fbpx skip to Main Content
Where Speech-language Pathologists find ideas, activities and materials.

SpongeBob Comes to Speech?

Recently, while talking with a student about his favorite t.v. show, I noticed how many of the characters’ names had his target speech sounds (“r” based sounds) in them. I also noticed that this quiet, hesitant student became excited and involved when we were discussing the show. I knew right then that I had to incorporate Spongebob Squarepants into our sessions.

Using characters they love to make therapy fun

Here are some examples of activities you can do with your students’ favorite characters:

  • Practice their speech sounds at the word, sentence, or conversational level.
  • Practice basic concepts (e.g., numbers, colors, prepositions, pronouns) with cut-out pictures of the characters.
  • Make up a story together using words of order (e.g., first, next, finally, etc.)
  • Talk about the characters, setting, and plot of an episode.

What if I don’t know anything about the shows?

  • Ask the students to tell you about it. They are usually more than willing to chat about their favorite t.v. shows.
  • Search online. Almost every show has a significant presence on the world-wide-web devoted to it. Once you find the website for that show, look around for information on the characters, setting, etc. You can often find printable pages to use as well.
  • Go to the bookstore. Many popular shows have small paperback books that include stories from the episodes.

Where can I find materials?

You can create your own materials or adapt purchased games, books, or pictures. Some places to find show-related items to use include websites, bookstores, party stores, and toy stores.

Here are some websites that may be useful

http://www.nickjr.com/
http://www.nick.com/
http://tv.disney.go.com/playhouse/
http://home.disney.go.com/tv/
http://pbskids.org/

Leave a comment to let us know how you include kids’ favorite shows or characters in your sessions.

Becky Wanca

This Post Has 7 Comments
  1. Fantastic. Thank you for showing again how easy it is to make therapy fun and enjoyable for all!!!

  2. I work mainly with adults with acquired speech problems. Somehow I find easy to adapt your suggestions and make therapy fun.

  3. VERY true! Incorporating the specific interests of our clients into therapy sessions is key. A friend of mine found out her client liked the show “Yo, Gabba Gabba. ” She printed out pictures of each character and placed them on a popsicle stick. She can work on agent + action, agent+ action + object, present progressive -ing (e.g., Foofa eating, foofa eating noodles, foofa is jumping).

  4. I am a guatemalan architect and mother of three, and by searching about problems in children speech found your site. Thank you very much for this ideas, actually I am only a mother trying to support my 5 year old son in his speech therapy here in Guatemala. Thanks God my son has done an amazing effort and now we can understand him a lot better, thank ouvery much for your ideas thant have been very helpful!!!
    God Bless you.

  5. I have taken pictures of the characters..SpongeBob, Patrick, etc and cut them in three or 4 pieces and they have to put them back together after they say a sound, or talk about something. They know all the characters names and they are really motivated to do whatever to get to put the puzzle together. (I work with preschool children)

  6. OMG I love spongebob!!!! I am an a CD undergraduate student right now and I think this would be awesome for kids!!!

Leave a Reply

Back To Top