Use those Elves for Fun Language Activities!

Find those elves!  Use those cute little shelf elves for a great language activity that is fun for all ages.

Before you do anything else, go unpack your boxes and find those elves.  Gather them up and make a list of all of the places that you could hide him around the house.  Now make a list of outdoor places. Don’t forget the park, playground, and friend’s house.  Your list should include items that your child is familiar with and maybe even those words that she is working on in speech therapy: on the table, in the tent, on the train, under the book, etc. 

 

Use your child’s favorite items so you can model saying them and she can practice saying/imitating those words.  Hopefully you have several elves!

I found some really cute ones on sale last year at Michaels craft store!  You may want to start with using one elf at a time.  “Hide” the elf in a place that your child will most likely discover it or will easily find it when prompted to look for it.  “Where is the elf?  Let’s go find him.”  Guide your child to the elf if she is unable to find him.  For very young children, you will not actually be hiding the elf, but instead, placing him “on”, “under”, and “in” familiar places (like furniture and toys).

Have your little ones hide the elf with you and have an older sibling look for them.  The younger siblings usually give it away, but it’s still lots of fun.

Explore!

Don’t limit yourself to your house.  There are plenty of other places to take your elf.  Go to the park to put him down the slide or on the swing.  Label for your child what the elf is doing.  Did he go fast or slow?  Does your elf like to play in the sand or climb up the ladder?  Maybe he can go with you to get your haircut or go out to dinner.  Will he color a picture with you?  Maybe he likes to snuggle with you as you read a book.

I sing a song with my kiddos and we are labeling body parts as we are playing with our plastic bugs.  You could do the same with the elf.  Instead of singing: “I have a bug on my arm, on my arm, oh no!” You could sing:  “I have an elf on my arm, on my arm!”  This works best when you have at least 2 items (elves) so that you are able to model the play and point out the body part if your child is unsure or is not yet following that direction.  Sing several stanzas of the song to include: head, foot, leg, and toes.  You may want to assist your child in imitating you by using hand-over-hand if she tolerates.

Feeling really brave?

Bake some cookies for your elf and pretend to feed him when the cookies are cooled.  Allow your children to help with mixing and measuring.  Your child may be able to pour ingredients into the bowl.  Which spoon will you use:  the big spoon or the small spoon?  You would be surprised all of the language that you use while cooking or baking.

Do you mix the ingredients slowly or fast?  Try it both ways to see what happens!  If you are making roll out cookies, use a Santa cookie cutter and decorate as an elf.  Use a variety of seasonal cookies cutters so you can practice some new words.

Do any of your doll clothes fit the elf?  Try them!  You can talk about which items are too big or too small or just right!  You will also be labeling some important functional language too:  all of the clothing and body parts.  “Where do the shoes go?  On his feet?  Oh, the shoes are too big! Let’s try another one.”

Give your elf a bath by using a baby wipe.  Have your child follow the direction to throw the wipes away when you are all done.

Don’t forget the pretend play.  Make a little bed and blanket out of scrap fabric and some cardboard.  Practice singing a good-night song to the elf.  Sing it very quietly so that he can sleep.  Practice whispering “night-night” and “shhhh” as you put him to sleep.  Use a loud voice to wake him up!

You can use your elves for choice-making when you need to redirect.  “That is not a choice right now, but you can hold the blue elf or the green elf.  Which one do you want?”  Let’s be honest, this doesn’t always work, but when it does, you feel like a superstar!

Mia wanted to join the fun! 

 

I hope you have fun with your elf, or snowman, or whatever you might find in that box of yours!

Most of all, have a great time engaging with your children!  Enjoy!

 

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