June 2022: "Picnic Party" Picnic Theme

by Heidi Martino August 16, 2022

TPT Seller of the Month

Our "Picnic Party" TPT Seller of the Month is Michelle from @bilingualslpllc

Picnic Communication Board + Picnic Scene

*Grab yourself a set of these dry erase boards by clicking the image above!*

I'm absolutely loving these dry erase picture scenes and core boards each month! This month's theme, "picnic," is so versatile for your summer and early fall therapy sessions, while the weather is still warm and the kids spend lots of time outside. Picture scenes are a great material to used with mixed groups because you can incorporate target vocabulary, articulation, formulating sentences, asking/answering questions, and pragmatics or problem solving. Using the core and fringe vocabulary set on the back, you are set with your vocabulary selection for multiple lessons!

For an interactive lesson, pair this picture scene with the Sorting Surprise Picnic Baskets also included in this month's cube. Use the included picnic item toys, or fill the baskets with articulation targets, WH questions, or hypothetical problems to customize your lesson for your mixed groups!

Learning Resources Sorting Surprise Picnic Baskets

These picnic baskets, filled with related picnic-themed mini toys, are a great material for the SLP who travels to multiple rooms throughout the day. You can simply use the baskets on their own as a guessing game for individual or small group lessons -- using target sentences like "I think..." or "open the (color) basket." Do you teach group lessons in PreK or primary grades? Using a smart board, put up a picnic scene (similar to the one provided in this month's cube) and pictures that correspond to the toys. When one picnic basket is open, the students can take turns moving the matching item to the picnic blanket. During this lesson, target a variety of skills including:

Formulating sentences by using the core/fringe vocabulary on the back of the picnic scene.
Following direction/basic concepts: "put the cheese on the circle plate"
Categorizing: Separate items into their corresponding category or add more to a target category.

Pete the Cat: Big Lunch Card Game

Pete the Cat Big Lunch is one of my top 10 books to use in speech therapy! It's appropriate for use with a range of ages, and just about everyone can relate to eating a lunch that they love! The book is easily accessible on YouTube and is likely in your school's library. Pair the cards directly with the book to follow along and build a sandwich, or use the cards separately to build a silly sandwich. This book and activity gives ample opportunity to give opinions, comment, ask questions, and use target sentences/vocabulary. This activity is another great use for the core/fringe board included in this month's cube.

Making a Fruit Salad Sequencing Set

This month's @thesparkinnovations Sequencing Cards set is focused on "Making a Fruit Salad" and fits perfectly with our picnic party theme! Pair these with making a real life fruit salad, or a pretend one with play food, for hands on sequencing!

I love to use these sequencing card sets as a warm up for my sessions. They "spark" (get it?) lots of conversation between you and your students! I also frequently use them during my assessments to gather informal narrative language data.

Advocacy Strategies Visual

This month's visual strategy bookmark provides students visuals for advocating for themselves, and active listening in the classroom. Use the QR code included to download more copies of this bookmark - give one to each student and even teachers!

Picnic Basket SLP Sticker

What's in your SLP picnic basket? Love this cute sticker to jazz up your planner, water bottle, or laptop case! My basket would definitely include coffee, water, flare pens, and a Speech Cube - what else do you need?!