Need some more bug themed speech therapy ideas?! Honestly, I can’t get enough of cute creepy crawlies so I decided to highlight one of my favorite insects – Ladybugs! A ladybug theme is perfect for spring or summer speech therapy! Let’s take out our magnifying glasses and take a close look at some great articulation and language activities featuring these cuties.
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Ladybug Crafts
I love crafts, especially when they’re no prep! I introduced a new type of craft to The Speech is Sweet Club this school year – Dabber Crafts! These will be added into my TPT store next spring!
These were inspired by my love of bingo daubers and super simple crafts! First, students dab the circles and then color all around! Then they cut it out and voila! Super simple, no glue required! You can jazz them up a bit by gluing them onto construction paper and cutting around it to create a frame! These articulation crafts have a wide variety of speech sounds included and also make great speech homework activities!
They’re precious and can also be incorporated into a large bug theme! The target words can be found on the ladybug’s spots! So cute! In my bug themed post from years ago, I shared a ladybug paper plate craft! Crafts are also an easy way to decorate your speech therapy room, they can be used on bulletin boards, the walls, or even used for door decor. These adorable crafts are definitely some of my favorite bug activities!
Ladybug Speech Therapy Resources
I created these Ladybug Articulation Printables! They’re currently exclusive to The Speech is Sweet Club! These no prep worksheets are perfect for bug themed speech therapy sessions.
These sheets can be used in so many ways!
- play-doh smash mats (just put in a dry erase sleeve)
- coloring sheet
- cover the word targets with mini erasers
- print them at a smaller scale to make a flap-up in an interactive notebook
- bingo dauber sheet
Ladybug Toys and Games
I found two cute games and the wooden fishing/matching game was a huge hit with my three year old! There are so many language goals and basic concepts you can tackle with this cute ladybug.
Students can “fish” for the ladybugs and match them up according to color and number! The wings of the ladybug open to reveal a shape puzzle! It’s super cute and my ladybug sheets are a great companion for it!
Concepts/Skills Addressed:
- quantitative Concepts (how many, more/less spots)
- qualitative Concepts (color, shape)
- following directions (put the green ladybug next to the star)
- spatial concepts
- WH questions
This is a cute game! I have to be honest though, I don’t like that the pieces are all made out of cardboard. That’s a big con for me when looking for games to add to my therapy toolbox, however, you can always replace the cardboard pieces with plastic bugs or other toy bugs! There are a lot of pros though, namely it is adorable and no reading is required (great for younger kids)!
The object is to help the ladybugs find their way home! It addresses a variety of skills including, number concepts, temporal concepts, language skills, and can be used for narrative language. You can create a story about how the ladybug found its way home – the ladybugs have to dodge praying mantises, collect aphids, and they encounter lazy ants! Your students will also be exposed to some new vocabulary (ex. aphids and other different insects). This game is also a great companion for any bug themed worksheet. Games can be effective resources for speech therapy!
Ladybug Picture Books
There are so many wonderful ladybug books out there to squeeze into your lesson plans! Honestly, I can’t get enough bug books haha! I’m sure you can find many of these at your local library – which is a fantastic therapy resource!
Fiction Books
The Very Lazy Ladybug by Isobel Finn
This is the story of a ladybug that naps all day long! She has slept so much that she never acquired the ability to fly! That’s not her only problem though, she’s tired of sleeping in the same place! The next thing you know, she hitches a ride on a kangaroo and embarks on a journey of comfort.. except, she can’t get cozy! She meets many animals along the way and ultimately learns to fly. I just adore this story! You can read this during any animal theme too! A great book to use to address receptive language and expressive language! Use this book to address:
- /l/ sound
- problem/solution
- categories (she meets a variety of animals – zoo animals, forest animals, reptiles, etc)
- adjectives (lazy, noisy, hot, etc)
- vocabulary (so many synonyms for walking – padding, plodding, etc)
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
A classic – enough said! haha! Use this book to address:
- /l/ sound and /gr/
- time concepts
- where questions (where did he meet each animal)
- adjectives
- …and dare I suggest social skills? haha!
Ten Little Ladybugs by Bendon Ten
This is my son’s favorite ladybug read aloud! This is a must-have book! It’s interactive and features the cutest rhyme. It’s a countdown book (similar to Five Little Pumpkins) and it’s precious. Kids will love that they can touch the ladybugs! Use this book to address:
- rhyming
- quantitative concepts
- cause/effect
- /l/ sound
Dot the Ladybug: Dot Day by Kallie George
This is part of a series by Kallie George! Dot the Ladybug loves dots and it’s her dot day! She wants to celebrate, but can’t find any of her friends! At the end, she stumbles into her surprise party! Use this book to tackle:
- /l/ and /d/ sounds
- rhyming
- sequencing
Non-fiction books
Ladybugs by Gail Gibbons
Gibbons is the queen of non-fiction! Her books are always full of beautiful, detailed illustrations and tons of fun facts! This book takes you through the lifecycle of a ladybug and beyond! Use this book to work on:
- sequencing (the lifecycle of a butterfly)
- compare/contrast (there are so many different ladybugs.. some types can live up to 2 years and some only a month).
- problem/solution (Ladybugs help protect plants for organic farmers)
The Lifecycle of a Ladybug by Blastoff Readers
I love the real photos that this book uses! This isn’t nearly as text-dense as Gibbons’ book, which is easier to digest with younger groups! I love that it gives a simple description of a complex process. Use this book to address:
- expository text features (table of contents, glossary, labels, photographs, etc)
- level 3 science vocabulary (larva, molt, pupa, etc)
- transition Words
- sequencing (as students learn about the life cycle of ladybugs)
It’s a Good Thing There are Ladybugs by Joanne Mattern
Another great little non-fiction book! This one is part of the Rookie Read-About series by Scholastic. This is absolutely perfect. I love how there are arrows that label items in every picture. It’s just a great example of expository text for younger students! It’s also the perfect length for a 30 minute therapy sessions! Use this book to work on:
- text features
- level 3 science vocabulary (parts of an insect – thorax, etc)
- compare/contrast ladybugs to other animals (examples: ladybugs hibernate in the winter, what other animals hibernate?)
These books are definitely some of my new favorite bug-themed picture books!
Conclusion
I hope this little round-up was helpful and you have so much fun with these ideas! I love bug themed activities and I think ladybugs deserve their own little spotlight! They’re such integral part of our planet. Also, when it comes to bugs, there are so many different themes you can explore: bees, spiders, worms, fireflies, caterpillars, etc!
Want more bug themed ideas? Check out these related blog posts:
Bug Themed Speech Therapy
Hedgehugs and the Hattiepillar Activities
In the Tall, Tall Grass Freebie
The Very Busy Spider Freebie
Looking for spring themed speech therapy activities? Check out these blog posts:
Spring Speech Therapy Activities: A Mega Guide for SLPs
Garden Themed Speech Therapy Activities
March Read Alouds and Activities
April Read Alouds and Activities
May Read Alouds and Activities
Tops and Bottoms Book Activities Freebie
Rainbow Craft for Speech Therapy
Spring Apraxia Worksheets
Spring Flowers Craft
Spring Receptive Language Activities
Spring Expressive Language Activities
Spring Articulation Worksheets
Thank you for stopping by! Have a wonderful day!
