Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP. Over 33 years experience in AAC. OMazing Kids AAC and app consulting. Creator of several AAC Feature Matching resources (https://omazingkidsllc.com/omazing-kids-aac-resource-links/). Includes info about unique features to support Gestalt Language Processors
One of my favorite books for this time of year is “There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves”. If you want free printable story props see this post: https://bit.ly/2FFaRy2.
Want a super simple way to make an interactive activity to use on your iPad or to print? Check out the iESLp app by Irmgard Raubenheimer, https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ieslp/id912953895, iPad only, iOS 8.3 or later. A bargain for $19.99 (no subscription required & the app includes a huge library of SymbolStix symbols).
I didn’t see an “Old Lady” symbol that would work for feeding the items so I exported one from LessonPix in PNG format (transparent background), saved it to my Camera Roll and then imported it into iESLp. LessonPix working on mobile devices is a game changer (https://lessonpix.com).
I also imported a PNG “Achoo!” clip art that I found online.
Here’s a quick video to show what the finished activity looks like in use.
See this post for a video screencast showing how to export a picture from LessonPix:
Free printable AAC core board with alphabet, numbers, shapes & colors (4 page PDF that you can print, assemble and laminate). It was recently shared in the AAC for the SLP Facebook group (original source seen on Pinterest from the Angelman Syndrome Foundation but the link is broken… appears to be no longer available on their website). I saved it to my blog:
I love using great kids picture books in my work as a SLP and especially like books that invite readers to interact with the story! This new book has fun colorful illustrations and asks the reader to think about what will happen when they turn the page to “splat” what is on the right page on top of what is on the left page. I also love the facial expressions on the emoji-like character…. lol 😂
See a video of the book being read:
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I made a free printable to use as a Play-doh smash mat to go along with this book:
I’m LOVING this new kids picture book! It has lovely illustrations, rhyming text and 14 blank circular spots to add whatever you want to the story. Kind of like Mad Libs but in picture book form. The book comes with 13 reusable stickers but of course I immediately thought of all the fun language possibilities and had to make my own book ad-ons. Most of them make sense in the context of that page and a few are purposefully silly. They are color coded in vertical rows of 4 for each page but for even more silliness the ad-ons could be mixed up and used on any page.
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I made these using Boardmaker since it’s super simple to make circular buttons with that software but then searched online for the photos or illustrations. It is saved here on my blog as a PDF since many folks may not have access to Boardmaker. Click on this link to open the free 2-page PDF printable:
I love using all of Karma Wilson’s books in OMazing Kids speech therapy but I’m especially a fan of the Bear series. So much so that I chose this new book as the prize in the giveaway to celebrate passing the 12,000 likes milestone on the OMazing Kids Facebook page:
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My copy of her newest book “Big Bear, Small Mouse” arrived yesterday.
Love it and made these free printable opposite cards to go with the book. It includes all the characters & opposites from the book plus several additional opposite word pairs and phrase building cards to place the adjective + noun on.
Have you seen the new line of Ladybug Girl board books? Board books are a great option when doing 1-on-1 activities. The sturdy pages and shortened text lend themselves well to repeated use with kids with special needs. I love this newest book in the Ladybug Girl series! It has a great message of gratitude and is filled with lots of opportunities for kids yoga: ladybug, dog, bumblebee breath, grasshopper (for Grasshopper Girl), crescent moon, standing star, tree, book (easy pose and open/close legs like turning pages in a book, pumpkin (child pose with hands at head for stem), pie making sequence (see details below) & ending with the Gratitude Relaxation guided relaxation and activities from the Yoga 4 Classrooms Activity Card Deck. I also include coloring as part of relaxation.
Get the free printable coloring page that I made for the yoga poses in this book:
roll out the pie dough (lay on belly & kids choose if they want their arms, legs or back rolled out with a pool noodle “rolling pin” or a real rolling pin – be mindful of kid’s sensory needs and always ask their permission before touching. Some kids may prefer to roll out their own arms or legs with the pool noodle)
easy pose legs as bowl, put in pumpkin, eggs, spices, etc., mix (stir the pot & do “washing machine” for mixer)
pie pose (seated angle)
tick-tock-toes timer (point-flex feet while saying “tick tock” as the pie “cooks” on your oven)
smell & “mmm” breath
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Fun idea:
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See this post for more ideas for teaching kids about gratitude and thankfulness. Includes lesson plans for several books, crafts, Gratitude Relaxation card and a music playlist:
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with 27 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
Together with his grandpa, a young boy finds a way to save his favorite tree in this heartwarming Christmas tale.
