Creative and Budget-Friendly Speech Therapy Ideas for New Graduates: My Journey and Tips for Success
Hi friends!
Why did you get into the field of speech therapy? 💭
It was obviously for the big paycheck right?
Just kidding!
Story time. I can distinctly remember being a brand new CF, working for a place that supplied me with a single pack of white copy paper for my speech therapy sessions.
I remember feeling overwhelmed with how I would provide fun and high-interest therapy to the 70+ kids on my school caseload while on a new graduate budget too.
It took some time (and an ill-advised therapy session focused on making paper airplanes) but I finally figured out some resources for these times when resources can be scarce.
📚 Shop the School/Public Library 📚
Instead of purchasing books, I was able to snag books from our school library. An even better benefit? Most of the libraries level their books by grades already, so pulling for groups is even easier than having to guess the reading level of a book from Amazon or a bookstore. As a bonus, if you have the time, many public libraries also offer a check-out process for other materials like puzzles and small toys!
📝 Steal Their Classwork 📝
I once attended a presentation where the SLP told us he never planned sessions-he simply grabbed whatever the student was working on in class or what was assigned for homework, and that changed my therapy a LOT (I didn’t even need to dip into my beloved single pack of paper!). What can be more functional than working through the work the student actually has to complete? These activities can also really give us insight into where the breakdown in language is when it comes to schoolwork.
🎯 The Dollar Store (or section of Target!) 🎯
I love mini objects, but they can be expensive! I’ve built up quite the collection of mini objects made out of erasers, and my students love using them on their dot sheets or for drill activities. They’re also easy to use in sensory bins or for visual aids when they are using language for describing or categorizing. These bargain bin stores are also great to peruse for props for stories or pretend play!
📃 Using Materials That Serve Multiple Purposes 📃
When I first started, I would find a resource or material for one.specific.student and purchase it. This added up FAST and I found myself dipping into my grocery budget a bit too often. By investing in materials like these Speech Therapy Drill Cards, I’m able to get cards that target articulation, fluency, phonological processes, pragmatic language, grammar, language, seasonal activities, and more! I make these more fun by using dry-erase markers and those mini objects as tokens too!
📦 Amazon Deals 📦
I find amazing deals on toys and books throughout the year on Amazon. You can see some of my favorites in my storefront HERE.
What ideas have you had for keeping your therapy fresh and fun on a budget? Let me know in the comments, I’m all ears!
Happy Speeching!
*Disclaimer: I do earn a small commission when you use my Amazon links. I appreciate when you use my links when you buy what you need as it supports my small business (aka my family). Thank you!
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