top of page

Enrichment Activities

Supporting Communication

There are lots of ways that we can support language and communication throughout our day when just doing things together, reading together, playing some of our favorite games or just making up games. We have put together some suggestions and examples. These ideas will likely give you more ideas, so have fun!

PRINT IN ENGLISH

PRINT IN SPANISH

Kids in Art Class

Pre-K | Elementary Grade Level

We also have some thoughts and ideas about structuring your time at home, with different schedules, like:

Sunday School

Middle School Grade Level

Biology Class

High School | Transition Grade Levels

PRINT IN ENGLISH

PRINT IN SPANISH

PRINT IN ENGLISH

PRINT IN SPANISH

Some things to remember:

Hillary and Christian.png

Create opportunities for communication:

​

Don’t just play the game or read a book. Stop to point out a color, character or something cool. Pause and say, “look at you,” or ask, “what do you like the most?” Before you turn the page wait to encourage saying “turn it” or “do more.”

Nerissa and Tyler.png

Model, model, model:

​

Talk in the way your child/student is expected to communication. Point to picture, select a color on their device while pointing to colors on a page or in a game, or just offer a comment like, “what you did was COOL.” 

Magnifying glass.png

Most AAC devices have a word search feature if you don’t know where they are. Proloquo2Go: bottom left corner icon with four squares then Search. LAMP Words for Life: in the MENU, then WORD FINDER. Accent/PRC: under DEVICE activity and then WORD FINDER.

Supporting Language and Communication During Games

Guess WHo.png

Guess Who?

​

This game is full of questions and chances to talk about hair color, eye color, hats, yes and no, and more. You can work together as a team making the game a time to play together. You can say or ask:

  • Is it brown/blue/yellow...

  • Do you have a boy?

  • Is it a girl?

  • Look at her hair

  • Do you like her hat?

  • What are these (glasses)?

  • Can I do it?

  • Help lift up

  • I see brown hair

  • I love these (glasses)

  • You do it

  • Put down

  • Lift up

  • So funny

  • No hair

  • Nice hair

Trouble.png

Trouble

​

The race is on with this game Numbers, colors, turn-taking and commenting are all possible with Trouble! You can say or ask:

  • My turn

  • Your turn

  • Make it go

  • What number is it?

  • You moving this or that?

  • What color?

  • Oh no!

  • Don’t take me out

  • I got 1/2/3/4/5

  • I got more

  • Push it

  • I got more

  • Back you go

  • I am in

  • I got you

  • Phew, you did not get me

Hungry Hippos.png

Hungry Hippos

​

Yum, yum, yum. It is a race to eat the all the balls with this cam. While you play this fast-paced game, you can use a lot of different words and phrases:

  • Go fast

  • I got one

  • This is awesome

  • Oh no!

  • I got more

  • I got a lot

  • You ate mine!

  • My color is green

  • Your color is blue

  • Don’t eat mine

  • Woah

  • Don’t push mine

Games

Supporting Language and Communication During Made-up Games

Charades.png

Charades or Simon Says

​

Act is out or tell someone what to do. These acting out game is full of chances to support language and communication. Write or draw some pictures, if you don’t have the game, then cut them out and put them in a hat. Pull them out one at a time and try to act out the word or tell someone to do the action. Use your child’s AAC system to make guesses at a word or category, or ask yes/no questions, or to tell them what to do. Also, use comments! 

  • Is it an animal?

  • Is it a person?

  • Is it a place you go?

  • Is it something you eat?

  • That was awesome!

  • So funny!

  • I do it

  • You do it

  • Jump up

  • Sit down

  • Hands on head

  • Do it again

I Spy.png

I Spy

​

Whether you have the same, book, or play it without any tools, this is a fun way to practice questions. If you don’t have an AAC system you can use a language board or even just draw words and pictures as you play. Once the item is guessed then that person who guessed it correctly, goes next. Ask questions like: 

  • Is it an animal?

  • Is it big?

  • Is it little?

  • Is it a toy

  • Help me

  • Is it brown/yellow/red?

  • I see ...

  • Am I close?

  • Oh man!

  • Did I get it?

Pictionary.png

Pictionary

​

Write or draw some pictures, if you don’t have the game, then cut them out and put them in a hat. Pull a picture/word and try to get your partner to guess the word. Use your child’s AAC system to make guesses at a word or category, or ask yes/no questions. Make comments and have fun!

  • Is it an animal?

  • Is it a person?

  • Is it a place you go?

  • Is it something you eat?

  • Is it a feeling?

  • Something big?

  • Do you sit on it?

  • I do it

  • You do it

  • I love that

  • That was good

  • You get one

  • Can I have one

  • Draw more

Made-up Games
Books

Supporting Language and Communication With Books and Book Resources

Shared book-reading is one of the best ways to support language, communication and AAC use. Books and articles or magazines offer pictures we can point to and talk about. Remember, you don’t have to be able to read to enjoy looking at books and magazines. The pictures can tell stories too!

