Pretend Play with a Farm in Speech Therapy

Have you ever used a farm theme in speech therapy?

Let’s talk about pretend play for a minute. I feel like pretend play is one of those things that for some reason, does not come naturally to many adults. We know how to play a specific game with a set routine and rules, like Candy Land. But, put a cow figurine in our hand and aside from awkwardly saying “Moooo”…we have no clue what to do.

According to an article in Psychology Today, Pretend Play allows a child to do the following things:

Improve their “Theory of Mind” (the idea that one’s own thoughts differ from other peoples’)
Express his or feelings
Improve self regulation
Improve social skills
Improve cognitive flexibility
Improve creativity
Improving vocabulary and overall language skills

You can read the full article here.

Personally, I have found that children who engage in pretend play are more creative, entertain themselves more easily, and generalize language skills better!

This blog post will be a series of posts focusing on engaging your child in pretend play with various toys, items, or scenarios. Today we are going to talk about specific ways to engage in pretend play with a toy farm in speech therapy (or at home!). If pretend play doesn’t come naturally to you, no worries! I am going to break it down for you! Here are some ways to engage in pretend play with a toy farm.

MATERIALS:

Toy Farm

Farm Animals

At least one person figurine (doesn’t have to be a farmer, but we can call him/her that!)

A vehicle (tractor, truck, etc.)

SCENARIOS:

It’s time to eat! Start by having the “farmer” bring the animals food. Have the animals eat the food. You can say things like “Yum, yum, yum. That’s so good. I love oats. ” When you are speaking you should pretend you are the animal or the farmer. Next, the farmer can ask “Is anyone thirsty? Does anyone want water?” Pretend spray some water from a hose into a container (making a noise like a spraying hose “ssshhhhhh”–remember pairing sounds with actions helps kids imitate sounds!)
It’s time to go to bed! Start by yawning and saying”It’s nighttime. I am so tired.” One by one, lay each animal down on it’s side. Then, dramatically, say “Shhhhh” while putting your finger over your mouth. “Be quiet.” Make a big production for a minute or two about being quiet because all the animals are sleeping. Then, bang your hand against the floor loudly and say “Wake up!” and one by one have each animal stand up. Repeat this, as many times as your toddler or preschooler is entertained!
Call the doctor! As you’re acting out some scenario, have one of the animals fall and get hurt (Some of my favorites are falling off the tractor, falling down the silo chute, etc.). Say “Oh no! I’m hurt!!” One of the other animals can yell, “Call the doctor!” Have the “doctor” arrive and check out the animal, feeling his body for the wound. Say “Ouch” when the doctor touches the spot that hurts. You can use a washcloth or baby wipe to clean it. Spray on some pretend medicine. and put on a pretend (or real) bandaid! Say “All better!”
Ride on the tractor! Have the animals take turn going for a ride on the “tractor.” This doesn’t have to be a real tractor, it could be a truck or a digger, etc. The driver or farmer asks “Where do you want to go?” You can give choices to your child like, “Should the cow go to the park or to the zoo?” While on the tractor, the farmer can take turns going fast or slow; stopping or going. Take a ride there and then narrate all the things you see at that place, for example “OOOh, I see kids on the swings!”
Plant a garden! Have the animals take turns planting seeds in a garden, watering the seeds, and watching them grow. You can talk about what things grew, like flowers, or vegetables. You can talk about that you eat vegetables, but you DON’T eat flowers! You can have the cow ask the sheep for help watering. The sheep can ask the horse “What things did you plant?”

Download this free parent handout below!

Pretend Play Scenarios Download

If you want some other ways to incorporate a farm theme in speech therapy, check out these activities: