How Do You Use It?! April: Popsicle Sticks! (Linky Party)

It's a new month and time for the next, "How Do You Use It?!" linky party!!  I will share with you my favorite ways of using a common product found in most therapy rooms (or able to be purchased cheaply).  Some other SLP bloggers will be linking their posts on the same topic on the bottom of this post!

This month, I will share how I use Popsicle sticks!

There are TONS of ways to use Popsicle sticks in speech therapy.  Have you seen a previous post of mine about a game I created called, "Sports Pick-A-Stick?!"  You can see the original post by clicking HERE!

 I created this DIY game using Popsicle sticks, stickers I found at Target, markers, and an index card!  I took out an index card and markers, same colors as those I used for my Popsicle sticks.  I wrote various vocabulary words on each Popsicle stick!  I created a visual to represent the directions for this game.  I laminated the index card just for safe keeping!

Now it is time to play!  That was it!  Students one at a time can pick a stick.  For each stick they take, they must use the visual so they know what is expected of them for that word on stick.  In order to "keep" the stick, they must accurately define, use in a sentence, draw, or name the category it belongs in.  Whoever has the most at the end, wins!

Once the game was completed, we used all the terms discussed and used our EET strategies to expand our definitions of them.  We used the mini dry erase boards to work together to sort all the words.

What are some other ways I have used Popsicle sticks in my therapy room?

• Calling on random students:  You can write students names on the sticks.  You can put the sticks in a cup or bag, pull out a stick to randomly select students to answer questions or take a turn in a game.  This way students don't think you are calling on anyone in specific.  This only works if all students in the group have the same goals and are working on the same tasks.
• Reinforcers:  Do your students need immediate reinforcers?  Take a clear plastic cup and a batch of Popsicle sticks.  As students demonstrate good listening behaviors and working appropriately, you can reinforce them by placing the Popsicle sticks in the cup.  Once the cup is filled up, they can get their reward.  This is just a quick, cheap, and easy reward system!
• Following directions:  You can have students pick the sticks that you name ("take the yellow stick with the number 5 on it") or they can follow directions by building things with the sticks!

These are just some of my favorite ways to use Popsicle sticks in speech therapy!  I love my colored Popsicle sticks which I have found in the dollar store!!  It makes it so easy to create so many activities and the colors are just fun!

Stay tuned to next month's "How do you use it?!" post!

Check below to see how other SLP bloggers use Popsicle sticks!!

An InLinkz Link-up