The Ultimate Winter Speech Therapy Activities and Ideas List

It’s that time of year- when speech-language pathologists are searching for the perfect winter speech therapy activities to work on speech and language goals! This article lists fun suggestions to keep your winter speech sessions engaging. These winter activities can be used during speech therapy sessions to address a variety of communication skills, including articulation and language concepts. Make sure to bookmark this blog post to reference these fun winter speech therapy activities and creative ideas! In addition, be sure to check out the free winter speech therapy lists that can be used for your language activities, including winter past tense verbs, winter idioms, sequencing events, listening for details, and more!

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Winter Vocabulary Activity

Wintertime doesn’t need to make you feel “blah”- try using this fun resource!

Do you have students working on core vocabulary?

And how about imitating sounds and actions?

If so, include these interactive core vocabulary books in your lesson plans.

Two winter-themed stories are included in the winter set (this resource is part of an awesome bundle):

• How To Build a Snowman
• Winter Sounds and Actions

Each story includes one large color ink version, one large low ink version, and a small low ink version.

In addition, interactive pieces are included for each story.

Hand these out to your students as a fun way to keep little hands busy during small groups or individual sessions!

Or, toss those interactive pieces in sensory bins and pull them out while you read.

Hilary H. reviewed, “This is another great resource from the Pedi Speechie! Engaging graphics and hands-on, multi-sensory learning – core words, imitating gestures, actions, and sounds; two fun winter stories! I love all Pedi Speechie products!”

Winter Speech Therapy Following Directions Task Cards

These following directions task cards are perfect for language therapy for kindergarten students!

These task cards are included in the Following Directions Mega Bundle.

You’ll be able to target directions with embedded concepts such as:

• inclusion (all, and, all but one)
• sequence (first, second, middle, last)
• location (top, bottom, between, next to)
• temporal (before, after, then, at the same time)
• correlative conjunctions (both…and, either…or, neither…nor, not only… but also)

Print, laminate, and cut out cards.

Your student will listen closely to the instructions before pointing to the appropriate picture or pictures.

Winter Speech Therapy Articulation Activities

If you’re working on target words that include the f sound, s sound, sh sound, or ch sound, try this winter time articulation activity.

This resource is included in the Entire Year of Speech Therapy Activities Bundle.

It includes winter vocabulary worksheets organized by target sound, articulation “snowballs”, dough smash mats and more!

Heather I. reviewed, “Used this fun resource with my clients with speech sound disorders.  They all enjoyed coloring in the ice skates.  They all then took it home for homework to practice their speech sounds. Very fun- thank you!”

Speech Therapy Grammar Activities for Winter

Here are fun activities to target basic grammar skills with a winter theme!

Your students can work on basic grammar skills such as:

• pronouns
• past tense verbs
• plural nouns
• comparatives and superlatives
• prepositions

Vanessa Y. reviewed, “Nice images and targets many different goals. Also great for talking about winter vocabulary. Students have enjoyed.”

Winter-Themed Books

Here are my favorite books to pull out at the beginning of January- I use them all month!

The Mitten by Jan Brett

If you have younger students on your caseload, check out The Mitten by Jan Brett. 

This is a classic story and the book has beautiful illustrations.

It’s also perfect for children who are animal lovers.

In the story, a boy’s grandma knits him two white mittens. 

He’s going outside to play, and she warns him not to lose the mittens.

Of course, one mitten does get lost- and animals squeeze into it one by one.

After reading the story, discuss the sequence of events with your students.

WH-Questions for The Mitten by Jan Brett

Ask your students WH-questions related to this story, such as:

• Who made Nicki’s mittens? His grandma (“Baba”)
• What did Nicki want? mittens
• Why was Baba concerned about Nicki having white mittens? He might not be able to find them again if he dropped them in the snow
• What 2 things would Baba look for when Nicki came home? She would see if he was safe and sound, then she would see if he had both of his mittens
• What animal discovered the mitten first? The mole
• Why did the bear sneeze? The mouse’s whiskers tickled his nose
• What happened after the bear sneezed? The mitten shot up into the sky and all the animals scattered 
• Why do you think Baba looked confused when she saw Nicki’s mitten at the end of the story? Because it was much larger than his other one 

Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle

This is a classic book to pull out during the winter months.

Pair these character felt pieces with a felt board for extra fun.

Your students could work on language skills such as sequencing, answering wh questions, and spatial concepts.

WH-Questions for Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Eric Carle

Here are a few WH questions you could ask your students after reading this book.

• What animals were in the story? (a polar bear, a lion, a hippopotamus, a flamingo, a zebra, a boa constrictor, an elephant, a leopard, a peacock, a walrus) 
• What sound did the polar bear hear? (A lion roaring in his ear)
• What sound does the hippopotamus make? (Snort)
• What color is the hippopotamus? (Blue)
• What sound does the elephant make? (Trumpet)

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro

This is a fun book that is great for working on sequencing.

In this story, the cold lady swallows:

• snow
• a pipe
• some coal
• a hat
• a stick
• and a scarf

In the end, she hiccups twice.

WH-Questions for There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow by Lucille Colandro

While reading, you could ask your students some of these WH-questions:

• What did the cold lady swallow first? (some snow)
• Why did she swallow the pipe? (to warm her ten toes)
• What color was the hat the old lady swallowed? (black)
• When do you see snow? (when it’s cold outside)
• Why is the story silly? (you can’t really eat snow, a pipe, coat, a hat, stick, or a scarf)

Finish up by asking your students a prediction question:

What do you think will happen next?

The answer: she makes a snowman!

