Christmas-themed speech therapy activities are a great way to blend holiday fun with language learning. The festive season is filled with opportunities for children to practice speech, language, and social communication skills, all while enjoying the sights, sounds, and traditions of Christmas. Whether your child is working on articulation, expressive language, vocabulary, or social skills, incorporating holiday-themed activities into therapy can make learning feel like play.
In this article, we share 15 amazing and fun Christmas-themed speech therapy activities that any child will surely enjoy. These activities are designed to make speech practice exciting, meaningful, and festive for parents and therapists alike.
1. Holiday Storytelling With Picture Cards
Christmas-themed speech therapy picture cards are a fun way to encourage storytelling and expand vocabulary.
How it works:
- Print or purchase picture cards with holiday images (Santa, gifts, snowman, tree, reindeer).
- Ask your child to choose 3–5 cards and make up a story using those images.
- Prompt with questions like “What happens first?” or “How does the character feel?”
Benefits:
- Improves expressive language and sentence formulation
- Encourages sequencing skills: beginning, middle, end
- Encourages social communication and turn-taking in groups
Variation: Use a holiday-image storytelling dice to make the exercise more dynamic.
2. Christmas Vocabulary Bingo
Bingo is a fun way to reinforce vocabulary, listening, and comprehension.
How it works:
- Prepare Bingo cards with holiday-themed words or pictures.
- Call out words or show pictures and have the child mark their card.
- Celebrate a “Bingo!” with a small reward.
Benefits:
- Supports auditory processing and receptive language
- Encourages word retrieval and recognition
- Makes repetitive practice fun and interactive
Variation: Have the child repeat the word each time it’s called for articulation practice.
3. Decorating Speech Cookies
Combine creativity with speech practice through hands-on, delicious activities.
How it works:
- Bake or buy plain cookies and provide icing, sprinkles, and decorations.
- Give directions for decorating (“Use the red icing for the star cookie”).
- Ask your child to describe their cookie in full sentences.
Benefits:
- Encourages expressive language and descriptive vocabulary
- Supports following multi-step directions
- Offers turn-taking and social interaction practice
Variation: Use mini gingerbread men and practice labeling body parts or clothing.
4. Santa’s Hat Articulation Game
Add festive props to make articulation practice fun.
How it works:
- Cut out paper Santa hats and write target speech sounds or words on each hat.
- Place hats in a basket; child picks one, says the word, and places it on a “Santa board.”
- Praise correct production and encourage repetition.
Benefits:
- Targets specific speech sounds in a motivating way
- Provides visual and tactile cues
- Can be adapted for groups or home practice
Variation: Make it a relay race—each correct word earns a step closer to “delivering presents.”
5. Reindeer Rhyme Time
Rhyming games support phonological awareness and vocabulary development.
How it works:
- Use reindeer or holiday cards with words like “snow,” “glow,” “tree,” and “free.”
- Encourage the child to think of rhyming words and create short phrases.
- Clap or tap out syllables to reinforce rhythm.
Benefits:
- Supports phonological awareness and speech sound development
- Encourages expressive language and creativity
- Enhances auditory discrimination and listening skills
Variation: Turn it into a “Rhyme Race” for group participation.
6. Elf on the Shelf Story Prompts
Make therapy imaginative and interactive using an Elf on the Shelf.
How it works:
- Place the elf in a different spot each day.
- Ask your child to describe what the elf is doing.
- Encourage sentences like “The elf is hiding under the tree” or “The elf is eating a cookie.”
Benefits:
- Encourages expressive language and descriptive skills
- Provides opportunities for sentence expansion and narrative practice
- Supports social language and imaginative play
Variation: Create a storybook of the elf’s adventures for narration practice.
7. Sensory Bins for Holidays
Sensory play motivates children and supports speech development.
How it works:
- Fill a bin with holiday-themed items: fake snow, bells, ornaments, pinecones.
- Hide small objects for the child to find.
- Encourage the child to describe the objects’ color, shape, and texture.
Benefits:
- Supports descriptive language and vocabulary growth
- Encourages turn-taking and social interaction
- Maintains attention and concentration
Variation: Add small holiday figurines for storytelling and imaginative play.
8. Candy Cane Math & Language
Combine math and language skills using candy canes.
