Save, Print, and Use Free Articulation Materials - A New Look

I've completely redone my free articulation resources page. You can always find the page when you need it by clicking on the "Download/Print Free Speech Articulation Materials" link at the top of any page on my blog. I hope the new format is a little easier on the eye and will make it easier to find what you need.

For those of you who haven't visited that page, here is a brief summary of the free speech materials and resources you can find there:

• Speech Articulation Cards with pictures for a wide variety of sounds. The target words in these cards sets are kept simple (CV, VC, and CVC) in order to be useful with young children, children with severe speech delays, children with childhood apraxia of speech, hearing imparied children, and other populations with similar needs. So far there are over 840 cards available for over 20 target sounds. I add more regularly as I make them.
  
  
• There are a handful of speech homework booklets (six and counting). These are booklets printed on a single sheet of paper and then folded into booklet form. They tell simple stories in a format where young children can participate by "reading" their target word from pictures inserted into parts of the story. Send them home as homework. If you're a parent, print them and keep them in your child's room and read them with your child at bedtime.
  
  
• There are a few other printable resources like some minimal pairs sets, pivot phrase worksheets, and other assorted worksheets.
  
  
  
  
• There's a section of tips for parents doing home therapy or home practice sessions with their children.
• There is also a growing list (15 and counting) of speech games and activities you can do using the free articulation picture cards.
  
  

If you like the resources, please consider sending me an email and sharing your experiences using them at testyyettrying(at)gmail(dot)com. Be sure not to miss future cardsets or activity suggestions by subscribing to my blog through email or a feed reader in the upper left hand corner of the page.

Thanks for reading!

I must be crazy. (Planning a long car trip - Help!)

Many factors converged and it occurred to me that I might - just might be willing to attempt a 24 hour (round-trip) car ride with my children without my husband. (I must be crazy.) This is how I arrived at that rather startling conclusion...

There are several factors playing into this decision. Many of my loved ones live a 12 hour drive away in the New Orleans, LA area. We don't get to see them as often as we'd like but they are dear to us. I desperately want my children to have significant relationships with their extended family. They are wonderful people and true connections with wonderful people are gifts to be treasured in life.

The children are slightly, yet significantly older than the last time we made the trek (8 months ago). School is going to start soon, so now is the time. Also, the children are nearing the end of their first set of swimming lessons and my Louisiana relatives have a pool. Finally, I mentioned the idea, somewhat offhandedly, to my mother and she jumped at the chance to drive down with us.

And so, in a couple of weekends I'm going to pack up the children, leave my husband behind, and my mother and I are going to take the children on a 12+ hour car ride to New Orleans, LA for a three day visit before the return trip.

I'm less worried about the actual stay (wonderful relatives, pool in the backyard, a backyard the size of a small park to explore...) than I am about how to fill 24+ hours in a car with a 3 and 4 year old. We'll have access to videos, but even the power of the television wears off. Any suggestions?

Liquid Watercolor Activity: Rubber Cement Resist

Take a piece of watercolor paper and let the children drizzle all over it with rubber cement. (If you have never used rubber cement, be warned - absolutely do not try to clean spills up with water. Seriously, take my traumatized word for it. Just let it dry and then rub it off.) Having completed the project I'll say this. Lay the rubber cement on thick. It'll be easier to rub off. The color bleeds through the resist and the rubber cement is harder to rub off where it is thin. It is still a pretty effect, just not as dramatic and harder to work with.

Once dry, let children paint over the rubber cement with watercolors and let it dry again. Optional: Give the children rice to sprinkle onto the wet watercolors and let it dry with the rice in place for an interesting extra effect. Once dry, shake off the rice (if you did that) and show them how to remove the dry rubber cement by rubbing it off with their fingers.

You should be left with a beautiful abstract painting that demonstrates a resist technique very well.

Notes from the trenches:

• Again, it cannot be stated too many times, do not attempt to clean up rubber cement spills, drips, or paintbrushes with water.
• Do use watercolor paper. I forgot and used cardstock by accident. The paper didn't hold up well and we got some tears when trying to remove the rubber cement.
  
  
  
  
• Do not offer salt as an additional technique for adding effect. The salt will stick to your rubber cement and make it much, much more difficult to remove the rubber cement from your painting.

(This activity was inspired by this post.)

Other Liquid Watercolor Activities

• Painting a Polar Bear Landscape with Preschoolers
• Salt Art
• Contact Paper Resist (Nameplate)
• Painting a Wooden Mosaic
• Paint Prep and Organization