Unique and Bizarre Holidays as Therapy Topics or Material -melissa n., M.A., CCC-SLP
New and interesting therapy material can be difficult to come by at time. When I am challenged so far as to topics that stimulate creativity and language, I often look to unique and bizarre holidays that are registered and occurring at that time. For instance, the month of December looks like this on http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/december.htm
Year 2011 Each Day:
3 National Roof over Your Head Day
4 Santa’s' List Day - we hope you are on the "Nice" list
5 Repeal Day - The 21st Amendment ends Prohibition. I'll drink to that!
7 International Civil Aviation Day
7 National Cotton Candy Day - would you like some fairy floss?
11 International Children's Day - Second Sunday in December
13 Violin Day
16 National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
18 National Roast Suckling Pig Day
21 Humbug Day
21 Look on the Bright Side Day
22 National Date Nut Bread Day - or September 8!?
23 Festivus - for the rest of us
23 Roots Day
25 National Pumpkin Pie Day for recipes see Pumpkin Nook’s Cookbook
26 Boxing Day
27 Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day
30 National Bicarbonate of Soda Day
31 Unlucky Day
On the seventh, I will likely base my therapy sessions around the theme of "Letter Writing Day," and have my patients tell me about letters they have written and received, the difference between WRITING a letter and e-mailing (or, less personal yet, texting someone), and then actually have the patient write or dictate a letter (depending on skill level) to actually send to someone.
"Oatmeal Muffin Day" on the nineteenth is a great excuse to do a cooking group or individual session focusing on sequencing and functional problem solving ("If we want to double the recipe, how many eggs do we need?"). The twenty-seventh is "Make Cut Out Snowflakes Day," which is a great time to co-treat with Occupational Therapy to target attention to task and auditory comprehension for following basic level directives, as well as the Occupational Therapy goals for fine motor skills and hand/finger strength and coordination. "Unlucky Day" on the thirty-first would be an occasion to discuss the most "lucky" and the most "unlucky" things that have occurred in a clients' life, or to play a game such as "Yahtzee" that is based upon the luck of the dice. Utilizing unique and interesting holidays as a therapy tool is cost effective, fun, and easily accessible. Who knows, maybe you and/or your client may develop a registerable "holiday."
Regardless, the end result of branching out and looking for creative outlets for our patients is a happier, more involved, more rewarding career for us Speech Pathologists and a broader, more motivating, individualized treatment plan for our clients. And who doesn't learn more when they are interested?
