Speech Therapy Materials
Taboo

My speech therapy materials Taboo ideas are ideal for children who are working on language and grammar goals. 

This page is for:

• Parents to use at home to target their child's speech and language goals 
• To give SLP’s fresh/fun ideas to use in a pinch! 

For my students, I use the curriculum as much as possible but sometimes students and SLPs deserve a fun break!

Again, I found this game at a local garage sale. I was very excited because I can't find it anywhere and I LOVE this game! You may find a used version on Amazon for a reasonable price. 

How To Play:

I never use games as they are intended. Instead, I change them to fit the goals of my students. Below are ideas I have already explored and have had a lot of success!

The general rules for Kids Taboo are simple. There 2 teams, a green and yellow. Each player takes turns being a "clue giver." The clue giver picks a card with a word on it and has to describe the word to his/her teammates and the other teammates have to guess the word. Once the word is guessed, the "clue giver" pulls another card, and the team keeps guessing until the timer runs out. However, I NEVER play with the timer!

The twist for taboo is, the player cannot use the words written on the card below the target word. I tweak this rule from time to time but more on that later.

Goal: Word Finding

For a child who can read, this is a great game to practice word-finding strategies (expressive and receptive)

1. Have a child pick a card and play the game as described. He/she has to describe the word with or without using the written clues below. This will depend on the language level of the child. 
2. The other players have to guess the word. When the word is guessed, everyone gets a point. I don't like to play teams.
3. Also, I don't like to use the timer. Time is not a friend of a child with word-finding problems. 
4. I let my students move around the game board, and when they reach a certain point, they get an extra sticker.  
5. The words written on the card can actually help a child with a word-finding disorder give "clues."

Goal: Oral Vocabulary Definitions

For children working on oral grammar and/or vocabulary:

• Have the child read the word a word on the top of the card and then the 2 words below it. 
• Next, have the child create an oral definition including all 3 words. For example, if the card says "blackboard" with "white" and "chalk" below it, your child may say "a blackboard is something that teachers write on with chalk." 
• You can use the game board as motivation. I allow my students to roll the dice after making a sentence and move around the board. 
• Another idea, set a goal such as 15 cards in 20 minutes or whatever is appropriate for your student/child.

This may be challenging for some students but great practice! 

Goal: EET (Expanding Expressions Tool)

Most of my language students use EET (Expanding Expressions Tool) in some fashion. This game works!

1. Have your student pull a card and read the word on top. 
2. Next, have a student pick an EET card. I have a few handmade ones with colors on it for my more advanced students. 
3. Then the student gives a clue about their word that corresponds with the EET card. The other players take turns guessing the mystery word. 
4. Again, I use the game board for motivation.

Goal: Articulation

How you target this goal will depend on the students.

As I have mentioned before,  I like to pull “non-speech” games to add a little distraction hoping to transfer their new articulation skills to automatic memory. 

To target articulation,  create a carrier phrase that contains the student’s target sound. 

Ideas:

• "th" - This word.....
• /g/ - Get read to guess
• /r/ - Are you ready?
• /l/ - Let's play

Before each turn or during a turn whichever applies, each student says the phrase with their “good sound.”