5 Free Applications for Speech Practice with Toddlers and Early Intervention

 

Targeting Early Speech Sounds, Language Development, Turn-Taking, & Cause/Effect

*Before considering the use of applications for practice, check out my blog on Healthy Screen Time. 

Close up of a person's hand holding an iPad, representing the applications that can be used by Speech Therapists and parents as tools for targeting Speech Therapy goals with their toddlers who are late-talkers or have late language emergence

Let’s get into specifically why I love these applications..

1. Animal Sounds Voice Simulator 

  • This application is fantastic for early language learners, with a limited vocabulary or sound repertoire. Keeping it sweet and simple, you’ll see the first page lists THREE animals: a dog, a cat, and an elephant (in cartoon form). 

  • From here, you can click on one of those three animals, and then you’ll be taken to a screen with MANY versions of animals in cartoon pictures on one screen. Be sure to turn your sound up here!

  • You’ll click on one of these pictures, and hear a version of that animal sound (in real life).  

  • When you click on the Elephant icon, you’ll be given MANY new animal icon options. Click on any animal and you’ll hear a corresponding sound. 

  • Keep in mind that, like many free apps, there are ads thrown in. You can use this time to interact with your child by practicing imitation or modeling the label or sound of the previous animal you were engaging with on the screen.  



2. Sounds Touch Lite - Flash Cards

  • This free application gives you the option of two types of sounds: animals and vehicles. (You will see additional options on the bottom of the screen, however these additional options are only available in the paid version).

  • Keeping a simple theme with a few icons per page for different types of animals or vehicles, your child can freely explore which sounds are their favorite and most enticing. This gives you a great starting point for working on the foundations of language and speech. You may also target language comprehension by having your child point to the animal that you name or the sound that you name!



3. Shapes! Toddler Kids Games,Baby Boys Learning Free

  • I love using this application for so many speech and language concepts. It’s such a rewarding visual experience for children, that it makes it hard for them to get bored, which allows YOU as their parent or therapist, more time to target different skills with them. 

  • This app has three different modes, which become progressively more complex. There is a very engaging visuo-spatial and fine motor aspect of this application, which allows your child to explore cause and effect without too many demands. 


4. Sound Board Lite - Funny Sounds

  • This app provides sound effects that are not meant for imitation, but more for the fun cause and effect aspect it provides. Your child may enjoy this one so much that you can utilize it for positive reinforcement while you do more structured practice outside of its direct use. 


5. Basic Sounds  - for toddlers

  • This application gives some great visuals for imitating early animal sounds, with cause and effect, requesting, commenting, and labeling opportunities embedded in its interactions. If your child is in the early babbling stage, this is a great place to start for practicing new and meaningful sounds. 

Ideas for targeting Early Sounds, Turn-Taking, and Cause/Effect:

ALL of the above apps are great because they give you the freedom for your child to explore and you make it as structured or natural as you prefer. You can work on so many speech and language targets:

  • imitation of sounds

  • labeling the names of shapes, colors, or animals

  • pointing to named items

  • requesting

  • commenting

  • cessation

  • initiation

Another benefit that these apps provide are a way of building in a form of motivation or positive reinforcement during your practice. 

These apps also let you explore foundations of language for early learners cause/effect, by clicking on a picture icon, then seeing AND hearing the results.

You can work on turn-taking routines (which as we know, is a CRUCIAL skill for language development), by taking turns choosing an icon to click on, as well as model early words and phrases for turn-taking such as “My turn/Your turn!” 

Please note, the above applications are available on most iPad tablets. I have not used these apps on Android devices. 

 
Heather Ismayearly intervention, speech therapy, speech pathologist, speech language pathology, speech disorder, speech sound disorder, speech therapy apps, free speech therapy apps, speech delay, apps for speech therapy, free apps, free apps for speech therapy, phonological process apps, speech language pathology applications, early sounds, late talking toddler, late talker, late talkers, parents of late talkers, apps for parents of late talkers, speech therapy apps for late talkers, apps for toddlers, apps for language learners, apps for early language learners, free apps for early intervention, free applications for speech therapyComment