Activities for Improving Word Retrieval: Fill in the Blank Associations

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Activities for Improving Word Retrieval:

Fill in the Blank Associations

Write a word in each blank that completes the phrase. The word must make sense in

the phrase. If your child cannot read or write, say these out loud and have your child

say a word that could fill in the blank.

 A pair of ___________

 Peanut butter and ___________

 Close the ____________

 Elephants live in the ____________

 Head, Shoulders, Knees, and

___________

 Run away from ____________

 Bread and ____________

 Socks and ____________

 Out to ____________

 Slip and ____________

 Over the ____________

 Give me ____________

 Help me____________

 Where’s my ____________

 Follow the ____________

 Take me ____________

 Eat your ____________

 Please and ____________

 Coat and ____________

 Shirt and ____________

 Play with ____________

 Simon says ____________

 Drain the ____________

 Push the ____________

 Ring around the ____________

 Fun and ____________

 Ride the ____________

 Show me ____________

 Don’t wake ____________

 Hold your ____________

 Eat and ____________

 Throw the ____________

 Hammer and ____________

Extra Practice:

Help your child practice these types of fill-in-the blanks at other times as well. You can

say some of these while waiting in a line or driving in the car. The more you do this,

the faster his word retrieval will become!

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Improving Word Retrieval Skills

Rapid Naming from Categories

Have your child name as many things from each of these categories as she can. Make sure she

does it as quickly as she can as well. Time her to see how fast she can come up with 10 items.

When you’ve used all of these categories, try asking about other categories as well.

Vehicles Clothes

Drinks Toys

Actions Furniture

Foods

Body Parts

Extra Practice:

Continue to ask your child to do this throughout the week. You can try this activity

while waiting somewhere or on a long car ride. Make it a family game and have eve-

ryone try. Have your child choose a category for you to name 10 items from as well.

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Activities for Improving Word Retrieval:

Provide a Word from a Definition

Write a word in each blank that fits the definition provided. The word must make

sense with the definition. If your child cannot read or write, say these out loud and

have your child say a word that could fill in the blank. Time how long it takes your

child to do 10 of these. Then, see if your child can beat his record next time.

 A red and juicy fruit that is often made

into juice or sauce. ___________

 An animal whose hair is made into

clothing and who needs to be sheared.

___________

 Something green that grows outside

and needs to be mowed regularly.

____________

 A place where children play outside

during school. ____________

 Something you wear on your hands to

keep you warm when it’s cold outside.

___________

 An eating utensil that has three or four

tines so you can pick up pieces of food

better. ____________

 An animal that lives at the zoo and has

a very long neck. ____________

 Something you use to spread paint on-

to paper. ____________

 What you put under your head at night

when you sleep. ____________

 Something that flies in the air while be-

ing attached to a string that you hold.

____________

 An animal that lives on the farm and

lays eggs. ____________

 A place where you wash your dishes.

____________

 A vehicle that flies in the sky and has

two large wings that stick out on either

side. ____________

 Something you put on your toothbrush

to brush your teeth ____________

 A food with a crust, cheese, and top-

pings that is shaped like a circle but cut

into triangles. ____________

 Something green that grows on a tree

and can shade you if there are enough

of them. ____________

Extra Practice:

Help your child practice these types of reverse definitions at other times as well. You

can say some of these while waiting in a line or driving in the car. You can also play a

jeopardy-like game to practice these as well.

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Improving Word Retrieval Skills

Listing Items Required for a Task

Have your child quickly name all of the things she would need to have to complete

one of the following tasks. Time her to see how fast she can come up with 10 items.

When you’ve used all of these tasks, try asking about other tasks as well.

Washing Your Hands Brushing Your Teeth

Getting Ready for Bed

Pouring a Bowl of Cereal Painting a Picture

Taking a Bath

Making a Sandwich Putting on Your Shoes and Socks

Extra Practice:

Help your child practice these types of lists at other times as well. You can say some

of these while waiting in a line or driving in the car. See if she can beat her time for

coming up with a list of 10.

For more speech and language worksheets and guides, check out my e-book: www.SpeechAndLanguageKids.com/e-book

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Activities for Improving Word Retrieval:

Finish Similes

Write a word in each blank that completes the simile. The word must fit with the de-

scriptor provided. If your child cannot read or write, say these out loud and have your

child say a word that could fill in the blank.

 As sticky as ___________

 As wet as ___________

 As scary as ____________

 As happy as ____________

 As creepy as ___________

 As loud as ____________

 As quick as ____________

 As sneaky as ____________

 As lazy as ____________

 As dry as ____________

 As slow as ____________

 As wide as ____________

 As long as____________

 As excited as ____________

 As wrong as ____________

 As smart as ____________

 As hungry as ____________

 As full as ____________

 As warm as ____________

 As soft as ____________

 As friendly as ____________

 As bossy as ____________

 As stuck as ____________

 As strong as ____________

 As dizzy as ____________

 As funny as ____________

 As perfect as ____________

 As stubborn as ____________

 As sleepy as ____________

 As weak as ____________

 As thirsty as ____________

 As dirty as ____________

 As short as ____________

 As bored as ___________

Extra Practice:

Help your child practice these similes at other times as well. You can say some of

these while waiting in a line or driving in the car. See who can come up with the funni-

est or most clever similes.

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Activities for Improving Word Retrieval:

Antonyms and Synonyms

Look at the word on the left side of the page. In the first blank, write a word that

means the same as the target word. In the second blank, write a word that means the

opposite of the target word. If your child cannot read or write, say these out loud and

have your child say a word that could fill in the blank.

Word: Synonym:

Happy ___________

Scary ____________

Excited ____________

Lonely ___________

Fancy ____________

Fast ____________

Sneaky ____________

Lazy ____________

Dry ____________

Slow ____________

Wide ____________

Hurry ____________

Run ____________

Eat ____________

Smart ____________

Antonym:

___________

Extra Practice:

Help your child practice these antonyms and synonyms at other times as well. You

can say some of these while waiting in a line or driving in the car. Time your child to

see how long it takes her to do 10 of these and see if she can beat her time.