Summer 16 has been busy yet FUN! I haven’t posted in a few weeks, but I have had you all on my mind. The warm summer days have led to impromptu trips to the beach, sprints through the water sprinklers, blowing bubbles in the park, and lots of ice cream. I have enjoyed hanging out with my family and playing with new speech friends as we work on improving their skills.
Today I wanted to share one of my summer speech activities. I’ve shared before that I enjoy “cooking” activities and kids do too. They get excited at the notion of creating something and knowing that they will get to enjoy the finished product. In addition to having a great time, cooking allows us to practice critical skills like following directions, sequencing, and learning new vocabulary. Whether it is something to eat like my recipe for Ice pops or making homemade toothpaste – kitchen activities are always a hit.
Here is what you will need to make Homemade Toothpaste:
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon flavoring (vanilla, almond or peppermint)
Toothbrush
Air-tight container
Simply mix the ingredients and your toothpaste is ready for use! Be sure to cover the container with a tight-fitting lid after each use to preserve your toothpaste.
While working on your toothpaste, be certain to name each item as you use the ingredients. Also, you can target math skills by allowing your child to measure ingredients. Count the measurements out loud as you add to the mixture.
Talk with your child about what we do to care for our teeth, like:
Brushing in the morning and before bed
Brushing after meals
Flossing to get out the bits of food and to keep our gums healthy
Brushing after eating sweet and sticky foods.
To expand the activity, pair it with a book about good dental hygiene like Dr. Seuss’ Tooth Book.
