Easy, Low-Prep St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Speech Therapy

Hey SLP friends!

First things first—Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀✨ If you're anything like me, themed activities tend to stretch out for more than just one week (because let’s be real—progress reports never stop 😵). But honestly, that works in our favor!

Instead of cramming an entirely new theme into a 30-minute session, we can build on our kids’ background knowledge—giving them time to process, learn, and connect to the concepts. That way, when we start talking about leprechauns, gold coins, and rainbows, our kids aren’t totally lost, wondering why the therapy room suddenly turned into a scene from an Irish folklore book.

I think we sometimes overestimate how much exposure kids have to certain holidays or traditions. Not every child has heard of a leprechaun, and some might not even know what a rainbow really is! Slowing down and adding extra support can make all the difference.

So, here’s what I’m using over the next two weeks to keep things fun, functional, and EASY for both me and my kids:

📚 Books I’m Loving This Week

Books are my go-to for introducing new concepts in a way that actually makes sense for my kids. Here are my top picks for St. Patrick’s Day:

• I’m a Leprechaun by Mallory Loehr – A simple, fun way to introduce the little tricksters!
• How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace – This one is always a hit with my kids, especially for sequencing and problem-solving activities.
• How to Trap a Leprechaun by Sue Fliess – Another great one for storytelling, cause/effect, and following directions.

I love kicking off sessions with a book because it sets the stage for everything else we do. No more confused kiddos wondering why we're suddenly talking about pots of gold!

🎨 Low-Prep, High-Impact Activity

A few years ago, I had a client with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), and I needed something quick, easy, and engaging. Here’s what we did:

1️⃣ Grabbed a target word list, printer paper, and dot markers.
2️⃣ Set a super simple rule: one dot = one trial.
3️⃣ Let the child lead—they picked the colors, the picture design, and had total creative freedom.
4️⃣ Got in SO many trials without them even realizing how much work they were doing!

Seriously, dot markers are magic!! They turn drills into play, and the kids love seeing their pictures come to life!

✨ Easy Take-Home Activity

Want something for extra practice at home? These activities work great in-session OR as a fun carryover idea:

• St. Patrick's Day Apraxia Homework - an easy carryover option that keeps them practicing while still celebrating St. Patrick's Day! 
• Rainbow articulation hunts – Hide articulation words around the room, and kids “collect” them in rainbow order. Great for movement breaks!
• Lucky clover categories – Write different categories (animals, foods, etc.) on clovers and have kids come up with words for each.
• Gold coin speech challenge – Give each kid a few “gold coins” (paper cutouts work!), and they "spend" them by saying their target words.

These are easy to send home, and parents always appreciate having simple, stress-free ways to keep the momentum going outside of therapy.

Hope this helps make your next couple of weeks easy and fun! Let me know if you try any of these or have a favorite St. Patrick’s Day activity of your own. 🍀💚

Happy speeching!