Speech and Language Kids Podcast

3 Ways to Use Themes in Speech/Language Therapy (Without Burning Yourself Out)

Themes are one of the best tools in an SLP's toolkit. They keep kids engaged, tap into what's happening in their world right now, and make sessions feel fresh and fun. But if you've ever spent a Sunday night frantically hunting for a "dinosaur-themed articulation activity" only to find... nothing useful... you know the burnout is real. In this episode, I'm breaking down three practical ways to bring themes into your therapy sessions without adding a ton of extra work to your plate. We're talking about using AI to generate themed materials on the fly, the magic of one themed activity that works for every kid on your caseload, and simple themed props that do the heavy lifting for you. I'll also be kicking off our Summer Reset series: 8 steps to help you finally become an Unstressed Speechie before the new school year sneaks up on you. Whether you want to overhaul your session notes, streamline your IEP process, or just stop dreading Monday mornings, this series is for you. Themes don't have to mean more work. Let me show you how.

Virtual Field Trip Ideas for your Speech/Language Therapy Sessions

Have you ever wished you could take your therapy kids on a field trip without the permission slips, the bus rides, or the chaos? In this episode, we're talking about one of the most underrated tools in your therapy toolkit: the virtual field trip. From live zoo webcams to immersive museum tours, these experiences bring the outside world right into your therapy room — and they pack a serious punch when it comes to building background knowledge and creating meaningful opportunities to practice speech and language skills. We'll walk through some favorite virtual destinations, including the San Diego Zoo, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Smithsonian, the Louvre, and even the ruins of Pompeii, and talk about why experiences like these matter so much for language development. Background knowledge is one of the biggest predictors of language and literacy success, and virtual field trips are a surprisingly powerful (and free!) way to build it. But this episode isn't just about clicking around on a webcam — it's about making it therapeutic. We'll cover practical strategies for weaving your students' speech and language goals right into the experience: using targeted prompts, retelling activities, nonfiction read-alouds, and even writing thank-you notes to zookeepers and park rangers. Plus, we'll share how our new printable activity sheets make it easy to keep kids engaged and practicing their skills the whole time. Whether you're a school-based SLP looking for a fresh way to engage your kiddos or a private practitioner wanting to bring more meaning into your sessions, this episode is for you. Pack your bags — we're going on a field trip.

How to Use Play to Work on Speech/Language Skills

What if the most powerful therapy tool in your session was already sitting on the floor? In this episode, we're talking about play — not as a reward for "real" practice, but as the practice itself. We'll dig into why kids learn and retain skills so much better through play, and exactly how to make it work: modeling with exaggeration, recasting errors naturally, creating communication temptations, and building in just enough structure to get the repetitions you need. You'll also get practical strategies for older kids and skills that don't come up organically, including turning practice into timed challenges, pairing reps with games, and using sensory tools to keep focus without the fight. This one's a game-changer — pun fully intended.

Join our Summer Reset! Become an Unstressed Speechie by Next School Year

What if September didn't wreck you this year? Most SLPs spend summer telling themselves they'll get organized when school starts — and then August hits and there's no time, no bandwidth, and no plan. Sound familiar? In this episode, we're introducing the Unstressed Speechie and flipping the script on how you use your summer. Because here's the truth: June and July are the only time you actually have the mental space to build the systems that will save you all year long. August is already too late for calm. We're breaking down the 8 steps that transform a stressed, reactive SLP into one who walks into September prepared, confident, and actually excited to see her caseload — and we're sharing exactly how we're going to walk through them together this summer, step by step, in a way that's manageable, fun, and dare we say it... a little bit like a game. Because play is the opposite of stress. And you deserve both. If you've ever thought "next year will be different" — this is how you make it different. In this episode: * Why summer (not August) is the secret window for SLP systems * The false beliefs keeping you stuck in the same cycle every year * A preview of all 8 steps of the Unstressed Speechie framework * How we're doing this together in June and July — baby step by baby step

The Simple Fix for End-of-the-Year Behavior Challenges

If your students are melting down, shutting down, or refusing to cooperate during the last weeks of school, you're not alone — and it's not a reflection of your skills as a speech-language pathologist. End-of-year behavior challenges are one of the most common struggles SLPs face, and in this episode, we're breaking down exactly why it happens and what to do about it. The truth is, kids aren't acting out randomly. As the school year wraps up, many students experience real anxiety about transitions, schedule changes, and saying goodbye to familiar routines and trusted adults. Some push back hard — not because therapy isn't working, but because it is. In this episode, we unpack the attachment and anxiety behind end-of-year behaviors so you can stop taking it personally and start responding in a way that actually helps. We're sharing Survival Tip #2 from the Savvy Speechie's End-of-Year Survival Kit: managing behaviors by doing less. You'll learn how to lower the sensory and emotional "vibe" in your sessions using predictability, visual supports, and simple low-prep materials — without sacrificing structure or consistency. We talk about why paper beats screens for dysregulated kids, how a simple packet can double as a behavior management tool, and why now is the perfect time to lean into calming make-and-take activities, fidgets, and movement breaks. Whether you're a school-based SLP drowning in end-of-year paperwork, an SLP assistant trying to hold it together through the chaos, or a special education teacher wondering why your kids have suddenly lost their minds, this episode gives you practical, immediately usable strategies to survive — and even enjoy — the final stretch of the school year. Topics covered in this episode: * Why students show increased challenging behaviors at the end of the school year * The attachment and anxiety behind refusals and meltdowns * How to use predictability and visual countdowns to reduce dysregulation * Simple, low-prep session structures for dysregulated students * Why printed materials calm kids down better than screens * End-of-year celebration ideas that double as behavior incentives * No-prep activity ideas for speech therapy sessions in May and June