Speech & Language Therapy with Lego Duplo Build Me Emotions

Months ago (actually too long ago -- but life has been busy for me), I shared how I've been using Lego Duplo Animal Bingo in therapy.  If you missed that post, you can read it here.  I also received other Lego Duplo sets in my Donors Choose project that have been amazing to use in speech & language therapy with all of my elementary school students.

Today, let me share how I've been using Lego Duplo Build Me Emotions.

First, an overview of the product:  Lego Duplo Build Me Emotions comes with 188 Duplo size blocks to allow children to build people and explore emotions.  There are 8 face blocks, depicting 8 different emotions. (The face blocks are double sided, so you technically have 2 of every face/emotion.)  The set also comes with 8 double sided cards depicting 16 characters to be built.

Initially, I thought this would be a great way to talk about emotions and feelings with my younger students as well as my students who have pragmatic goals.  I also thought that my older students wouldn't want anything to do with these blocks as they aren't the "normal size" Lego blocks.  I was wrong.  SAY WHAT?!?!  Yes, I was wrong.  My students just want to build with Lego, regardless of the size.

How I have used this Lego Duplo set in therapy:

1) To target similarities and differences:  I build a simple figure (using 4-6 pieces, with one piece being a face).  I give the students enough blocks to build the same figure (but color of blocks and faces may be different).  We line up all of the figures, then pick 2 and discuss how they are similar and different.  Or I will give all the students the same block pieces (again color of blocks and faces may differ) and allow them to create their own figures.  We line them up to discuss how they are similar and different.  As you can see from the 3 photos, the same pieces were used each time.  The top photo shows how my students copied my figure.  The bottom two photos show how they created their own.  All from the same pile of blocks.

2) To target following directions:  I build a simple figure (with or without a face).  I give my students the blocks they need to build the same figure (along with 1 or 2 extra blocks).  I hide my figure (behind a binder) and then describe what I want them to build.  Basically, this is a Lego version of a barrier game.   

3) To target expressive language (describing, using sentences) and/or articulation skills:  This activity is very similar to what I described in bullet #2; however during this activity, the students describe the simple figure to be built.  This is a great way to have students work on speaking clearly (articulation carryover) or using sentences or descriptive terms.

 
4) To target emotions: I give each student a different face and a limited amount of blocks.  They build a figure.  We discuss how the character is feeling and why they might be feeling that way.

The first 3 activities need to be planned prior to therapy.  I dump out all of the blocks and sort by block shape.  For activity #1: I make 4 similar figures - not worrying if block colors or faces are the same as I only need block shape to be the same for this activity.  I store each set of 4 in a Ziploc bag.

For activities #2 & #3: I attempt to make 4 identical creations.  Remember, you don't want to use tons of blocks as activities #2 and #3 will be difficult for your language impaired students.  Once I have a group of 4 identical creations, I keep one built and dump the 1 built creation plus all the blocks needed for the other 3 creations into a Ziploc bag. 

Sometimes it is a time saver to dump each creation (unbuilt) into a small sandwich bag and then the 4 sandwich bags into one big Ziploc bag.   Remember, if your creations for #2 and #3 have faces, then you can use those same creations for activity #1.

The Lego Duplo Build Me Emotions set has been a HUGE hit in therapy!  Even my 5th graders have enjoyed the activities I have shared with you today.

Speech & Language Therapy with Lego Duplo Animal Bingo

Recently, I decided that I needed more toys for my therapy room.  A few of my current students aren't developmentally ready for "table learning" with worksheets, picture cards or board games.   They need hands-on learning.  They need toys.  After some research and thought, I decided Lego Duplo blocks would be a great addition to my therapy room.  Initially, I was leaning toward regular Lego blocks, but didn't want my younger students to struggle with the fine motor skills needed to build with those smaller blocks.

Not having tons of money to spend, I chose to fund my Lego Duplo blocks via a Donors Choose project.  Donors Choose is an amazing website -- if you're not familiar with it, you should check it out.  I submitted my project request on a Thursday night.  Friday morning it was approved and by Friday evening, it was fully funded.   Items were ordered Saturday morning and in my possession by Tuesday afternoon in time to use in therapy on Wednesday.   Mind you, Donors Choose projects don't always get funded (or arrive) this quickly.  It was amazing how quickly all of this happened.

Check out my new therapy fun:

I've had this box of Lego Duplo fun for less than a week and already I am seeing a world of possibilities!  When I originally requested these products, I had only a few of my students in mind. Little did I realize how many more of my students these products would actually benefit.  Initially, I thought my older students wouldn't want anything to do with these blocks as they aren't the "normal size" Lego blocks.  I was wrong. SAY WHAT?!?!  Yes, I was wrong.  They just want to build.

Today, let me share what we did with Lego Duplo Animal Bingo.

First an overview of the product:  Lego Duplo Animal Bingo comes with enough blocks to build 8 different animals and 8 game cards depicting the blocks needed to build each animal.  The game cards are 2 sided with one side showing the animal built with all the same color block and the other side showing the same animal built with different colored blocks.  Each student is given a game card (or 2).  All of the blocks go in the container.  Someone (usually the adult) picks a random block from the container.  If one of the students need it to build their animal, s/he says, "I need that block."  The winner is the first person to have all the blocks needed to build their animal.  

How I used it in therapy:

1) To target colors - check out all those colors!  A yellow giraffe, a red bunny, a pink snail, a green bird, a blue elephant, a brown moose, an orange ostrich, and a purple camel.

2) To target increasing vocabulary by naming animals.

3) To target increasing vocabulary by naming action words while the animals walk, run, hop, sleep, eat, talk, spin, hide, etc.

4) To target same and different by matching the correct block to the one pictured on the game card.  This was difficult for one of my students - he wanted to match a red block to a red block without regard for shape or size or even the fact there was an eye on the block.  With lots of modeling from me, he began to understand what he needed to do.




5) As a reinforcement during articulation therapy.  I gave each student 2 game boards.  They had to say their target words correctly 5-10x to earn a block to build their animal.  They loved this activity! 





6) To target answering and asking questions.  My student had to ask for two game cards, requesting which animals he wanted ("Can I have the giraffe?").   I also had two game cads.  We took turns closing our eyes and reaching in the box for a random block.  If I needed it, I would model, "I need this block for my animal."  If I didn't need it, I would ask the student, "Do you need this block?"  If he answered, "Yes", I would follow up with "Which animal needs this block?"   My student was expected to ask me similar questions after he chose a block from the box.



7) To target creative, spontaneous language while playing.

I've had these blocks for less than a week and look at everything we've been doing!  And I've only shared what we did with ONE of the Lego Duplo products!   Wait until you see what we do next week with these fun blocks!