Apps We Love

Here at ESHC, our speech-language pathologists try to make every session fun and motivating for your child. The “Toca Tea Party” app has been a huge hit, with no mess to clean up! This app is generally used with children from about ages 2-7. “Toca Tea Party” hasn’t been designed specifically for speech-pathologists, but it gets used often here at ESHC. Here’s some of the ways we incorporate it into our sessions:
• Language:
o Prepositions: Because you can move objects around, it’s a great way to incorporate targets like “in, on, out, under, next to” and more.
o Following or Giving Directions: The app is designed to simulate a tea party. Each person can pick or ask for a specific plate, cup, drink, and yummy treat to eat. It’s a great way to practice following directions like “Please give me the white cup and the pink plate.”
o Taking Turns: A child can practice taking turns by pretending to eat a snack, pouring drinks, or selecting which tablecloth to use
• Articulation
o Find words with your sound: A child may be asked find items (with the clinician’s help) that contain his/her sound. For a child working on /s/ and /z/, they can practice their sound in words like “sweet, spill”. This is also a great way to build in phonological awareness and the “sounds” within words.
o Make a sentence: To provide more context while practicing his/her sounds, the child or clinician might make a sentence about the scene on the app. This helps with attention, as the child is often more engaged than simply repeating sentences from the clinician.