Now that the weather is getting warmer and there are more opportunities to get outside to play, let’s talk about how blowing bubbles can be a low-cost and fun way to work on developing speech and language skills! I have incorporated bubbles into my speech/language sessions more times than I can count!🥳
Here are some reasons why!
Vocabulary Development: While engaging in bubble play, children may spontaneously produce words or phrases related to the activity, such as "pop," "big bubble," or "more bubbles," and can naturally include attributes such “big,” “small,” “fast,” “slow,” etc. while playing with bubbles. This provides opportunities for language expansion and vocabulary development. Sign language can also be taught and learned with bubbles. A few relevant signs are “want,” “more,” “open,” and “all done.”
Sound Development: This time can be spent practicing a variety of sounds while playing. Specifically, the early developing sounds /b,p,m/ naturally get repeated considering all of the ways they can be included: more, bubbles, big, pop, blow, up, etc. These sounds can then be combined to increase the difficulty such as in phrases (“more bubbles”) or sentences (“mommy, blow bubbles please”)!
Breath Control: Blowing bubbles encourages children to control their breath, regulating the force and speed of exhalation. This control is essential for proper speech production, as it helps in controlling the airflow needed to produce different speech sounds.
Oral Motor Skills: Blowing bubbles requires children to coordinate their breathing, lip, tongue, and jaw movements. These oral motor skills are essential for speech production. Practicing these movements through blowing bubbles can help strengthen the muscles involved in speech and improve articulation.
Fine and Gross Motor Skills: Navigating the bubbles container, holding and blowing a bubble wand, and/or pressing buttons to turn on a bubble machine encourage fine motor movements. Gross motor movements like chasing, catching children to stay engaged and also improves their motor skills! The fun part, popping bubbles, can strengthen motor skills as well!
Following Directions: Adults or older children can give verbal directions related to bubble play (e.g., "Blow gently," "Try to catch the bubbles"). Following these instructions enhances receptive language skills and strengthens comprehension.
Turn-Taking and Social Skills: Blowing bubbles in a group setting promotes turn-taking, joint attention, sharing, and social interaction. Children learn to communicate their desires (e.g., "My turn," "More bubbles, please") and respond to others, fostering social skills and pragmatic language development.
Sensory Stimulation: Blowing bubbles provides sensory stimulation, engaging multiple senses such as sight, touch, and hearing. This multisensory experience can be beneficial for children with speech and language delays or disorders, as it helps to increase their awareness and responsiveness to their environment.
Bubbles are fun!! Blowing bubbles is a fun and engaging (AND SCREEN-FREE!) activity that can capture a child's attention for an extended period. Try playing with bubbles - the blowing kind OR using a machine - and see if you can do it without cracking a smile! 😁
Get those bubbles blowing!
Blowing bubbles is a versatile and enjoyable activity that can support various aspects of speech and language development in children while providing a playful and engaging learning environment. Hope you get a chance to enjoy this activity soon!
Looking for bubble related product recommendations? Check out the products below!
At Latch on to Language, I specialize in working with children from toddler-age to teenage and most frequently service those with deficits in articulation/phonology and language. I prefer to hold therapy sessions in my clients’ homes so that the environment is familiar and so that family members can observe and continue to provide practice/similar strategies between sessions. I offer in-home services to clients in Cecil County, MD, and nearby towns/cities in MD, PA, and DE. Additional travel fees apply to locations beyond this area. Virtual lessons are also effective and can be provided to address many speech and language concerns.
If you or your child fit any of the descriptions above or you’d like more information, please reach out to see if Latch on to Language may be a good fit! I look forward to working with you! 🌟
Comments