SLPs: Here are fun ways to use fidget spinners, pop-its and other toys during speech therapy to improve articulation, focus, language skills, word awareness and verbal expression.

<p>Have you got kids who can&rsquo;t sit still or focus during speech therapy? Are you on the perpetual hunt for creative ways to keep students engaged during their therapy sessions? Research shows fidget toys may help! We&rsquo;ve compiled some helpful resources on fidget use for SLPs, including:</p>

<ul>
	<li>What the research says</li>
	<li>What SLPs say</li>
	<li>Fidget use for sensory regulation during speech therapy</li>
	<li>Fidget spinners for speech therapy activities</li>
	<li>Pop-its for speech therapy activities</li>
</ul>

<h2>What the Research Says About Fidget Use</h2>

<p>Research into the use of fidget toys is slim and somewhat mixed; however, some studies point to improvements in <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/speech-therapy-behavior-management?">behavior</a>, attention and achievement for certain students:</p>

<ul>
	<li>Second-grade students with ADHD showed &ldquo;large immediate and sustained <strong>increases in on-task behavior</strong> during fidget spinner use&rdquo; (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9120292/" target="_blank">Aspiranti et al.</a>).</li>
	<li>Among sixth graders who used stress balls during direct instruction and independent study, the <strong>frequency of distraction decreased</strong>, &ldquo;student <strong>achievement on writing paragraphs improved</strong>, [and] learners thought that their <strong>attitude, attention, writing abilities, and peer interaction improved</strong>&rdquo; (<a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ853381" target="_blank">Stalvey et al.</a>).</li>
	<li>Elementary students with autism who used fidget toys during story time showed &ldquo;a <strong>decrease in visual attention for some, but not all, participants</strong>&hellip;The provision of fidget toys <strong>may not negatively affect students&rsquo; acquisition of story details, despite potential decreases in students&rsquo; attention</strong> to storybook reading&rdquo; (<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10983007231200529?icid=int.sj-full-text.citing-articles.2" target="_blank">Zimmerman et al.</a>).</li>
	<li>Four- to five-year-olds showed decreased<strong> physical activity</strong> but <strong>poorer attentional functioning</strong> when given fidget spinners (<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054718770009" target="_blank">Graziano et al.</a>).</li>
</ul>

<p>The efficacy of fidget use may depend on factors such as age, developmental level, disability and disposition. For SLPs, trial and error and experimentation are key.</p>

<h2>What SLPs Say About Fidget Use</h2>

<p>While the research is still out on whether fidget toys improve concentration, focus, behavior and performance, many SLPs find them immensely effective! Across the field, speech therapists say fidgets are not only helpful for getting kids on task and providing them with rewards; they can also be incorporated into speech therapy activities.</p>

<h3>Fidget Use for Sensory Regulation During Speech Therapy</h3>

<p>SLP Shannon Werbeckes of <a href="https://speechymusings.com/2019/03/01/keeping-little-movers-focused/" target="_blank">Speechy Musings</a> recommends using fidgets for <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/how-to-create-a-sensory-friendly-classroom?">sensory</a> regulation during speech therapy sessions. Werbeckes mentions the importance of keeping kids in the &ldquo;optimal zone of arousal,&rdquo; ensuring they are not over- or under-stimulated. To help students settle, she recommends SLPs:</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Keep a fidget jar</strong> &ndash; Fill a jar with objects like bouncy balls, light-up balls, squishy or sticky toys, etc. and allow kids to select a fidget toy to use when they have a case of the wiggles.</li>
	<li><strong>Use chair bands</strong> &ndash; Put bouncy bands or chair bands around the legs of the chairs so that students can rest their feet on the bands and bounce their legs and bodies.</li>
	<li><strong>Get wiggle seats </strong>&ndash; Get air-filled wiggle seats (aka exercise cushions, balance discs or wobble cushions) to help students who like to rock on their chairs.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Fidget Spinners for Speech Therapy Activities</h3>

<p>In addition to using fidget toys to regulate sensory issues and improve focus and attention, SLPs can incorporate them into speech activities. Eileen Adamo, MS, CF-SLP, and her colleagues at <a href="https://columbusspeech.org/fidget-spinner-fun/" target="_blank">Columbus Speech</a> suggest the following fidget spinner activities:</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Articulation</strong> &ndash; Print a list of pictures and words containing the target sound. Have the child spin a fidget spinner and see how many words they can say before the spinner stops. Use the strategy for isolated sounds, single words, phrases, sentences, reading passages or conversations.</li>
	<li><strong>Language </strong>&ndash; Pick a target category like food, colors or clothing. Have the child spin the fidget spinner. Then, take turns saying words from the category. Whoever says the last word before the spinner stops wins.</li>
	<li><strong>Rhyming</strong> &ndash; Pick a target word. Have the child spin the fidget spinner. Then, have them try to come up with as many rhyming words as possible before the spinner stops.</li>
</ul>

<h3>Pop-Its for Speech Therapy Activities</h3>

<p>SLP Rose Ann Kesting of <a href="https://speechsnacks.com/2021/08/using-pop-it-fidgets-to-address-communication-goals-with-older-students/" target="_blank">Speech Snacks</a> has developed several activities that utilize pop-it fidgets to improve communication skills, verbal expression and articulation practice. If you haven&rsquo;t yet encountered pop-its, they are colorful silicone trays with &ldquo;bubbles&rdquo; you can pop in with your finger, and they elicit a sensation similar to the satisfaction of popping bubble wrap.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Syllable counting</strong> &ndash; Have the child say the word and pop a bubble as they pronounce each syllable (&ldquo;Sep-tem-ber&rdquo; = 3 pops)</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Word awareness</strong> &ndash; Have the child say a sentence and pop a bubble as they pronounce each word (&ldquo;I like to eat tacos.&rdquo; = 5 pops)</li>
	<li><strong>Verbal expression and direction following </strong>&ndash; Have one student explain to either you or another student which bubbles on the grid they want them to pop (&ldquo;Pop the first bubble in the second row and the last three bubbles in the fourth row.&rdquo;)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Videos Demonstrating Fidgets for Speech Therapy</h3>

<p>SLP Rebecca Reinking of Adventures in Speech Therapy has a 5-minute video, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwHNqkWJr04" target="_blank">How to Use Poppers in Therapy</a>, discussing using different types of pop-its for articulation and phonological goals.</p>

<h2>Have Fun Using Fidgets for Speech Therapy!</h2>

<p>If you decide to incorporate fidgets, including spinners, pop-its and similar manipulative toys in your speech therapy practice, remember to keep the <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/blog/slp-goals-neurodiversity-affirming-speech-therapy?">individual needs</a> of each student in mind. Enjoy experimenting with different strategies and creating your own fidget-based speech therapy activities. Your students will likely appreciate it even if you only use spinners as motivation or reward. As SLPs know, one of the best ways to improve your speech therapy services and ensure kids are actively engaged is to make speech therapy fun!</p>

<p>To learn where your specialized skills are needed helping kids in exciting locations across the country, check out our <a href="https://www.crosscountry.com/education">school SLP jobs</a> now.</p>


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