Winter Idioms for Speech Therapy

If you’re a speech therapist targeting winter idioms with your older students, feel free to use this list in therapy.

1. Break the ice: this idiom means to start a social interaction
2. Cold shoulder: this idiom means to ignore someone
3. Tip of the iceberg: this idiom means you’re only seeing a small part of a much larger problem
4. Skating on thin ice: this idiom means that you’re doing something risky and could get in trouble for it
5. Chilled to the bone: this idiom means you’re feeling very cold
6. Weather the storm: this idiom means that you survive a difficult situation
7. Bury one’s head in the snow: this idiom means you’re ignoring something that is an issue
8. Left out in the cold: this idiom means you’ve been abandoned or ignored by other people
9. Frozen in time: this idiom means that something is unchanged and stuck in a particular moment
10. Put on ice: this idiom means to suspend doing something 

You could easily make a tic-tac-toe game board using these winter idioms for fun practice in speech therapy!

Winter Past Tense Verbs List for Speech Therapy

Use this list to create fun winter-themed activities in speech therapy!

If desired, pair with sentence strips that say, “Today I (verb). Yesterday I…”

Here are regular past tense verbs with a winter theme:

1. shoveled
2. skated
3. sledded
4. warmed
5. wrapped
6. traveled
7. cuddled
8. shivered
9. layered
10. skied 

Speech-language pathologists may wish to download this free winter verbs activity. 

Sequence the Events: Winter-Themed

If you’d like your students to work on sequencing events, try these:

• making hot chocolate
• building a snowman
• going sledding
• how to make a snowball

Example answers are provided below.

Making Hot Chocolate Sequencing

First, get a mug and hot water.

Next, add the hot cocoa mix to the hot water.

Then, stir using a spoon.

Finally, add whipped cream or marshmallows. 

Building a Snowman Sequencing 

First, roll a large ball of snow to make the bottom of the snowman.

Next, roll a medium ball of snow to make the middle.

Then, roll a small ball of snow to make a snowman head.

Finally, add a hat, stick arms, carrot nose, and scarf to the snowman.

Going Sledding- Sequence the Events

First, dress in warm winter clothing.

Next, carry a sled to the top of a hill.

Then, sit down on the sled.

Finally, go down the hill on your sled.

How to Make a Snowball: Sequencing Events

First, find freshly fallen snow.

Next, scoop some up while wearing gloves.

Then, squeeze the snow together.

Finally, shape it into a ball. 

Winter Categories List

Need a quick list of winter-themed categories to use during your speech therapy session?

Here are examples of winter-themed categories for speech therapy:

• winter clothing
• polar animals
• winter sports
• precipitation (winter weather)

Winter Clothing

Coats, mittens, scarves, boots

Animals (Winter Animals)

Polar bears, penguins, arctic foxes, snowy owls 

Winter Sports

Skiing, ice skating, hockey, snowboarding

Weather (Winter Precipitation)

Snow, sleet, hail, freezing rain

Free Listening for Details Winter Sentences

If you have students working on listening for details, check out these 1-2 sentence stories!

And if you know another speech therapist bestie who would also love to use these stories, please send the link to this blog post!

Story 1

Bridget went sledding with her best friend Cora on Saturday morning at the park.

They sled down a hill and then drank hot cocoa.

Who went sledding? Bridget, Cora

When did Bridget go sledding? Saturday morning

Where did Bridget go sledding? at the park

Story 2

On Wednesday night, 3 inches of snow fell. 

Bradley shoveled the snow so his neighbors wouldn’t slip on his sidewalk.

Who shoveled snow? Bradley

How much snow fell? 3 inches

When did the snow fall? Wednesday night

Why did Bradley shovel snow? so his neighbors wouldn’t slip on his sidewalk

Story 3

DJ put on his warm winter clothing this morning. He was hoping to have a snowball fight at his cousin’s house. 

Who put on his winter clothing? DJ

What did DJ put on? winter clothing

Why did DJ put on his warm clothes? to have a snowball fight

Where did DJ want to go to have a snowball fight? his cousin’s house

Here are even more listening for details short stories. 

Winter Sensory Bin

Sensory bins can be a great way to target a variety of skills.

Winter bins with fun winter themes can add even more excitement to your session.

If you’re not into the prepping yourself part, check out this ready-to-go winter sensory bin, complete with sand, polar animals, play sand tools, a storage box, and more. 

It’s the perfect addition to your polar animal unit, and the included arctic animals would offer an easy way to address skills such as spatial concepts and wh questions.

Add some articulation cards to your sensory bin!

Winter Games and Toys

Incorporate these winter games and toys into your articulation and language sessions.

These games are wonderful for speech therapy and special education.

Don’t Break the Ice (Hasbro Gaming)

By far, one of my favorite winter-themed games is Don’t Break the Ice.

Set-up can take a minute, but the bonus is that this game doesn’t require batteries.

Your student (or students) can take turns hitting a piece of ice.

The objective is not to let the penguin fall through the ice. 

I typically have my articulation students practice a target word before taking a turn at the game. 

Polar Bear Magna-Tiles

These polar bear Magna-Tiles are perfect for pretend play.

And best of all, they pair with the book Eric Carle’s “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?”.

You’ll be able to use these many different ways during the winter months.

Indoor Snowball Fight

Even students living in warmer climates can enjoy a snowball fight- with this pack of 50 fake snowballs. 

Your students could work on speech sounds while playing a good game of toss.

Trust me, your elementary students – and maybe even some middle school students- will have a blast with these snowballs- and the best part is that no one has to get cold or wet!