How it works:
- Use candy canes to count, sort, and create patterns.
- Ask your child to describe the candy cane (“red and white,” “curvy,” “long”).
- Incorporate target words or sounds into descriptions.
Benefits:
- Promotes vocabulary, descriptive language, and categorization skills
- Encourages sequencing and following multi-step directions
- Makes learning tangible and festive
Variation: Use peppermint sticks or mini candy canes for fine motor practice while describing them.
9. Holiday Sing-Alongs
Music naturally supports speech and language development.
How it works:
- Sing classic songs like “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
- Emphasize target sounds or words when singing.
- Encourage clapping, dancing, and hand motions to reinforce rhythm.
Benefits:
- Improves speech production, fluency, and prosody
- Supports memory, sequencing, and auditory processing
- Encourages social participation and engagement
Variation: Let the child choose the song or lead the chorus.
10. Christmas Charades
Charades combines movement with speech practice.
How it works:
- Write holiday actions or characters on cards (decorate tree, wrap a gift, snowball fight).
- Take turns acting out and guessing each card.
- Encourage the child to describe what they see or do.
Benefits:
- Encourages expressive language and sentence formation
- Promotes social communication, turn-taking, and attention
- Makes therapy active and playful
Variation: Add a time limit or props for extra excitement.
11. Holiday-Themed Puppet Play
Puppets encourage imaginative play and social communication.
How it works:
- Use holiday puppets: Santa, elves, reindeer, snowmen.
- Encourage storytelling, dialogues, or greetings using puppets.
- Practice descriptive language, emotion words, and conversational skills.
Benefits:
- Supports expressive language, narrative skills, and turn-taking
- Encourages emotional expression and social interaction
- Makes therapy playful and motivating
Variation: Create a puppet theatre with a cardboard box for a holiday show.
12. Holiday Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt combines movement, vocabulary, and comprehension.
How it works:
- Hide holiday-themed items around the room or house.
- Provide picture or word clues for the child to locate each item.
- Encourage full sentences and descriptions of found items.
Benefits:
- Promotes vocabulary, descriptive language, and listening comprehension
- Encourages problem-solving and sequencing
- Makes language practice active and engaging
Variation: Give thematic challenges like “Find all red ornaments” or “Collect letters of a holiday word.”
13. Snow Globe Art & Storytelling
Combine arts, crafts, and speech practice with snow globes.
How it works:
- Make snow globes using jars, water, glitter, and figurines.
- Ask the child to describe their scene in detail.
- Encourage storytelling: “Who lives in this snow globe?” or “What is happening?”
Benefits:
- Improves descriptive language, narrative skills, and creativity
- Supports sequencing and expressive language
- Provides sensory input through glitter and water movement
Variation: Use ready-made snow globes and encourage children to create stories.
14. Christmas-Themed Freeze Dance
Incorporate movement and speech in a festive freeze dance game.
How it works:
- Play holiday music and have the child dance.
- Stop the music and give prompts (“Say a holiday word,” “Name a color you see”).
- Resume dancing and repeat with new prompts.
Benefits:
- Promotes expressive language, word retrieval, and listening skills
- Encourages motor planning and attention
- Makes therapy fun, active, and holiday-themed
Variation: Use props like bells, scarves, or Santa hats for added fun.
15. Personalized Holiday Books
Personalized books combine reading, vocabulary, and narrative skills.
How it works:
- Create or buy a book that includes the child’s name and favorite characters.
- Read together and ask comprehension questions.
- Encourage retelling, prediction, and discussion about the story.
Benefits:
- Supports expressive language, vocabulary, and reading comprehension
- Promotes involvement and one-on-one interaction
- Provides a permanent holiday keepsake that reinforces learning
Variation: Make a handmade book with holiday drawings and a story created by the child.
Wrapping Up
Integrating Christmas-themed speech therapy into holiday routines makes speech and language practice enjoyable and relevant. These 15 activities—from interactive storytelling to festive sensory bins—allow children to develop a range of skills in a fun, motivating, and holiday-spirited way.
This season, make therapy a celebration by selecting activities that incorporate joy, creativity, and language growth. By combining fun and learning, children can practice their speech and communication while embracing the magic of Christmas.
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