Roses are red, violets are blue. Speech therapy is sweet, and so are you!
This week, we’re celebrating love all week long in our speech therapy sessions. While enjoying sweet treats and Valentine’s recipes certainly makes this week extra special, you may be looking for another fun way to fill your little one’s week. With the chilly, snowy weather seemingly here to stay, a sensory-filled activity may help get some energy out while cozied up inside. So… let’s make some slime!
Creating slime is a fantastic hands-on activity. Children can learn about science, make predictions, expand their vocabulary and flex their creative brain powers. Bonus: make this “love goo” by adding red or pink food dye and incorporating beads, glitter, and sparkles.
Now… let’s get this craft goo-ing!
Here are the items you will need for this craft:
- 1½ tablespoon buffered or multipurpose contact lens solution
- 1 4-6 oz bottle of white liquid glue
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- food coloring
- 2 Bowls
- Spoon
We also suggest some paper towels or wipes- things may get messy!
Instructions:
- Pour the glue in the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, contact lens solution and food coloring.
- Combine the glue with the baking soda solution. The slime may be sticky at first, but will become less sticky with additional kneading. If the texture needs to be adjusted, add a bit of water for oozier slime or a pinch of baking soda for firmer slime.
Speech and Language Tips:
- Sequencing events: Take pictures of your child following each step. Then, have your child retell how they made the slime and use the pictures as support. Additionally, you could print out the pictures and have your child place the pictures in the correct order for some added practice!
- Shapes: For hands-on learning, have your child form their slime into various shapes (heart, circle, square, etc.). For more practice, use cookie cutters to make different slime shapes, too!
- Verbs and Adjectives: Describe the slime (i.e. squishy, cold, soft, sticky) and different ways you can play with slime (i.e. pull, twist, squeeze). This is a great way to introduce new verbs and adjectives into your child’s vocabulary!
Looking for more? Be sure to check out some of our favorite Valentine’s Day books, snacktivity, and game here!
Happy love day!
The OWLS Therapy Team