How to Target Spatial Concepts through Play

Spatial concepts are a common goal found in our caseloads! Sometimes we need fresh ideas to get the creative juices flowing on a goal we target so frequently! 

Here are some fun and practical therapy ideas use all year long to target spatial concepts in your therapy room:

Activity #1: Use stacking cups, bowls, plastic/paper cups and pair them with mini objects or pom poms. Have the students close their eyes and hide a pom pom or mini object either ON a cup, UNDER a cup, BESIDE a cup, BEHIND a cup, or IN a cup. Have the students open their eyes and look for the object and tell you where it was hiding! You can also colour sort with pom poms and have all the purple pom poms IN the purple bowl, the yellow pom poms UNDER the yellow bowl and the green pom poms ON the green bowl. Find the colours in a sensory bin and practice repetitive spatial concepts as you sort!

Activity #2: Use doll accessory sets or mini objects. Practice the spatial concepts "on", "in", "under", "beside", "behind" as you place animals around the play scene. You can also practice following directions and have the child listen to what animal they need and where they should place it (e.g., put the hamster in the cage).

Activity #3: Practice spatial concepts while playing a pop-up game! Target core spatial concepts that naturally occur in each game. For example: in the BBQ Party Game target ON every time you place a food ON the grill; in the Pop the Pig Game target IN every time you place a burger IN his mouth, etc. 

Activity #4: Practice spatial concepts using a book and play-props! Look for objects hidden in the book's illustrations and act them out using the same play-props as shown in this picture! Look for Bear on each page and hide Bear behind the rocks, beside the tree, or around the room!

Activity #5: Use a play scene such as a doll house, farm, grass mat with fairy garden figurines, or zoo scene to practice spatial concepts. Place the cow IN the barn, the rooster ON the roof, the pig BEHIND the fence, etc. all while creating a play scene!

Activity #6: Use your therapy room!!! Place surprise containers, puzzle pieces, or game pieces around the room. Have the child tell you where each item was found before using it in the activity! 

Do you enjoy free therapy ideas and are looking for more lesson plan ideas and ways to use play in your sessions??? Be sure to join our waitlist: https://www.playbasedspeechtherapycourse.com/ for freebies and therapy ideas or check out our free webinar: https://www.playbasedspeechtherapycourse.com/free-play-based-speech-therapy-webinar for fun & practical play based therapy ideas!