Top 4 Qualities I Look For In Speech Therapy Materials

In my career working with pediatrics in the outpatient setting I have always honed in on materials that give me the most “bang for my buck” when it comes to targeting goals and maximizing my efficiency! The right materials are important for successful outcomes, but are also essential in helping me balance my practice to lower my prep and clean up time between sessions so I can focus on the intervention I’m targeting, not planning 6 different activities for a 30 minute session!

What Qualities Do I Look For?

1. Versatile Tools To Target Multiple Goals In A Session!

One of the most valuable qualities I look for in speech therapy materials is versatility. Tools that can target multiple speech therapy goals in one session are incredibly beneficial for managing a diverse caseload. I look for open-ended materials that can be used to work on articulation, language, or other common goals my students have. This flexibility allows me to address several target goals without transition time between activities and allows the session to flow in a way that optimizes our short time together! 

This was one of the top reasons I created Chomper Champs - it is such a simple tool that allows you to target a vast amount of speech therapy goals and there are tons of ways to use it so we’re not boxed in to one activity. Other favorite materials that have this same benefit are items like bubbles, ball poppers, car sets, and blocks/building! These simple materials have limitless vocabulary and opportunities to have fun while building communication!

2. Minimal Preparation - I want grab-and-go tools!

Time is precious in any speech therapy session, my goal is to MAKE PROGRESS and having materials that require minimal preparation can make a significant difference in my ability to make the most of my sessions. Materials that are ready to use with little to no setup allow me to maximize time between sessions to complete my notes, analyze the plan of care, and focus on being the best therapist I can be. When I have materials that require a lot of prep time to be ready (thinking of games with complex boards/digital materials that require a ton of prep before you can use them) it reduces my ability to get the things done that I need to prioritize.

Chomper Champs is one of my favorite activities because I can just grab it off the shelf with some mini objects, the digital downloads included with it, or the Chomper Champs trinkets and it’s ready to go so we can target tons of goals!

3. Easy-to-Clean Materials!

When I was a clinical fellow, many times I would end a session and my room would be a disaster! I would have to spend a lot of time cleaning between sessions, which meant I wasn’t able to prepare for my next visit, complete my notes, or just take a breather. I designed Chomper Champs with an easy to remove base so at the end of the session we can just drop his treats back to their bag/container and clean up is DONE and I’m ready for next session!

4. Engaging and Fun for Kids!

This should be number one for what I want in my materials! Keeping my students  engaged during therapy is my number one priority, because when we’re engaged we can learn! Materials that are fun, visually appealing, and interactive make a world of difference when trying to master goals. When kids are excited about what they’re using, they are more likely to stay focused and participate actively, which leads to better outcomes.

I designed Chomper Champs to be an engaging resource that kids love to use because of the inviting, friendly face; the silly nature of feeding them treats; and the Chomper Champs therapy kits that capitalize on imagination to target tons of speech therapy goals!

Final Thoughts 

Finding materials that work for you and your style of therapy is so important to keep you great speech pathologist! Having a system in place with quality materials to reduce prep and clean up time can help fight burn out and keep your days flowing efficiently. 

Keep these qualities in mind when you’re searching for speech therapy materials - you’ll find all of them in your Chomper Champs Speech Therapy Companion Tool!