Ahhh...I SEE!...Visual Prompts Part 4: Play Boards!

After 6 hours of IEP work yesterday, I finally feel like I may be just about ready for my month long break in July!  So, after creating numerous rubrics, reviewing progress from previous IEP's and adding data to goal graphs, I spent part of today organizing and creating some visual play boards! 

So, just in case you didn't get enough ideas for visual prompts HERE, HERE and HERE   below are some more ideas for visual prompts...for play boards!   Here's how I made them and how they are used:

A play board to use while playing with cars.

Along with my hundreds of Boardmaker pictures that I've printed out over the past several years; I had some extended file folders from Wall-mart that were just sitting at my house.  I decided to use the file folders to make simple picture boards for routines or play.  It took me a bit to realize that these came with an added benefit...they stand up! 

Another play board...but this time, for baby dolls!

I plan on using these during to help the children with receptive and expressive language while playing.  The file folders probably won't last forever, but they work well now and can easily be replaced.  I ended up simply taping the Boardmaker pictures directly to the file folders.   

This board I actually slid inside the baby doll play board.  This way, we can pull
it out while playing with the babies to talk about body parts...which we need to work on anyway!
Tricky, aren't I?! :)

These play boards are used simply by pointing to the (picture) as you are playing.  Ex. for the car board:   "Oh, I want to (drive) the (car)!  I wonder where we should go?  Look, there's a (bridge), we're going (up) (up) (up) and (over) the (bridge)...(OH NO!) the (car) crashed!....(down), (down), (down)...."     

This is actually a board to use during mealtimes.

 The colors are used to signify various parts of speech.   Below is what type of word each color is supposed to represent. 

• Yellow- nouns
• Pink- verbs
• Purple- exclamations!
• Green- prepositions (this is why "blanket ON baby, baby IN chair, clothes ON baby" are green :)  
• Orange- Extras (yes, no, I need help etc.) 

The back of the board for breakfast or lunch.

I have always been more inclined to use pictures with the children when I can place them throughout the room where they would most typically be used.   I use these boards more for increasing receptive language rather than for requesting items or actions with most of the children in my room.  However, after some time, we generally see the children start to point to items as they are playing as well!  It is amazing how many children will begin to replay simple play schemes after using a play board and listening to an adult "self-talk" through the play scheme!  These are, by far, my most favorite type of visual prompt! :)