Diwali Communication Board
Happy Diwali from Magic Words!
We've made some communication boards with helpful vocabulary you may encounter during the holiday!
Summer Now and Next Board
Summer Now and Next Board
Does your child struggle with transitions? 'Now & Next' boards are a great visual aid to support understanding and transitioning from one activity to the next!
'Now & Next' boards can help to:
Reduce anxiety by creating predictability
Encourage smoother transitions between activities / tasks
Build routine and independence
Perfect for children with speech, language, or communication needs — but helpful for any child adjusting to change!
We've created a resource to use over the summer break, with a collection of activities for at home, on holiday and the daily routine. Print and cut out the pieces, and create your own activity cards too!
Beach I-Spy Activity
Beach I-Spy Activity
…
School Transition - Communication Boards
School Transition - Communication Boards
As we welcome the summer holidays, some individuals may find the transition from nursery to primary or primary to secondary a more difficult than others.
To prepare for September, we've made some communication boards with useful vocabulary to help navigate the change!
Summer Travel Tips!
Top Tips for Air Travel for those with Additional Needs
Kristie Davies, one of our brilliant SaLTAPs (Speech and Language Therapy Assistant Practitioner) has provided some brilliant insight into navigating air travel with her son, who has additional speech, language and communication needs.
“My son likes to interviews the pilot when we get on the plane. I make a point of asking the staff at the boarding gate about this and it has never been a problem. He asks them how long they have been flying for and if they are safe. He finds it really reassuring!”
“He also wears his sunflower lanyard so the staff know that he may find traveling tricky / to help make his journey through the airport easier. We’ve gone from my son literally screaming on take off to now actively looking forward to being on the plane!”
Kristie also shared her top tips for flying with an individual with SLCN:
Many airlines will reserve seats for a family together without extra expense if there is a disability.
Wearing a sunflower lanyard can let staff know they may be finding it tricky and make the journey through the airport easier.
Make sure tablets and phones are fully charged - you can't use a battery pack onboard the plane.
Noise cancelling headphones are great at reducing the aircraft noise.
Take surprise gifts that can be unwrapped at certain points of the flight. They don't have to be expensive, e.g. a favourite comic or packet of sweets.
Stay calm yourself - your young person will pick up on your stress. Treat the journey as part of your holiday!
Here are some useful resources you may find helpful:
British Airways Visual Guide
A step-by-step guide to the different parts of the flying experience, using simple icons and text to describe what passengers can expect.
Birmingham Airport’s Sky Zone
An interactive website with clickable pictures containing videos and audio content - a great way to learn all about the behind the scenes goings-on at an airport.
Heathrow’s Non-visible Disabilities Support
Heathrow offers free sunflower lanyards and sensory objects packs to support those who need extra support while travelling. They can be found at various locations in their terminals - show on an interactive map.
Gatwick’s Sensory Room
Gatwick’s North Terminal offers a sensory room, designed for passengers who will benefit from a safe and soothing space when in unfamiliar surroundings. There are two areas - a chill-out zone with bean bags and colourful displays, and an interactive zone featuring a range of sensory activities.
Pride 2025 - Communication Board
Communicating at Pride Events
Our team created this downloadable PDF communication board that you can print from home to help navigate this year’s Pride celebrations!
Eid al-Adha Picture Cards Activity
Eid Mubarak!
We've put together an activity so you can tell the story of Eid al-Adha (or learn about it for the first time!) while using picture cards to practise sequencing and build narrative skills.
World Autism Acceptance Day 2025
World Autism Acceptance Day 2025
Autistic people may face different forms of societal discrimination and exclusion due to barriers and stigma.
Therefore, it is vital for the community to be able to access guidance, resources and opportunities to develop important skills, social groups and support networks.
We are choosing to celebrate today as World Autism Acceptance Day (rather than World Autism Awareness Month) in an effort to continue to 'Level UP' as an organisation from awareness to acceptance - and beyond! Learn more about how the brilliant autism advocacy group 'Autism Level UP!' are encouraging us all to see where we are and take the next step forward!
Here are some useful resources you may find helpful:
The National Autistic Society
Money raised will go towards supporting Autistic people and their families, such as providing social group networks, training in education and employment advice.
Designed for adults in the workplace, including a webinar giving an introduction to Autism inclusion at work, guidance to supporting colleagues and fundraising ideas.
Autism Education Trust
Supports staff confidence to foster student understanding, awareness and a sense of belonging for Autistic children and young people. Includes a handbook, lesson plans, student activities and more.
Twinkl
Aimed at teachers, tailored lesson plans can help support students to thrive in the classroom. Presentations for different age groups can help make schools safer for Autistic children and teens.
Mother's Day Communication Board
Happy Mother’s Day!
To celebrate Mother’s Day, our team created this downloadable PDF communication board that you can print from home with terms and vocabulary that you may encounter today.
Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at Magic Words!
Ramadan Communication Board
Ramadan Mubarak!
To celebrate the start of Ramadan, our team created this downloadable PDF communication board that you can print from home with terms and vocabulary that you may encounter during the holy month.
We’ve also included a helpful glossary with definitions of few of the words that may be new to you and your family, friends and loved ones!
