Speech-language pathologists love using a variety of familiar games to incorporate into speech and language therapy. One of my personal favorite games to use during speech therapy is Tapple. It is a fast-paced game that utilizes categories during each round. A player has 10 seconds to provide a word that fits a specific category (i.e., “animals”) and starts with an available letter on the Tapple wheel. However, for speech therapy, I like to use Tapple in both fast-paced settings for spontaneous productions and slower-paced settings for imitation. School-aged students enjoy this game and love participating with their target sounds, and here’s how:

Tapple provides a way for a speech-language pathologist to target speech sounds in a natural way while incorporating word retrieval, vocabulary, semantic organization, verbal fluency, and expressive language. For example, when using Tapple to target /r/, I have the student produce words from their vocabulary that contain /r/. The word can be any word, but it must fit the selected category and begin with an available letter on the Tapple wheel. To start out, we play slowly and at the student’s pace. However, once they can successfully produce a full wheel of words, I utilize the buzzer, and we complete a fast-paced round. This allows me to collect data on both imitation and spontaneous production during the session.

Along with articulation therapy, Tapple can easily be adapted for language therapy. Because the game is centered around categories, the student can choose the category by creating their own or selecting one from the Tapple cards if they need additional support. Then they will be prompted to generate words that belong to that category. The activity can also be tailored to a student’s personal interests or classroom content. With the built-in time limit, Tapple creates opportunities to target skills such as verbal fluency, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility.

Perhaps the greatest strength of Tapple is its ability to make a structured therapy activity feel more like play. Rather than completing a repetitive drill task or worksheet, students can use Tapple to communicate with functionality while practicing skills that are important for everyday communication. With thoughtful adaptations that individualize each student’s session, Tapple can become a motivating and useful tool for targeting a wide range of speech and language goals.

-Maridan Hueser M.S., CF-SLP

Speech-language pathologists love using a variety of familiar games to incorporate into speech and language therapy. One of my personal favorite games to use during speech therapy is Tapple. It is a fast-paced game that utilizes categories during each round. A player has 10 seconds to provide a word that fits a specific category (i.e., “animals”) and starts with an available letter on the Tapple wheel. However, for speech therapy, I like to use Tapple in both fast-paced settings for spontaneous productions and slower-paced settings for imitation. School-aged students enjoy this game and love participating with their target sounds, and here’s how:

Tapple provides a way for a speech-language pathologist to target speech sounds in a natural way while incorporating word retrieval, vocabulary, semantic organization, verbal fluency, and expressive language. For example, when using Tapple to target /r/, I have the student produce words from their vocabulary that contain /r/. The word can be any word, but it must fit the selected category and begin with an available letter on the Tapple wheel. To start out, we play slowly and at the student’s pace. However, once they can successfully produce a full wheel of words, I utilize the buzzer, and we complete a fast-paced round. This allows me to collect data on both imitation and spontaneous production during the session.

Along with articulation therapy, Tapple can easily be adapted for language therapy. Because the game is centered around categories, the student can choose the category by creating their own or selecting one from the Tapple cards if they need additional support. Then they will be prompted to generate words that belong to that category. The activity can also be tailored to a student’s personal interests or classroom content. With the built-in time limit, Tapple creates opportunities to target skills such as verbal fluency, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility.

Perhaps the greatest strength of Tapple is its ability to make a structured therapy activity feel more like play. Rather than completing a repetitive drill task or worksheet, students can use Tapple to communicate with functionality while practicing skills that are important for everyday communication. With thoughtful adaptations that individualize each student’s session, Tapple can become a motivating and useful tool for targeting a wide range of speech and language goals.

-Maridan Hueser M.S., CF-SLP