 

  • When you read the words of the book, or point to the pictures in the book, or even tell your own story about the pictures you see you are supporting language. 

​

  • You can also point to pictures on a language board or your child’s device to help them use AAC as well.

Modeling when Reading.png

  • Turn the page   

  • Read more                      

  • Look at that

  • I don’t like 

  • You do it

  • I do 

  • Do it again

Language Board When Reading.png

  • I like it

  • Look

  • What that?

  • Help me

  • Read loud/read soft

  • Can I do it

  • You do it

LANG. BOARDS

SYMBOL-

STIX

LAMP

UNITY

In addition to reading the books or magazines you may have at home, here are some online resources for accessible and adapted books:

Epic!.png

Epic!

Reading A to Z.png

Reading A to Z

Adapted Video Books.png

Adapted Video Books

Storyline Online.png

Storyline Online

Online Games

Supporting Language and Communication With Online Games, Apps, Music and TV Shows

Motivation is important!

 

For some people, working on the computer or iPad, listening to music, or watching TV is what they would like to talk about. 

 

Using these motivating activities as an opportunity to support language and communication can be fun for everyone involved. We suggest using language boards or your child’s AAC system alongside these activities to support communication and language. 

 

You can model words and phrases like:

MUSIC LANG. BOARDS

SYMBOL-

STIX

LAMP

UNITY

  • I like it

  • Look at that

  • What that?

  • Help me

  • Want something different?

  • Can I do it?

  • Can I see it?

  • Is that cool?

  • You do it

  • That was good

  • Do more

  • Want do more

  • Play it again

  • Play more

  • Turn it up

  • Turn it down

  • That was awesome

  • Play different

  • I don’t like that

  • Awesome

  • Good one

  • Good thinking

  • One more turn

LB alphabet.png
LB Alexa.png
LB TV.png

Search for fun online programs. One of our favorite is LEGO:

Online Lego.png

Online LEGO Games:

​

A variety of Lego building games using your mouse to build bridges or knock things down. Your child may need some help with mouse control.

  • Yikes!

  • Put on

  • Up/down

  • Put more

  • Big/little

  • Go fast

  • Help me

  • Blue/green/red

  • Oh no!

  • Cool!

Some fun apps:

App Endless Alphabet.png
App Toca Band.png
App Doodle Buddy.png
App Toca Train.png
App MyPlayHome.png
App Epic!.png

TV + APPS LANG. BOARDS

SYMBOL-

STIX

LAMP

UNITY

Supporting Language and Communication With Household Activities

Sometimes the best kids of activities involve just doing things together. For some people, joining you in what you are doing is just as fun as playing games. We can always model language and support communication. 

 

Using these everyday household activities as an opportunity to support language and communication can be fun for everyone involved. We suggest using language boards or your child’s AAC system alongside these activities to support communication and language. 

 

You can model words and phrases like:

When cooking:

  • I like it

  • Look at that

  • What that?

  • Help me

  • Want something different?

  • Can I do it?

  • You help

When doing laundry:

  • Put it

  • Take out

  • Look at this

  • Help find...

  • Find a match

  • I like this (color)

  • You put in

Overlay LAMP.png
Overlay Proloquo2Go.png
Household

When having a meal:

  • What is that?

  • Do you like...?

  • I like

  • Yum!

  • Tell me more

  • What you think?

  • What’s your favorite?

Overlay Unity.png

Supporting Language and Communication With Outdoor Activities

Obstacle Course.png

Obstacle Course

​

The fun is not just in going through the obstacle course but in making it. Materials could include sidewalk chalk, cones, buckets, hoola hoops, balls, cars, etc. As you play you can say or ask:

  • I like it

  • Haha

  • Oh man!

  • This is fun

  • Awesome

  • Go in/out/around

  • You go

  • I go

  • Look at me

  • Go fast/go slow

  • Do more

  • Go different way

Swinging.png

Swinging

​

Movement can be really motivating. Have fun on the swing or in the playground and pause or wait to say or ask:

  • My turn

  • Your turn

  • Make me go

  • Go fast/slow

  • I want up/down

  • Do more

  • I want more

  • Do different

  • You push

  • Push more

Soccer.png

Playing Ball Games

​

Whether you are playing basketball, toss, bowling, dodgeball, or square ball, we can bring in some communication to life. This is easiest to do when pausing between turns to talk about it versus wearing the AAC system while playing. You can use language such as:

  • Go fast

  • I got one

  • This is awesome

  • Oh no!

  • You can’t get me

  • I did it

  • Way to go

  • Awesome

  • That was fast

  • Do again

Outdoor
bottom of page