I don’t know about you, but I love using crafts in therapy. They are PERFECT for mixed groups. I find that I can target most goals using crafts, which is great, because they’re fun, too! They also double nicely as a carryover activity/homework.

NOTE: The links below are Amazon Affiliate links for your convenience, but I may receive compensation if you click through and purchase one of the products. *

I think the biggest objection to crafts is that they can be time-consuming and expensive. Right?!

Have you ever found that perfect craft on Pinterest? And then you try to assemble it, and it takes FOREVER? If it takes me 30 minutes to make a craft, there is no way my students will be able to get through it in a session. (I also wouldn’t have time to prep all the pieces!)

Good news? There are crafts out there that can be assembled within minutes, so you have plenty of time to expand on all of the rich language opportunities involved with assembling a craft. You just need a few (inexpensive) materials.

The Must-Haves

So, here we go… Here is a list of my “must-have” materials (and a peek at how I used them)!

1. Paper Plates

I got mine from Target, but most stores would probably have a good deal!

2. Paper Bags

Target again!

3. Pipe Cleaners

I like getting these at the dollar store.

4. Astrobrights Paper

This is a little bit of a splurge, but it saves me so much time! (Time is money for a busy SLP.) I love being able to print out my craft templates. This saves me some prep time, because students can easily cut out their own pieces. This gives us more opportunities to target those speech and language targets.

You can get a pretty smoking deal for a big pack of this paper on Amazon, but you can get smaller packs at most stores for $3-4.

Honorable Mentions

I also have a few honorable mentions…

1. Popsicle Sticks

I don’t use these as often, so I buy small packs of these at the dollar store.

2. Banners

I occasionally use banners in my crafts. Target had a mega role for a few dollars, but the dollar store always has these, too.

3. Pom-poms

There are super fun, and kids love them! I love that you can glue them on dry erase markers as an eraser, and they’re a fun add-on to crafts. I just have a hard time getting them to stay (without pulling out a hot glue gun), so they’re not used as often in my speech therapy room.

Want more ideas for crafts?

Check out the SLP Now Membership. You can get access to low prep, themed crafts for the whole year! Each craft includes instructions (with real pictures). I love being able to use the pictures as visual supports. (The membership also includes so many resources to make this the easiest year yet, so be sure to check it out!)

Stay tuned to see how I use crafts to support a variety of speech and language goals!

 

* Marisha Mets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com.

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Hi there! I'm Marisha. I am a school-based SLP who is all about working smarter, not harder. I created the SLP Now Membership and love sharing tips and tricks to help you save time so you can focus on what matters most--your students AND yourself.

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