Pre Covid-19, I had never even heard of Boom, and I knew nothing about using Boom™ Cards.  I had no idea how to do virtual therapy, and I knew nothing about using Boom™ Cards in speech & language therapy.  They definitely did not teach anything about that when I went to grad school 2 decades ago.

I was perfectly happy not using many digital resources in my therapy.  In fact, I’m kind of a Luddite when it comes to books or reading a paper.  I like to hold something in my hands, and physically turning the pages.  Before 2020,

 

Warning… Toy hoarder ahead!!!

If you have been a pediatric SLP for any length of time, you most likely have a huge collection of toys!  I like the hands on stuff, and I like the feel of paper, and don’t even get me started on how much I enjoy buying school supplies like these.

 

If I’m confessing everything, I’m very much a toy hoarder.  I LOVE TOYS!  There I said it, and I’m not ashamed of it. Oh, and I have a huge collection of children’s books, too.

That said, as for so many, in March 2020 things changed.  We had to shift, AND we had to learn new tools.  I have not completely abandoned my school supplies or toys.  (Be on the  lookout for a future blog posts on how I incorporate those things in a virtual world.)  However, for now, I am learning to embrace the digital world.

If you read my first post  you know the road I took to starting my TpT store in 2019, and then the complete dive into Boom Learning^sm when life turned upside down in March 2020.  Like many, I had to educate myself very quickly on using Boom™ Cards in speech & language therapy sessions via the telehealth situation we were thrown into.

 

What are Boom™ Cards, anyway?

If you are not familiar with Boom Learning^sm than you need to be!  It is an awesome digital platform for so many different activities.  Once you set up an account, you have access to a digital library on the site.  Boom activities are called “decks.”  You can get free decks or purchase decks, and they will go into your library.  The site is 100% digital, so you do not need to download anything.

To purchase decks, you need to purchase “points” from the site, and the more points you purchase the better deal you get.

Who can use Boom?

If you are a teacher, you can find many different decks to target your classroom needs.  If you are an SLP, then Boom has you covered, and you can find decks that target all aspects of speech and language, including articulation, language, voice, social skills and so much more.

Parents looking for some fun activities to support their child’s learning can also set up an account and start a library.

Once you go to the website, you can choose what level of membership you want with Boom Learning^sm.  They have 4 membership options ranging from free to $50/year (Publisher/as of this posting).   The Publisher plan is the one you need if you plan to be a seller.

In therapy, I typically use my Boom decks in my shared screen on Zoom, but you do have the option to send the deck as homework, and you can track a student/child’s progress.  If you want to do this, then choose the plan level that allows you to track the number of students you need to track.

 

Using Boom™ Cards in Speech & Language Therapy:

My Boom library is a mix of materials I purchase from other sellers, and materials I make.  You can make materials just for yourself and your students/clients, and you do not have to sell them. I have many activities that I make for specific kids that I work with, and I do not make these decks public.  Like this one that I use for a reinforcer. 

I hide the child’s favorite character or cute clip art behind the door, and they get to see what is hiding behind the door after they do some of their work.  It’s amazing how magical it can be to find a dinosaur or a favorite TV character hiding behind a door.

 

My inspiration:

The idea for one of my favorite decks came from one of my kiddos who LOVES lawn mowers and mowing the grass.  Who knew that a lawn mower could turn into something super fun?  The deck I use with him has his favorite mower, but  I cleaned it up for this version in my store, and I use it for many kids.

For some, I use it as a reinforcer between trials.  For others we work on inferencing, and we try to guess what animal may be behind the tall grass.  Once we mow the grass and find the hiding animal, all kinds of language opportunities open up: yes/no questions, categories, sound effects, and the list goes on.

I’ve also made personal decks with pictures of a child and their favorite toys or favorite food.

So many choices and options…

Kids love feeding animals, and “feeding the animals” decks are a popular type of Boom deck.  I have a series of articulation/apraxia cards for feeding super cute hungry monsters.

If you are working on the initial, medial or final /k/ sound then you can feed a hungry monster a cap, taco or a book, or feed him a variety of /s/ blend words with this deck, pictured below.  (Click the picture if you want to see this deck in my store.)

I have also found Boom decks to be a great tool to help children with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).  Children with CAS need a way to get in numerous repetitions of their target words.  Quick and simple decks like this one, pictured below,

are perfect for getting that needed repetition.  While I don’t speak Spanish, I support it when I am able, and with help from fabulous people like The Resourceful Teacher who so graciously translated the directions for me, I’m able to provide materials to my clients that speak Spanish.

Here are a couple of decks come from two of my favorite SLP sellers:  SpeechBrain and Talking About Talking-Speech Therapy.

 

Check it out:

When you are checking out the Boom Learning^sm site, stop by my store, and let me know what you think.  Tell me how you using Boom™ Cards in speech & language therapy or leave me a comment below.  I’d also love to hear your questions about Boom Cards, or suggestions you would like me to make into a new deck.