Creating a “Mystery Speech Box” to Support Your Child’s Development

speech box

By Kelly Beddall, Speech Therapist

Speech therapists have found the creation of a “Speech Box” with “surprises inside” to be a fun activity that can help a child learn and practice sounds and support their development on a number of fronts. An empty tissue box or baby wipe container can be easily transformed into a valuable child development tool. You place objects inside and have your child reach in and pull out an object.

Through your modeling you can provide low-pressure opportunities for imitation of a sound, a word, an action, or a sign.  Don’t forget to be enthusiastic about finding out what’s in the mystery box! You can consult your speech therapist for recommendations regarding objects that can reinforce sounds for your child through repetition.  This is a great exercise even if your child doesn’t receive therapy.

There are a variety of ways the “Speech Box” can help your child’s development, while engaging them in play as they learn! Here are a few examples:

  • Language development: Choose sounds that are meaningful for your child based on their needs. Consider including items in the box with syllables that repeat such as “consonant- vowel- consonant- vowel” structure. You may choose a small bottle for “baba”, or a plastic Santa figurine for “Ho – Ho” or a band aid for “booboo”. You may also want to use animals you may have around the house. They can be used to target animal sounds and/or animal names such as moo/cow, baa/sheep, neigh/horse, and woof/dog for example. You may also want to select items that all begin (or end) with the same sound, like a “B” theme for your sound box that could contains the item or a picture of a baby, ball, book, bee, and boat inside.
  • Functional Associations: Along with the sounds a child can learn an association for the function of the object such a bandaid when you get a “booboo” or if it is time for a bottle, explain “time to eat,” and wonder with your child what you may need, and model “baba – we need your baba.” Once objects are out of the box, engage in play with them. If you have cup in your box, you may tell your child, “I’m thirsty. I need a drink.” If your child does not give you the cup, you can point to it or otherwise direct your child to the cup. Label it and explain what the cup is used for.
  • Behavioral Prompts: Reinforce turn taking by demonstrating to your child “Your turn and my turn” to get them accustomed to alternating pulling an object out of the box.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s development, teli can help! Get started with early intervention services today.