Colourful Semantics Farmyard Game
Colourful semantics farmyard game
Specialist Speech Therapist Eleanor found this holographic puzzle in Aldi that children on her caseload love to play.
“I’ve created a colourful semantics visual support pack to go with it with vocabulary and sentence strips.”
Feel free to download our Farmyard puzzle vocabulary cards and Early sentance structure resources!
Valentine's day crafts
Make your own Valentine’s Day craft for your loved ones or favourite teachers!
Easy to make using our free downloads you and your child can create messy play and make a lovely gift at the same time.
Crafts make wonderful opportunities to allow children to ask for help, make requests, and use sounds and words for accomplishment. Also, they are simply fun!
Pancake Day recipe card
Speech Therapist Catherine created this symbol supported pancake recipe which can help your little ones break down and understand the instructions for how to make pancakes this pancake day, while at the same time building their vocabularies with new cooking and food words, concepts of time, space and quantity and useful verbs.
What’s your favourite topping?
Download our handy resources here:
Design your own spooky pumpkin
Happy Halloween fun!
Colour in your own Magic pumpkins over the half term and keep your little witches and wizards entertained with our fun templates!
Sammy the Squirrel feeder activity
Meet Sammy the Squirrel!
We made this autumnal activity to help children "Feed" Sammy and count the conkers and pinecones, also a good excuse to get out for a lovely walk and find them first!
Design your own Sammy using cardboard, pens and plastic container at the back, click on the link to download your own Squirrel shape feeder!
Make your own transparent face mask
Here’s a handy guide to making your own transparent face mask by our Director, Eleanor Harris
The vinyl I used comes from a large clear vinyl tablecloth (available from ebay) but you could use another source of clear vinyl.
Use a sewing machine and the small size on the pattern (see download) to edge the vinyl with bias binding at the top and bottom. Then fold over the sides at the same time inserting a length of light elastic to fit the wearer.
Adjust to fit…..
As well as keeping our clients safe, transparent face masks allow them to see how our mouths form words and sounds as we speak to help overcome communication difficulties.
You can stop the mask from steaming up from your breathing by using a cloth to wipe a very thin film of washing up liquid onto the inside of the mask on the area around your mouth. Do this before you put the mask on and be very careful not to use too much, just use a very tiny, pin-prick sized blob and wipe it over.
Disclaimer: This is a face covering, not a surgical mask or filtering N95 mask. It is not designed to be used for any aerosol generating procedures and all professionals should consult their own local PPE guidelines.
*This pattern is for personal use only and its reproduction or commercial use is prohibited.
The Magic Team presents Roar by Katy Perry using Makaton!
The Magic Words team want to wish you all a happy and safe summer holidays. We will still be here singing and signing away and are offering a 20% discount on online speech therapy during the 6 week break!
We love Makaton!
We also want to say a big Thank You to Singing Hands for giving us inspiration to make this video!
Team LEGO building competition
Competition now closed!
Please head to our Gallery page to view all the fabulous entries and winning designs!
1. Gather your team...
Your family, your pet dog, the monster under your bed and get ready to create a memorable LEGO build that tells a story.
2. Use your imagination!
Together conjure up your wacky, creative, and out of the box story scene. This can be a scene from your favourite book or film, a great experience you shared or a vision you created yourself
3. Create your masterpiece
Work as a team! Listen, Collaborate, Take turns, Have FUN!!
4. Take a picture of your completed LEGO model!
In order to enter our competition please get an adult to send your entry with your Name and Contact details to the link here, this will automatically sign you up to our Mailing list* and a chance to win a LEGO prize!
All First, Second and Third placed winners will win an exciting LEGO prize!
Competition ends on 10th JULY so don’t delay!
We will be displaying the best entries in our Team LEGO Gallery on Instagram & Facebook & our Gallery pages.
Terms & Conditions
1st prize LEGO worth upto £45.00, 2nd Prize £30.00, 3rd Prize £20.00
One entry per household, please include your name or group name and contact details
Entries to be sent in via our email address: poppy@magicwordstherapy.co.uk
* All entries will be added to our mailing list - don't worry, you can unsubscribe at anytime if you don't find our newsletters interesting, subscribers to our mailing list get one newsletter every few months, no more than that. Your data will not be used for any other purposes or sold to third party websites.
Last entry date 10th July, entries after this date will not qualify
By sending in your entry you are giving consent to show your LEGO creation on social media and our website, so please do not incude your children unless you want them to be shown
Good luck from the Magic Words team!
At Magic Words our therapists do LEGO therapy to help children develop their language and communication skills.
We don’t want children to miss out on life changing therapy because they can’t get to a clinic.
With Magic Words Online children can connect with our expert therapists live, via your laptop, tablet or phone using our online platform.
Makaton Signing of Pharrell's 'Happy' by the Magic Words Team
Here are the Magic Words team sending happy thoughts and wishes to you all using Makaton signing!
Enjoy!
Choice making games with Magic Words
Here’s Magic Words speech therapist Catherine giving her top tips on helping your child build their vocabulary with choice making games. Scroll down for free resources.
We don’t want children to miss out on life changing therapy because they can’t get to a clinic.
With Magic Words Online children can connect with our expert therapists live, via your laptop, tablet or phone using our online platform.
