Speech Therapy Bubbles

Bubbles, who doesn't love bubbles?! Anyone can target any speech and language skill with our speech therapy bubbles ideas. 

The reason that bubbles are so awesome is that they are naturally motivating. Children will WANT to play with them and work hard (even though they don't know they are working) to keep on playing with them. This is when the best learning takes place!

speech therapy bubbles

Speech Therapy Bubbles Ideas

You can simply use bubbles as a reward or for motivation. However, there are other ways to use bubbles with children of all ages. 

For example: 

  • Sequencing while making bubbles
  • Following directions
  • Vocabulary

Motivation

I use bubbles as a reward or motivation for many occasions from ages 12 months to 8 years of age! It is timeless.

Some examples: 

  • Walking back to a therapy room (for younger kids)
  • Reward after completing an activity
  • 2 minute play if all rules were followed
  • Prize to be earned after a month of hard work!
  • Or, as an actual activity, see below....

Articulation

  1. /b/: Say "bubbles" or "blow" before you blow bubbles. 
  2. /p/: Say "pop" as you pop bubbles
  3. /m/: Say "more" to ask for more bubbles
  4. Etc....

Early Language Goals

  1. Attributes: Describe the bubbles as they float through the air with descriptive words such as "big," "small," "fast," "slow," "pink," "clear," "lots," or "few"
  2. Vocabulary: Name the objects in the room that the bubbles "land on" such as a table or floor. I have even placed vocabulary cards on the ground and blew bubbles. My students had to name the cards as the bubbles landed on them. VERY MOTIVATING!
  3. Verbs: Practice "pop," "blow," "float," "fall," or "run"
  4. Sentence expansion: Practice 2-3 word sentences: "Blow bubbles," "Blow more bubbles," or "I want bubbles."

Advanced Language Goals

Below are great speech therapy bubbles ideas to use for children working on later developing concepts.

  1. Following Directions: Blow bubbles up in the air and then tell your child or student which ones to pop. I like to focus on spatial concepts here. For example, pop all the bubbles under the tree or pop the bubbles beside the door. 
  2. Sequencing: Make bubbles! Follow any recipe you find online. To focus on language, organize all the materials on a counter. Then, sequence the steps, i.e.,...first measure the corn syrup, second pour it into a bowl, etc... Practice measuring vocabulary while you are at it! Have fun finding and trying different recipes online. We have tried quite a few in this house. 

Below is a favorite: (proportions may be a little off, we always tweak it!)

  • 5 cups water
  • 1/2 corn syrup
  • 2 cups Dawn Detergent (different colors make for colorful bubbles!)
  1. Mix the water and corn syrup together until smooth
  2. Add detergent
  3. Add more or less water until you get the consistency you desire

Social Skills

Social skills are so important and kids are lacking exposure these days! Some kids need to be taught socials skills too! It doesn't matter which group your child fits into. The speech therapy bubbles activities below will work for everyone.

You can practice and model good social skills while playing with bubbles: 

  • Practice asking for another turn and waiting for a turn
  • Share which game you want to play with bubbles and why
  • Practice inviting a friend to join in the bubble fun
  • Share a personal story about blowing bubbles and then practice making comments and asking questions about others' stories

Executive Functioning: Toddler to Early Elementary Students

Executive function skills are our abilities to plan, control impulses and emotions, multi-task, pay and shift attention, and organize. Our executive functioning skills will continue to develop as our frontal lobe continues to grow; however, we can start things off on the right foot!

  1. Plan out everything needed to play speech therapy bubbles
  2. Sequence steps needed to complete the game. Focus on using sequence words while discussing steps (i.e., FIRST find the bubbles, NEXT open them, etc…)
  3. Talk about safety/rules when playing bubbles likes staying away from the street, etc..

Find some more speech therapy ideas for the home here!

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