Fall memory game:

These cards were found in the Spot section at Target (shout out to that area – it takes a lot of effort NOT to stroll through there every time I pass by) for just one dollar! What a steal. There are 12 pairs of cards related to Fall vocabulary – a bushel of apples, a bonfire, a scarecrow; you get the gist. These cards were created to be a memory game – you lay all the cards down and take turns trying to find the matches. As an SLP I can geek out on all the ways different speech and language skills can be addressed by playing this game, but if you have exhausted playing memory, you can use these cards for other reasons as well!

UPDATE:

While these specific cards may not be available anymore, you can still take these ideas and use them with other matching games. Fall vocabulary cards are also available on Teachers Pay Teachers. The best thing about these activities is that they are flexible and customizable!  

Articulation:

Your child may be working on some target speech sounds, and they are likely to be found on these cards (/b/ in football and /sh/ in bushel). Practicing the sounds can be more fun when they are themed!

Receptive language:

You can give your child a few cards, then say “I’m looking for the  Jack o Lantern. Do you have that card?” or “I’m looking for a card with something you can eat. Do you have a card with that?”

Expressive language:

You can encourage your child to talk about/describe the cards they have. If they need support, you can ask specific questions, such as “What color do you see on your card? Is it big or is it small?”

Hide and seek:

Split the cards into two piles, with one of each kind in each group (e.g. the two scarecrows go into separate piles). Hide one pile of cards around the room, with different cards going in different spots. Pick a card from the remaining pile, and search around the room for the matching one.

Scavenger hunt:

Give your child cards and have them find the actual objects around your house, or where they could be found even if you don’t have them. For example, an apple would be found in the kitchen, a scarecrow would be found outside.

AAC:

If your child has an AAC device, encourage them to find the words on the cards on their device. If able, they can form sentences describing the cards as well, or play the memory game with their device. They can say “yes” or “no” or “same” or “different” regarding the cards they picked up, indicate whose turn it is in the game, and declare who wins or loses.

If you're looking for more fun ways to target language and communication, check out our post on making speech exercises more fun, or our entire resources section!

If going to Target is not an option, your local Target does not have these cards, or you want more ideas, check out these, these, or these. You may also create your own!