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Calling all bug lovers! Which let’s be honest…is really all of our students! This is one of our favorite therapy themes because there is so much out there. Plus our students can’t seem to get enough creepy crawlies. Check out our go-to bug themed speech therapy activities plus lots of language ideas too!
From no prep articulation crafts to a cute rhyming bug board book to engaging Boom card ideas, we have you covered. These bug themed activities target everything from articulation to vocabulary to functional language all in one. So keep reading to see what critters will be sneaking into your next bug themed speech session!
Want more bug speech therapy ideas??? Click here to read: Must Have Bug Themed Activities for Preschool Speech
Catching Bugs Speech Therapy Craft
First up, we love this Catching Bug Speech Therapy Craft for an easy and engaging bug speech therapy session! This no prep, print-and-go activity includes all sounds in the initial, final, and medial position in addition to initial /r-blends/, /l-blends/, /s-blends/, and vocalic /r/. There is even a blank copy to target additional concepts. Each sound contains 12 bugs with target words and a complete word list is included.
First, print the empty bug container, bug jar, or tree stump as well as the targeted sound bug page. While practicing each word, color the bug catching picture page and all the individual bug pictures. Cut out each individual picture and paste in on the bug catching page saying each word along the way. So many opportunities to practice throughout the activity! And don’t forget to send home the completed craft for additional practice!
Grab your print and go articulation bug activity here!
Caterpillar Coding Robot
No bug speech therapy session is complete without this awesome caterpillar coding robot! We like to place all of the caterpillar pieces in a mystery box or basket. Students have to request or describe each piece by color or code direction. Great way to target MLU, turn-taking, requesting, and direction following. Once all of the pieces are connected, press the power button to watch the caterpillar robot travel around the speech office!
There is a purple coding piece that plays a short song. We love yelling, “Dance party!” and grooving when that piece lights up! Our students loved this activity so much that we have even had parents email asking where they can purchase this toy. Check out the Fisher-Price Think & Learn Code-a-pillar here!
Bugs Galore Board Book
While we realize there are a million bug books out there, we like this cute board book because of the detailed illustrations and rhyming words. We adapted the book so our students can match vocabulary while reading along.
After reading the story, challenge your students to think of 2 or 3 bugs that crawl, fly, hop, or slither to move around. We discussed lots of different insects pictured in the illustrations including the following: fly, bee, mosquito, worm, slug, snail, grasshopper, cricket, butterfly, caterpillar, spider, ant, dragonfly, stink bug, and ladybug.
Grab a copy here or check out the link below for a fun read along!
Build A Bug Direction Following
Wanna build a bug?! Our students do! Print this Spring Build A Bug Following Direction & Describing Activity to target basic (colors, actions, etc.), spatial (on, above, under, between, next to, etc.), sequential (first, second, third), temporal (before, after), and other descriptive concepts.
First, pick a bug direction card and read the bug descriptors. Have students look at the bug options to find the matching bug or have them build the bug on their own! Students can also make their own bugs by picking a bug template and coloring it how they choose. Complete the activity with bees, butterflies, or ladybugs.
To extend the activity even further, attach the completed bug (built or colored) on top of the writing prompt sheet. Students can use complete sentences to describe their bugs or list adjectives depending on skill level. The finished products can be sent home or kept for some cute speech office decorations!
All bug pieces come in black and white and perfect for low ink printing or full color. We like to laminate the colored bug pieces for repeated use. But the black and white copies are helpful when you want to keep bust hands busy during group sessions. Plus the extra extension activity is great for take home speech and language practice to encourage carry-over of concepts!
Grab your Spring Build A Bug Direction Following and Describing Activity here!
Speech Tree Co Mini Bug Unit
If you haven’t heard of Speech Tree Co minis, we are here to tell you all about them! The mini thematic units are AMAZING! Each themed set comes with mini objects to help target speech sounds and a ton of different language targets. And of course, there is an adorable bug set. In addition to the actual mini objects, there are downloadable companion activity pages to help facilitate a variety of speech and language targets.
Head over to the Speech Tree Co website and check out all of the cute themes plus additional mini units for WH questions, phonological patterns, and more. Be sure to get on the waiting list since the mini units are a subscription based purchase that only is available a few times a year. You won’t be disappointed!
Bug Themed Boom Cards
When planning any speech and language session, we like having options for the large Smart boards in the classrooms we service. Students always like the opportunity to come up to the board to answer a question, move a picture, or circle an image. Check out the links to a few of our favorites to complete our bug speech therapy activities!
- I Spy: Bugs by Kool Kids Games
- Bugs I See! by Roll Out Of Bed Special Ed
- Freebie Favorite Bugs by Special Ed Rubies
- Bug Unit Language by Speech Tree Co (These are designed to go with the minis from above!!!)
If you have access to an iPad, these simple and engaging Boom Cards make for great bug themed activities! We like loading up our iPads with related themed decks then pull them out at the end of each session for a fun reward! At the end of each week, we send home a Boom card deck link so students can practice at home as well.
No Prep Bug WH Question Worksheets
Sometimes we all just need a simple, print and go worksheet to fill the last few minutes of a session. We have all been there! So we have created the perfect resource for those moments! These No Prep Bug WH Questions Worksheets include who, what, where, when, and why questions plus a page with mixed questions too.
With these insect themed worksheets, students can:
- Point to the picture/words to answer questions.
- Mark the answer with different coloring supplies (crayons, markers, dot markers, etc.)
- Use an array of engaging manipulatives to cover responses.
- Take home for additional language and vocabulary practice.
All questions are bug related so these are a good way to work on expressive and receptive vocabulary too. Here are just a few of the targeted vocabulary words used throughout these no prep worksheets: buzz, crawl, puddle, beekeeper, meteorologist, hive, snail, slow, slimy, supplies, nectar, bloom, spring, magnifying glass, binoculars, vase, wheelbarrow, protect, dry, insect.
Millipede March
Not sure what is it, but our students go bananas for anything Danny Go! Have to admit…his songs are pretty catchy, but don’t tell anybody we said that! And of course he has the best song to go along with any bug themed lesson or book.
We like to use songs at the end of a session for a fun reward or at the end of a whole class lesson to get some wiggles out. Either way, check out the Millipede March to get your students dancing, laughing, and learning about all things bugs! And watch out for that stink bug at the end! 🪲
Puddle Jumping Freebie!
While not bug themed, we have a super cute freebie to pair with any of the bug speech therapy activities above for a complete spring session. So be sure to get your students up and moving with our FREEBIE Spring Puddle Jumping Language Activities. Print out either the categorization puddle cards or direction following cards then place around the room. Have your students jump to each puddle and complete the written task. You could even have them crawl, wiggle, slither, or fly to the puddles to keep the insect theme going! So much fun and so very spring-y!
So there you have it…our favorite bug speech therapy and language ideas all in one place! ❤️🪲🐞🐛🐜❤️ Definitely let us know if you find your favorite above and share with us on social media. We would love to hear how it goes!
Talking Mama Bears
Kate & Mandy
