When winter rolls in, so do the winter themes in speech therapy! Embrace all things cold and wintery by incorporating the topics right into your speech therapy sessions with students of all ages.
Winter Speech Therapy Themes
Like it or not, winter brings lots of changes in the weather, environment, and activities... not to mention many holidays and celebrations. Use any of these engaging themes in speech therapy all winter long!
Winter Holidays and Events
These winter occasions make the perfect themes for speech therapy. Students are likely talking about or celebrating many of them, making these holidays a great way to learn more about our traditions and those of others.
Hanukkah takes place across 8 days each November or December. During this time, Jewish people gather with family and friends to light the menorah, give gifts, sing hymns, and eat.
Christmas, a Christian holiday that occurs each December 25, is marked by gift-giving, decorating an evergreen tree, hanging strings of lights, singing carols, and baking cookies.
Kwanzaa occurs from December 26-January 1 and celebrates and honors African and African-American culture through recitations, music, feasts, and gifts.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day take place on the last and first day of the year, respectively. This occasion is celebrated differently around the world.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day falls on the third Monday in January and recognizes the influential work on the civil rights advocate, Martin Luther King Jr.
The Chinese (or Lunar) New Year is a 15-day festival occurring sometime between January 21 and February 20. The celebrations include setting off fireworks, feasting, holding nighttime parades, visiting with family, and honoring deceased relatives.
Black History Month occurs throughout February. During this time, people celebrate the achievements and history of black people.
Groundhog Day is on February 2 each year. On this day, a groundhog comes out of its burrow to determine if it sees its shadow (and returns to the burrow for 6 more weeks of winter, if it does).
Valentine's Day, which is celebrated on February 14th, is a time for people to share their affection with friends and family through sending cards, giving flowers or candy, or spending quality time.
President's Day takes place on the third Monday in February. This U.S. federal holiday celebrates the birthdays of two former presidents (George Washington and Abraham Lincoln).
Mardi Gras (which is French for "Fat Tuesday") occurs on the Tuesday before Lent begins. It is a joyous day of parades and food that precedes a period of fasting for some people.
Leap Day is a fun day that occurs every 4 years when an extra day is added to the month of February, giving it 29 days.
Winter Weather
Snow, ice, and wind are some of the first things many of us think of when we think of winter. These weather-related topics are a great way to incorporate what's literally happening outside in your speech therapy sessions.
Snow is something most kids (and few adults) can get enough of! Even for those in warmer climates, snow is one of the best winter themes there is. For older students, you can extend the theme to severe winter weather.
Ice (including forms such as hail, sleet, and icicles) is another winter theme that can be used, especially as it relates to winter safety when walking and driving.
Cold temperatures are another hallmark of winter weather that's often talked about in the news and everyday life in many parts of the country.
Dressing for winter (coats, mittens, hats, etc.) is a topic that many students are familiar with and opens up tons of possibilities for eliciting language. Winter clothing is a theme that can be used with young students (get this paper doll activity on TpT or Boom), as well as those working on life skills (get this functional deck on TpT or Boom).
Winter Activities
While winter weather impedes a lot of outdoor recreation, there are still many activities that can be used as speech therapy themes.
Building a snowman and other snow activities (like making a snow angel) are exciting activities for kids in the wintertime.
Winter sports is a great theme to use, especially during years that the Winter Olympics are held. Students will love learning about sports they've participated in, seen on T.V., or never even heard of.
Drinking hot chocolate is a favorite winter pastime for many students, which makes it a high-interest theme that you can easily incorporate into speech therapy sessions.
Winter Animals
Animals are a favorite topic for many kids, making it a great speech therapy theme for the winter months. In the winter, you can talk about animals that thrive in cold weather or escape it through hibernation or migration.
Arctic animals such as penguins, polar bears, and reindeer are fun to learn about and discuss.
Hibernation during the winter is another animal topic that incorporates many concepts and language.
Migration (of animals such as whales, birds, fish, insects, and caribou) is another fascinating topic for your animal-loving speech therapy students.
Winter can be dull and dreary, but only if you let it be! Use winter topics in speech therapy to make your sessions relevant and relatable to students. Go ahead and download a free winter lesson planning spreadsheet to help you organize all the links you'll be using.
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