The Many Faces of Mr. Potato Head {Guest Post}

• Basic requesting: By holding all the pieces back from your child/student, you can get so much language!  You can model the words you want them to say: “gimme” “more” “I want ___”, or “help me.”
• Following directions:  Whether it is one-step (“put on”) or multi-step (“clap hands then put eyes on”) students are naturally reinforced by then getting to play with this toy.
• Spatial concepts: You can model during play activities with “on” and “off.”  You can also use pieces to teach “under,” “next to,” “over,” and “in.”  Again, students are naturally reinforced!
•  Turn-taking: it can be between a group of students or between you and the student.  Students can take turns picking pieces and then take turns putting pieces on Mr. Potato Head.
• Expanding vocabulary: you can use the clothing and body parts pieces to build vocabulary.  Students can label pieces before given them to play.
• Building receptive vocabulary: students must take named piece when given all or just a select few.
• Expanding utterance length: You can model the longer utterances and/or provide visual cues with sentence strips using Boardmaker or writing on paper/dry erase board.  Such utterances could include: “I want more ___,” “give me _____,” “Potato Head is ______,” or “Potato Head needs _____.”
• Pretend play: once Mr. Potato Head has all his pieces, you can have him act out actions!  Model for your students him running, sleeping, crying, jumping, and more!

Miss Speechie is a licensed speech-language pathologist that works in an elementary school.  She is the author of the blog Speech Time Fun.  She enjoys sharing creative ideas to her fellow SLPs.  Visit her website to learn more about her and find tons of freebies and ideas!