Alec loves to climb trees—the little apple trees, the wide willow trees, even the tall locust trees. But his favorite is the great spruce, with its sturdy trunk and branches that stretch up to the sky. Alec’s grandpa planted it as a sapling years and years before Alec was born, and every Christmas, Alec and his grandpa decorate the tree together, weaving tinsel and lights through its branches, making it shine bright.
But one day, a few curious men from the nearby city take notice of Alec’s glistening great spruce, and ask to take it away for their Christmas celebration. Though it’s a huge honor, Alec’s heartbroken at the idea of losing his friend. With great courage and creativity, Alec comes up with a plan to save his favorite tree in this joyful holiday tale.
Age Range: 5 – 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 3
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers (October 18, 2016)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 0.4 x 11.8 inches
Nice positive story promoting concepts of being outdoors, family, community and protecting nature. The young boy saves the tree by offering up an alternative idea.
Lovely nostalgic illustrations on oversized pages of high-quality paper. Several scenes have smaller details to explore. Even the end sheets are illustrated.
Lots of great verbs, adjectives & prepositions.
Historical info at the end of the book about the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
Pictured sequence and description for the steps in transplanting a tree at the end of the book.
The book has several opportunities for kids yoga: apple tree, willow tree, locust tree, great spruce tree, chair, forward fold digging, gyan mudra spy glass, cross crawl climbing, chainsaw buzzing breath, stop and think of alternatives, crane, boat, bridge, sleigh, smell of Christmas deep breath, plant a pinecone seed.
Yippee! So excited to have a new book in the If You Give a …… series! Love using all of these books in OMazing Kids speech therapy. So I programmed a book page in TouchChat with WordPower HD using the WordPower 60 Basic page set (one of my faves for younger kids) & made story props. I’m also planning on extending the theme with a variety of cooking toys and apps.
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Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with 27 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
{New Favorite Therapy Toy & Aided Language Stimulation} The Playskool Learnimals Color Me Hungry Hippo is my new favorite therapy toy! I had several patients squeal and giggle with delight at the sight of a jumbo version of the character they know from the popular Hungry Hungry Hippos kids game. One adorable articulation patient said “Is dat Hunwee Hunwee Hippo?” in the most astonished voice…. lol! What’s not to love about a toy that you can feed, his belly lights up to match the color of the item inserted and you learn about colors, shapes, food and counting? This new BFF also enticed one of my youngest patients to say “eat”, “mmm” & “yum” (a huge deal for this kiddo). For my AAC users and patients that I use symbol supported language stimulation as visual supports to expand verbal utterances, I made printable symbols and added him to several of my AAC apps. Besides those early concepts, also lots of opportunities for core vocabulary (today I targeted eat, hungry, in, open, more, again, full and done but already have others in mind).
{Teaching Prepositions & Spatial Concepts} Most of the kids on my caseload have Autism or other special needs that tend to make understanding spatial concepts and using prepositions very challenging. I use a combination of visual supports, real objects, movement, AAC and apps when tackling these goals.
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I uploaded a template to the Attainment Company, Inc.‘s GoTalk Now AAC Online Gallery for “Prepositions & Spatial Concepts for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Activity Home”. Includes front, back, side, in front, behind, beside, through, in & out. Search for “puppy” in the public gallery from within the app to find it.
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I made a set of 30 two-sided printable activity cards for the Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Puppy’s Activity Home inspired by ones in the Positional Words Resource Box by Lakeshore Learning and the Hello Sunshine Game by Think Fun (both are fabulous visual ways to teach kids about prepositions & spatial concepts). The cards are color coded (10 brown for the puppy, 10 purple for the monkey, 5 orange for the car & 5 green for the frog) and the preposition is in that same color to make it stand out from the rest of the text.
I am continuing to share FREE printable resources like this on my blog in the hopes that I inspire other speechies to do the same. There are tons of SLP blogs now but most are primarily geared towards selling their TPT products.
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A peek at the apps currently in the “prepositions” folder on my iPad.
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I love the Hello Sunshine game. Unfortunately it appears that it is no longer readily available …. definitely worth adding to your list of things to look for at garage sales or thrift shops.
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The Positional Words Resource Box is a “must have” for any SLP working with kids. It briefly went off the market so I grabbed mine as soon as I saw it was back.
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