Therapy Tip: A New Use for Bath Foam Toys

It's Therapy Thursday! This is the day that I share a tip based upon my experience as a pediatric speech-language pathologist and a mother of a child with special needs. Today's tip is quick and simple:

Using Bath Foam Toys for Language Building

Bath foam toys are often used with young children to make bath time more fun. These foam toys, like the 16 pack pictured above available in stores or online, are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. 

So here's what to do. Take the bath foams you have around the house (or purchase them). Grab a little water spray bottle like this one: 

Then head to your nearest glass door.

Use the spray bottle to wet a small area on the glass door, then place one of the foam pieces in wetted area. Tada! They stick! The young kids I have tried this with have really enjoyed it.

While you are playing with your child, here are some words and concepts that are targeted:
-Vocabulary Simply name the picture on the foam.
-Wet/dry Have the child touch the wet spot to really feel what wet means. Use a towel to make the glass dry again.
-My turn/your turn Take turns wetting the door to work on turn taking and saying 'my turn.'
-Up/high/low/down Use the child's shortness to your advantage! Have them say "up" before picking them up and helping them reach the top of the glass door to place a foam. Only do one foam at a time like this so you have many opportunities for them to say "up" (or whatever word or phrase your child needs to work on). Talk about the placement of the foams on the door using the words high or low.
-If you only have alphabet letters, you can work on:
      *individual speech sound imitation if your child has a speech sound disorder. (Example- Show the child the letter b, and model /b/. Have them repeat it.)
      *saying the child's name by spelling out the name with the letters.
      *naming letters of the alphabet for preschool age children.


Simple, easy, and fun! This is a great way to use a familiar item in a new way to build language. Give it a try!

Therapy Thursday is for educational purposes only and not intended as therapeutic advice.