**Please remember to provide adequate adult supervision at all times with ALL fireworks!  Please remember-do not throw the poppers at people or animals.**

Independence Day is upon us.  With that in mind, I have a fun way for parents to work on speech and language skills while popping it for 4th of July.  It’s real simple…you need “Pop Its” and sidewalk chalk.  A nice concreted place would be nice like the porch or sidewalk.  You can find these “Pop Its” at any firework stand but I found mine in the dollar bin at Target for just $1!

Articulation

So your kiddo has been working hard in speech therapy.  No speech on a holiday?  No problem!  Using sidewalk chalk, write target words on the concrete area.  You can practice as little as 5 or as many as 10.  It’s up to you!  Now give your child a “pop it” and have him choose a word to pop it on.  He must say the word 3-5x correctly before throwing it.  When you are finished, just wash the concrete off or leave it for the next day!  If you have a little one that you are not comfortable with throwing the “Pop Its,” then he can still choose the word and practice it.  But you throw the “Pop It” at the word.

Language

You can use the same set up as above but use language concepts.  Is your child working on opposites or synonyms?  Write words on the concrete.  Have your child give the opposite or the synonym before popping.  Maybe they are working on irregular past tense verbs…write present tense verbs (ex-eat, go, sit) on the concrete.  Your child must give the past tense form before throwing a popper.  You can do the same with regular past tense verbs, plural nouns and irregular plural nouns.

Have fun with it!!  Be please to remember to use SUPERVISION at all time with fireworks.  This activity is not recommended for young children.