Creative Ways to Use Stuffed Animals in Early Intervention Speech Therapy

Hey SLP friends!

Let’s talk about one of the most underrated—and surprisingly powerful—tools in Early Intervention speech therapy: stuffed animals 🧸

Whether they’re a comfort item, a beloved toy, or just something that sparks joy for your kiddo, these cuddly friends can be absolute game changers in your sessions. They’re familiar, engaging, and most importantly, they open the door to natural language opportunities without the pressure that sometimes comes with structured therapy tasks.

As someone who lives and breathes Early Intervention, I’ve had to get creative more times than I can count. And one thing I’ve learned? When all else fails… pull out the stuffed animal.

Here are some of my favorite ways to make magic happen with these fuzzy therapy assistants 👇🏼

1. Pretend Play Routines

Pretend play is where the magic of language truly blossoms. Stuffed animals make it easy (and fun!) to model new routines and vocabulary without overwhelming little learners.

Try creating simple scenarios like:

• Feeding the teddy bear (introduce action words like eat, drink, chew)

• Putting the bunny to bed (model sleep, night-night, blanket)

• Taking the dog to the doctor (teach ouch, band-aid, fix, feel better)

By using stuffed animals as stand-ins, you’re helping children expand their play skills and vocabulary while keeping things low-pressure and natural. It’s an easy way to sneak in language-rich moments that feel more like play than therapy.

2. Teaching Social Routines

Social routines are a cornerstone of communication development—and stuffed animals make practicing them a lot more fun!

You can use them to model greetings, goodbyes, and turn-taking in a playful, non-intimidating way:

• “Hello, Bear!” (wave, smile, make eye contact)

• “Bye-bye, Bunny!” (practice joint attention and routines)

• “Your turn to feed the puppy!” (build awareness of turn-taking and sharing)

This approach works beautifully with children who might not yet be ready to practice these routines directly with peers or adults. It gives them a comfortable “middle ground” for learning through observation and imitation.

3. Encouraging Environmental and Animal Sounds

Stuffed animals can also be your best friends when working on speech sound development or early sound imitation.

Try naming each stuffed animal by its target sound (“This is Ssssnake!” or “Meet Buh Bunny!”) or incorporate them into songs like Old MacDonald to encourage those early consonant and vowel productions.

Kids love when you bring these animals to life—it turns repetitive sound practice into something fun and purposeful.

4. Add a Little Bit of Silly

Sometimes, the best therapy moments happen when we let loose a little!

If your child is shy or hesitant, try speaking through the stuffed animal instead of directly as the therapist. Give the animal a funny voice or have it “talk” to the child:

• “Mr. Monkey says he wants to sit on your head—should he?”

• “Oh no, Bunny fell asleep on the crayons! What should we do?”

Adding humor creates connection and builds trust. When children see that therapy can be fun and playful, they’re more likely to engage—and that’s half the battle in Early Intervention.

So don’t be afraid to be silly! Let your stuffed animal “misbehave,” hide under the table, or tell a joke. It lightens the atmosphere, reduces anxiety, and encourages communication in a natural, low-pressure way.

Why Stuffed Animals Work So Well

Stuffed animals aren’t just cute—they’re effective because they meet kids where they are developmentally.

They:

• Offer comfort and familiarity, reducing anxiety in new therapy settings.

• Serve as non-threatening partners for practicing social and play routines.

• Provide built-in storytelling opportunities that foster imagination and sequencing skills.

• Allow for modeling through pretend play, one of the most powerful ways young children learn language.

With so many benefits packed into one soft, squishy toy, it’s no wonder stuffed animals have earned a permanent spot in my therapy bag.

Want to Dive Deeper Into Early Intervention?

If Early Intervention is your passion (or maybe something you’ve been curious to explore), I’d love to help you take your skills to the next level.

My Early Intervention Academy for SLPs offers 8 PDHs and walks you through everything from setting up your therapy space to managing tricky sessions and coaching parents effectively.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Make differential diagnoses for EI populations

• Set up your therapy environment for success

• Handle sessions when things don’t go as planned

• Coach and empower caregivers during sessions

• Find new ideas for your pre-linguistic, GLP, or suspected apraxia clients

And yes—there are tons of ready-to-use handouts and resources waiting for you inside!

If you’re ready to feel more confident in your Early Intervention work, click here to join the waitlist for the EI Academy.

Trust me—your future self (and your little clients!) will thank you.

Stuffed animals may seem like a simple tool, but they hold endless potential for creativity, connection, and communication growth in Early Intervention. So go ahead—grab that bear, bunny, or puppy—and let the therapy magic begin!