6 Amazing Apps for Speech and Language Practice
By Olivia Dolleton, M.A., CF-SLP
The holidays are over and many of our kiddos have shiny new toys to play with — including tablets, iPads, and computer games. When used in moderation, interactive applications can be beneficial to a child’s speech and language development. Speech-language pathologists have started integrating technology into therapy to target children’s communication skills in a fun, engaging manner. The best way to utilize these apps at home is to play them with your child to help them learn and navigate the material.
Here are some helpful speech-language applications to supplement your child’s growing communication skills (specifically targeted toward children ages 2-7):
Speech Development Apps:
Articulation Station Pro
This speech articulation application provides children with fun, colorful pictures and activities to practice target sounds in all positions (beginning, middle, and end of words). It is one of the most popular apps used among pediatric speech-language pathologists.
Features:
- Vast speech sound library focuses on target sounds in words, phrases, sentences, and stories
- Playback feature allows the child to record their voice and determine whether they’ve produced the correct target sound
Price: $59.99
Note: Free demo version available, but does not include all target sounds. Spanish version also available on iTunes.
Word FLiPS
Created by Super Duper Publications, Word FLiPS is an essential app for emerging communicators with limited vocabulary and children with untelligible speech.
Features:
- Targets CV (consonant-vowel combinations) allowing children to blend syllables and increase oral-motor movement
- Focuses on functional vocabulary, including: “go, me, bye”, etc.
- Categorizes sounds by lip/tongue placement
Price: $29.99
Language Development Apps:
My PlayHome
My PlayHome is an interactive dollhouse application that allows children to make family characters move around the house and engage in various activities. Caregivers, teachers, and SLPs are essential in helping a child use this app to target specific language needs.
Targets:
- Pronouns (She is running. That is his hat.)
- Verbs (Sister is jumping. Brother is eating.)
- Following directions (Put the girl in the living room. Put the boy on the trampoline.)
Price: $3.99
ToonWare Categories for Speech and Language Therapy
The ToonWare Categories comprehensive app targets language and early literacy development. Created by a bilingual SLP, this application helps children to categorize common objects/items and practice phonics and vocabulary skills. Both English and Spanish versions are available to use!
Price: $4.99
Toca Boca Kitchen
For the aspiring little chef in your life, Toca Kitchen allows children to prepare delicious meals and serve them to colorful characters. A great application to use for various aspects of language development!
Targets:
- Answer WH-questions (what, who, where)
- Categories (fruits, vegetables, meats)
- Verbs (cook, boil, fry, serve)
- Following Directions (give the girl two apples, put cookie on plate)
- Prepositions (in the pan, out of the oven, on the table)
Price: $2.99
Speech with Milo
Interactive and engaging, this app allows children to build vocabulary, grammar, and narrative skills by playing with Milo, an animated mouse. Three different applications are available under the Milo series: verbs (action words), prepositions (location terms), and sequencing (thought organization and storytelling skills).
Price: $2.99 each
Visit iTunes and Google Play for more information on these amazing apps for speech and language practice!