Clinical Skills Confidence: What Materials Should I Use?

 
 
This time, Clinical Skills Confidence focuses on choosing therapy materials. I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer here, as there can be so many factors. Budgets (or lack thereof), ages of your students, abilities of your students, goal targets…
 
I will share with you how I choose therapy materials and where I tend to look for them. I don’t think I go anywhere or look at anything without thinking “how could I use this in therapy?” 
 
Places I Look For Materials
*Super Duper Publications (check out their overstock items which change weekly and are 40% off OR their weekly special items which are 50% off) 
*Target – since I visit this store slightly obsessively (read: Ode to Target), I always check the Dollar Spot, toy section, seasonal section, and end caps – sometimes I find awesome clearance items 
*Consignment stores – I have found awesome toys/books for low prices here
*Dollar stores
*Party stores – favors can be used in all sorts of fun ways!
 
How I Choose Materials:
*cost
*can I use it for multiple students and goals?
*durability – will it last for awhile?
*Fun-o-meter Level: will it be FUN for my students?
*will it be used as a reinforcer or the primary activity? (games tend to fall in the reinforcer category)
*size – sometimes this is a factor if your therapy room doesn’t have a lot of storage space
*would I recommend it to parents? 
*can it be used year round?
 
How do you choose therapy materials? 

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