Speech Therapy Fall Activities

One Simple Activity You Can Adapt for Any Goal

This speech therapy fall activity started as a simple reinforcer for articulation practice—and quickly became one of my most flexible therapy tools.

Fall is naturally motivating for kids: colorful leaves, pumpkins, cooler weather, and hands-on play. Using a simple fall tree and leaves, you can easily target speech, language, executive functioning, and social skills without complicated materials or prep.

This activity proves something I believe strongly:
simple, functional materials lead to the best communication practice.

Why This Speech Therapy Fall Activity Works

Communication doesn’t happen through step-by-step worksheets. It happens through interaction, play, and shared experiences.

This speech therapy fall activity:

• uses everyday vocabulary and concepts
• encourages movement and hands-on learning
• can be adapted instantly for different goals and ages
• works in individual or group therapy

If you have time to gather real leaves outside—great. If not, this printable version gives you the same flexibility with zero stress.

How to Get Started

1. Download the fall tree and leaf pictures
2. Print and cut out the leaves
3. Glue, sort, describe, and play

That’s it.
Everything else comes from how you adapt it for your students.

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Speech Therapy Fall Language Activities

Vocabulary (Toddler–Early Elementary)

Skip the flashcards and teach vocabulary through play.

While gluing leaves onto the tree, naturally target words like:

• cut
• glue
• leaves
• fall
• colors
• more
• sticky
• branches
• seasons

This supports early vocabulary, verbs, concepts, and joint attention.

Following Directions (Preschool–Early Elementary)

Following directions requires vocabulary knowledge, attention, and working memory. This speech therapy fall activity supports all three.

One-Step Directions

• Cut out one leaf
• Give me the glue
• Glue one leaf on the page

Sequential Directions

• First find a red leaf, then a green leaf
• First glue the yellow leaf, second glue the red leaf

Before / After Directions

• Before you glue the red leaf, give me a green one
• After you cut the yellow leaf, cut the green one

Spatial Directions

• Glue the leaf on top of the tree
• Put the leaf under the green one

Complex Language: “No Hands” Game

This is one of my favorite ways to build expressive language.

How to Play “No Hands”

• Place all the leaves on the table
• Students may not point
• They must describe the leaf they want

Language Skills You Can Target

• Vocabulary: color, size, shape
• Attributes: tall, wide, skinny, round
• Quantity: one point, many points
• Grammar: full sentences (“I want a leaf that…”)

If a student struggles, use visual narrowing:

• Lay out matching leaves
• Prompt for one more descriptor
• Remove leaves as information increases

This naturally improves descriptive language and word retrieval.

Sorting & Categorization

Before or after play, sort leaves by:

• size
• shape
• color
• width

This is especially helpful during direct teaching or for students who need more structure.

Executive Functioning Skills

This speech therapy fall activity also supports early executive functioning by targeting:

• planning materials
• sequencing steps
• impulse control
• attention and task completion

Examples:

• Plan what materials are needed
• Sequence steps using first/next/last
• Discuss safety rules for scissors and glue

Social Skills in Group Therapy

During group sessions, provide:

• one pair of scissors
• one glue stick

This naturally creates opportunities to practice:

• requesting a turn
• waiting
• negotiating
• inviting peers to join

Simple setup → meaningful interaction.

Speech Sound Practice (Articulation)

You can easily practice articulation during this fall activity.

Use functional words that naturally occur while making the tree, or use the speech therapy fall activity as a reinforcer after drill practice.

After 10 correct productions, the student earns a turn to choose and glue a leaf.

Simple. Motivating. Effective.

Reference:

Stahl & Fairbanks (1986):
Stahl, S. A., & Fairbanks, M. M. (1986). The effects of vocabulary instruction: A model-based meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 56(1), 72–110.