What Happens During a Speech and Language Therapy Session: A Peek Inside Play-Based Therapy at LVBW

If you are thinking about speech therapy for your child, you might be wondering: What actually happens during a speech and language therapy session? Will it feel like school? Will my child be sitting at a table with flashcards? Will they have fun?

Take a deep breath and RELAX - you are in the right place.

Here at LVBW, we believe in learning through play. As speech and language pathologists who specialize in play-based therapy, we know that children thrive when they are engaged, comfortable, and having fun. That’s where the magic happens!.

Let’s walk through a typical session…

Building Connections First

We kick things off by connecting with your child - before we dive into any “work.” These first few minutes are all about helping your child feel safe, seen, and ready to play!

You might see us:

• Let your child choose a toy or activity
• Join your child in pretend play
• Sing a silly song or ask about their day

Why? Because relationships are the foundation of communication. When a child feels connected and safe, they’re more open to learning and trying new things.

Playing with Purpose

From the outside, our sessions may look like fun and games - and they are! But underneath all that play is a carefully planned approach tailored to your child’s unique communication needs.

Here’s a sneak peek at what we might be working on:

1. If your child is working on speech sounds we might:

• Practice target sounds during a game of Pop the Pig
• Go on a scavenger hunt to find words with the target sound
• Use puppets to show how the mouth moves
• Integrate sound practice into pretend play (like “s” in silly soup!)

2. If your child is working on language skills, we might:

• Model new vocabulary and sentence structure during pretend play
• Read books and ask “wh” questions to build comprehension
• Play HeadBanz to build describing skills

3. If your child is a late talker, we might:

• Use repetitive play routines to model key words
• Pause intentionally to create space for communication
• Follow your child’s lead and build on their current way of expressing themselves

The best part of play-based speech and language therapy is that everything is individualized to meet your child’s needs, interests, and attention span!

And yes - we always have backup activities just in case something flops (children can be wonderfully unpredictable!).

Caregiver Coaching

You play a huge role in your child’s progress. That’s why we take time to connect with you.

We’ll share:

• The strategies we used - and why they work
• What your child did well and what they found tricky
• Easy ways to support communication during daily routines (like bathtime, snack, and car rides)

Our goal is to empower you - not just update you!

Ending on a High Note

We always wrap up with something positive - a high five, favorite song or game, or (of course) the always classic sticker.

Before you head out, we’ll check in, answer questions, and make sure you feel supported and informed.

Final Thoughts

Speech and language therapy doesn’t need to feel rigid and stressful to be effective. In fact, when your child is playing, they’re more likely to engage, practice new skills, and grow in confidence.

At LVBW, we meet your child where they are - and build from there. It’s joyful, meaningful, and yes…even a little magical.