familiar, so adding articulation targets is an easy way to integrate some friendly competition.
Peg Game (Boom Cards)
This Peg Game Boom Card deck (get it on TpT or Boom Learning) is another strategy-filled game that works especially well when working with older students individually or assigning for homework. It achieves tons of trials while simultaneously challenging students (and maybe their SLPs too 😉).
Speech Categories (PDF)
I love word games, and this articulation game doubles as a language activity too! Students think of items in each category that contain their target sound (and type the words in the fillable text boxes). It's a great activity for generalization, and perfect to send for homework and additional practice.
Click It Game (Boom Cards)
This fast-paced articulation game (get it on TpT or Boom Learning) keeps students on their toes as they race to be the first to spot (and call out) the duplicate picture. This is a fun game to add to your teletherapy materials, and you can get a FREE version of the game on TpT or Boom Learning.
Articulation Ships Game (Google Slides)
You know the drill– guess coordinates until you sink each of your opponent's ships. Only in this version, those coordinates include articulation targets (because we SLPs are sneaky like that). This articulation game is perfect for older students in teletherapy. It opens in Google Slides, so you can come back to your game next session if you don't finish.
You can also try a Battleship game on Quia. Just choose 'Battleship' from the Activity Type drop-down menu to see your options for various skills.
Dots and Boxes Game (Google Slides and PDF)
Do you know this game? Dots and Boxes has always been a favorite paper/pencil game of mine, and now there's a digital option! In speech therapy, the game is all about maximizing trials and motivating older students. Once again, Google Slides provides the perfect platform for movable images (that can be quickly cleaned up) and games that may stretch beyond one session.
Teletherapy Games for Language Goals
Guessing Games (Google Slides)
Guessing games provide natural context for so much language. Players ask each other questions to figure out their opponent's person, animal, or object. Teletherapists and students can annotate the PDFs or use the included moveable pieces in the Google Slides version, but there's always the option to print too!
Click It Game (Boom Cards)
Just like it's articulation counterpart above, this game requires students to find the picture that's displayed twice. Only this time the pictures all pertain to one seasonal or holiday theme, which lends itself to lots of language opportunities (get it on TpT or Boom Learning).
Language Tiles (Google Slides)
Okay, this might be my favorite therapy game of all time... especially now that I'm an SLP. I'm definitely guilty of hoarding the physical game in my therapy room in my pre-teletherapy days. To know Secret Square is to love Secret Square. And while I don't think it's made anymore, the digital version of these language tiles keeps the magic alive... in Google Slides!
Memory (Boom Cards)
Memory is a simple yet effective activity for targeting language goals in teletherapy. These Boom Card matching games (buy on TpT or Boom Learning) include seasonally-themed vocabulary, plus 9 different levels so you can adapt any game to any age group. Try a FREE school-themed memory game (get it on TpT or Boom Learning).
Bingo (Google Slides and PDF)
You can't go wrong with a classic game of Bingo, especially when the themed vocabulary makes it easy to target multiple language goals... simultaneously. The movable pieces in Google Slides are a cinch to use as well! A PDF version is included for fans of using annotation in teletherapy.
Website Games for Teletherapy
All of these website games are just a click away and are great to have on hand– I mean bookmarked– to use anytime in teletherapy! I have no affiliation with any of these sites, and the links are provided for your convenience only. While most of them have ads of some sort, they are all free!
Play Checkers on Toy Theater with 2 students in a group or play against the computer. If Chess is more your thing, Toy Theater has that too!
Uno was always a favorite card game during in-person therapy, but Toy Theater has this Four Colors game that fills that hole! It only allows one player to play at a time, as the other player(s) will be the computer.
Toy Theater's Snakes and Ladders can also be played against the computer, or with up to 6 people at once!
Calculators.org has a fun and easy-to-use Simon game.
Poki is a great website with more games than I could ever list here. My favorite is Ludo (similar to Sorry), but they have tons of puzzle games, card games, quiz games, and other board games!
One of my personal favorites has always been Pictionary, and the Drawasaurs website makes it easy to play with a group of older students... for free! I suggest creating your own private room, and sending your students a link to the room (and the password).
Coolmathgames.com has lots of great options that go way beyond practicing math skills! I especially love the trivia games, but they also have strategy and logic games (including virtual escape rooms)!
For the sports fan on your caseload, these games from Silvergames.com might be a hit.
The most-played game of my childhood was Boggle (thanks to may word game-loving grandma). While I'm still no good at the game, the Wordshake website makes it possible to play in teletherapy.
With a little "outside the (board game) box" thinking and digital innovation, you can still play your students' beloved games in teletherapy. You won’t even miss the sound of the dice tumbling off the therapy table.😜
Have you found a favorite teletherapy-friendly game not mentioned here? Leave a comment and let us know abut your "game changer"!
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