St. Patrick's Day Fun for Kids with a Hidden Speech Therapy Twist
Updated: Aug 25
In this article we will discuss:
Did you start the day by putting on your favorite green shirt? Are you eating green eggs and ham?
At Better Speech our speech language pathologists love to celebrate every holiday.
Here are 3 of our favorite activities for kids on this jolly holiday. And don't tell them we snuck in some speech therapy activities.
Treasure Hunt
What would a holiday be without a treasure hunt!
This is a great way to practice receptive language - or what your child understands. You can download and print our St Patricks day images of gold coins, a rainbow and more. Hide them around the house and give your child clues. The clues can be changed to match the child's ability and level of understanding.
Here are some examples:
Leave the rainbow picture on the kitchen counter and give your child this clue:
CLUE: What luck! I see a rainbow where we prepare your dinner.
Leave the gold coins picture near your child's toothbrush.
CLUE: Leaping Leprechauns! There is a treasure where you brush your teeth.
Download these pictures and print.
Does your child need additional speech therapy practice?
Read "How to Catch a Leprechaun"
We love this book because after reading it with our little clients at Better Speech, we always start to talk about what kind of traps we would like to set for a Leprechaun.
After reading the story a few times, you can ask your child to retell it. Use the pictures as a reminder for your child for what happens and in what sequence.
You can also listen to the story being read on YouTube.
Story retell, sequencing and talking about a story you just read are great ways for parents to model expressive language. Stories also teach narrative to young children by helping them identify the beginning, middle, and end of a story. You can teach them transition words like "first," "then," and "last" to tell a story.
Holiday Picture Sorting
This activity is great for this holiday and 2 others. You can also skip the pictures to download below and collect holiday objects from around the house. You can cut out the pictures and micx them up on the table.
Ask your child to sort the pictures by holiday and explain why each picture belongs to a different holiday.
Mix them up on the table and tell the kids to separate the St. Patrick's Day themed words from other words that don't belong.
We hope you have a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day !
At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What St. Patrick's Day activities actually help with speech development?
Activities like reading Irish-themed picture books aloud, singing silly leprechaun songs, and playing storytelling games with gold coins are wonderful for building vocabulary, rhyming skills, and sentence structure. The key is keeping it playful so children stay engaged without feeling like they are doing formal practice. Even simple treasure hunt clues read together can spark great language moments.
How can I work on specific speech sounds during holiday play without my child knowing?
Focus on sounds naturally embedded in holiday words. For example, words like shamrock, sheep, and shoes are great for the 'sh' sound, while leprechaun, lucky, and leaf target the 'l' sound. Repeat these words enthusiastically during games or crafts, and gently model correct pronunciation without correcting your child directly. Casual repetition during fun activities is one of the most effective informal techniques.
Is it okay to use holiday themes during official speech therapy sessions?
Absolutely, and most speech-language pathologists love incorporating seasonal themes because they boost motivation and keep sessions feeling fresh. If your child works with a therapist at Better Speech, you can always ask them to weave St. Patrick's Day vocabulary or activities into their plan. Themed sessions help children generalize new skills in a memorable, low-pressure context.
How do I know if my child needs professional speech therapy beyond fun home activities?
If your child is consistently difficult to understand, avoids talking, struggles to follow directions, or seems frustrated when communicating, it is worth a professional evaluation. Home activities are a wonderful supplement but are not a substitute for a licensed therapist's assessment. Better Speech offers licensed, insurance-ready care with no waitlists, so getting started is straightforward and accessible.
What age is appropriate to start using holiday games for speech practice at home?
You can start as early as infancy with simple songs and sound play, but structured vocabulary and storytelling games tend to work best for toddlers age two and up. The activities naturally scale with your child's developmental stage, so a three-year-old might name pictures on a shamrock card while a six-year-old retells a leprechaun story in full sentences. Follow your child's lead and keep it joyful.
About the Author
Aycen Zambuto
I’m a seasoned educator in speech therapy with over six years of experience helping people navigate challenges in communication. Throughout this time, I’ve found joy in guiding individuals through a variety of therapeutic journeys, from toddlers with apraxia to seniors with dysphonia.
I’m passionate about demystifying this complex world of speech therapy and helping readers around the globe achieve clear and effective communication. When I’m not writing about speech, you’ll often find me reading, traveling or spending time with friends and family.
