Speech Therapy Activities are very important for kids to understand and express their feelings. At the beginning of a year this is especially true. January is a time to think about how kids show their emotions. This is because they are getting back, into their routines after the holidays. They are also dealing with changes and this will affect how they feel for the rest of the year.
In this blog we will talk about how Speech Therapy Activities can help kids with their emotions. We will also share some ideas that are related to January. These ideas will help kids say how they feel in an meaningful way. Speech Therapy Activities will support the development of kids and help them express their feelings in a confident way.
Why Emotional Expression Matters in Childhood
Emotional expression is a way that people communicate with each other. When kids can say what they are feeling describe their emotions. Talk about emotional expression they are better able to do lots of things.
- Build healthy relationships
- Manage frustration and anxiety
- Advocate for their needs
- Improve social interaction and behavior
Kids have a time saying how they feel. Some children, those who have trouble talking or understanding language really struggle with this. They might get upset or angry. Act out or they might just shut down and not want to talk at all. This happens because they do not have the words to tell us what is going on inside. Targeted therapy activities can really help children with this problem. Targeted therapy activities are very good, at teaching kids how to express their emotions in a way.
January is a time when kids have a lot of feelings. They are excited because it is a year.. At the same time they are sad that the holiday fun is over. Some kids get nervous about going to school and following the same routines. January also brings pressure on kids to do. When we talk about these feelings, with kids it helps them feel like someone understands what they are going through. This makes them feel supported as they start the year.
How Speech Therapy Supports Emotional Language
Speech therapy is really helpful for people who have trouble with language. It teaches them how to express their feelings in a way. Emotional language is about being able to say what you are feeling.
Speech therapy can help people understand and talk about their emotions. This is very important because when you can talk about your feelings you can deal with them better.
Some things that speech therapy can do for language include:
- Helping you find the words to say how you feel
- Teaching you how to listen to others and understand their feelings
- Showing you ways to calm down when you are upset
- Practicing conversations to help you express your emotions
Speech therapy is not about speaking clearly it is also, about being able to communicate your feelings. Emotional language is a part of that. Speech therapy supports language by giving people the tools they need to talk about their feelings.
Speech therapy is not about working on sounds and sentences. It also helps with communication and emotional language. The therapists help children with things like:
- They learn how to talk to people
- They learn how to understand what other people are saying
- They learn how to deal with their feelings and express them in a way
Speech therapy is really important for children because it helps them with their social communication and emotional language. The therapists who do speech therapy are very good, at helping children.
Children learn to:
- Learn feeling vocabulary (happy, sad, frustrated, excited, worried)
- Use complete sentences to describe emotions
- Understand others’ feelings through perspective-taking
- Practice emotional regulation through communication
When we teach kids about language and help them understand their feelings at the time they get things they can use every day not just when they are in therapy. This way language skills and emotional learning go together.
Why January Themes Encourage Emotional Expression
In the month of January there are some great themes that help people express their emotions. The January themes are very important because they encourage expression.
Using themes that’re about the season and the New Year makes therapy really interesting and something that people can easily understand. The themes that happen in January are connected to feelings like thinking about the past making changes feeling peaceful and starting things.
There are some things to think about in January. These include:
- New Year goals and hopes
- Winter weather and staying cozy
- Back-to-school routines
- Feelings after holidays
- Trying something new
These themes give us a chance to talk to each other share stories. Understand our feelings.
Speech Therapy Activities for Helping Kids Express Feelings
Below are engaging January-focused ideas designed to support emotional expression while building strong communication skills.
1. New Year Feelings Reflection
Have children reflect on the year and the upcoming year using guided prompts.
Examples include reflecting on feelings from last year and hopes for the new year. Supports such as pictures, sentence strips, and drawing can help children organize their thoughts and express emotions. Using supports and drawing prompts can really help the children talk about what they are thinking and feeling and it helps with emotional awareness and expressive language.
2. Winter Feelings Sorting Game
Create cards with different winter scenarios:
- Playing in the snow
- Being cold
- Staying inside
- Going back to school
Ask kids to match each thing that happens with how they feel, such as excited, bored, calm, or frustrated, and explain why.
3. Emotion Vocabulary Snowflakes
Write emotion words on paper snowflakes and place them around the room. Children can:
- Pick a snowflake and act out the emotion
- Use the word in a sentence
- Share a personal experience related to that feeling
This multi-sensory approach supports vocabulary development and emotional understanding.
4. Calm-Down Communication Practice
January is a time to introduce calming strategies paired with language. Children practice phrases that help them communicate needs instead of acting out.
Role-playing these phrases helps children learn how to communicate their needs and supports emotional regulation.
5. Emotion Journaling for Kids
Using journals with sentence starters helps kids understand and process emotions. Writing supports storytelling, sentence formulation, and emotional regulation.
Using Play to Talk About Feelings
Play is a way for kids to express their emotions. Pretend play allows children to feel more comfortable talking about feelings.
Examples include:
- Pretend school scenarios with dolls or figures
- Winter-themed pretend play
- Storytelling with emotion-focused characters
Therapists guide conversations by asking about what characters are feeling and why.
Supporting Social-Emotional Skills Through Language
January activities can also focus on:
- Turn-taking
- Listening to others’ feelings
- Responding appropriately to emotions
- Problem-solving through words
Group activities, partner games, and guided discussions help children practice social-emotional skills in a safe environment.
How Parents Can Support Emotional Language at Home
Parents are really important when it comes to helping kids talk about their feelings when they are not, in therapy.
Some ways parents can help include:
- Read books with the kids
- Talk daily about how their day went
- Create routines and schedules
- Model emotion words in conversations
- Validate feelings
- Encourage talking instead of guessing
- Read books that focus on emotions
- Ask open-ended questions
Consistency between therapy and home helps children use skills everywhere.
Making January a Fresh Start for Emotional Growth
January is a time for beginnings. When children are given the words to express how they feel they become more confident and less frustrated.
With intentional planning and engaging themes, Speech Therapy Activities can transform emotional learning into a positive and empowering experience for children. By focusing on feelings early in the year, therapists and parents set the stage for healthier communication and emotional growth all year long.
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