What is 'People Play' and How to Use it in Speech Therapy
Hey speech friend! 👋🏼
It's no secret that I LOVE Early Intervention. But I also love sharing the knowledge I've gained through my experiences working extensively with this area of our field.
Today, I want to deep dive into “People Play”--what it is, how we facilitate it, and some suggestions if you want ideas for this target.
Why are the different types of play important?
Play is how a child develops the necessary skills needed to function in their social lives, whether that is with their family or friends. When we understand where they are in the stages of play, we can meet them there and expand their cognitive skills in this area!
What can we target in play?
SO MUCH.
Imitation skills, daily routines, social skills, and obviously speech and language. Play helps children foster imagination, strengthens their confidence, improves literacy, and can have great emotional benefits!
What is People Play?
People play is games or interactions you have within the context of play that help build interaction and communication. They are beneficial because they are fun, people-dependent, and can embed tons of functional language without expensive equipment or toys!
How do we do it?
You only need yourself, so you can do this starting NOW if you want! Brainstorm activities that the child enjoys that require a parent or caregiver to assist in in order for the game to be successful. The goal is for the child to enjoy the interaction and seek opportunities for it through any cues: verbal, gestures, or small cues specific to the child. Remember, the focus is on the participants in this game, which is why we stray away from toys and focus on using the PEOPLE to PLAY.
Here's one quick example 👇🏼
A child who loves to swing and/or enjoys deep sensory touch
1. Bring out a blanket or heavy cloth and say “Let's swing!” to introduce the activity
2. Place the child in the blanket laying down and model the word or sign for “go”.
3. Swing the child in a blanket and sing the words “Swing, swing, up and down, I can see all over town!” (or any other song that fits this context)
4. Stop swinging and look at the child. If they seem
People play is a really engaging and fun way to get your students interacting for the entirety of their speech sessions. Some students need this additional movement in order to engage and other's enjoy it just because its super fun. Let me know in the comments if you've ever used this strategy before and your favorite way to use it.
Want more therapy ideas with this population? Check out my 8 hour professional development course, Early Intervention Academy for SLPs.
Happy speeching!
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