If you've been reading my blog for a while, you likely know that I love barrier games. I have been using them for years.... make that decades. Students seem to love them and in a group they can be a barrel of laughs. Just try having several students give directions/descriptions while 1 draws. I've had middle schoolers rolling in the aisles (well, almost).
Barrier games with drawing or building are an exciting way to enhance language and listening skills in speech therapy. This interactive setup involves placing a barrier—such as a folder or board—between two students so they can’t see each other’s work. One child describes a drawing or object setup, while the other attempts to recreate it based solely on verbal instructions. This activity encourages precise communication, active listening, and careful attention to detail, making it an ideal tool for promoting language development in a hands-on, enjoyable format.
I've also had one student standing at the board, drawing, while the rest of the group tries to direct him to draw based on a picture only they can see. Some of the results are not only fun, but very revealing about students' strengths and deficits. So, pay attention. This activity is a gold-mine.
As children participate, they practice expressive language skills by describing objects and their locations in a way that the listener can understand. Descriptive language is crucial for communication, and barrier games give children a structured space to practice detailing shapes, colors, sizes, and spatial relationships. For example, if one student describes a house as “a large square with a triangle on top,” they learn to communicate in clear, specific terms.
Swap roles so that each student gets a chance to give and receive instructions, and/or introduce more complex tasks. You can also encourage children to ask clarifying questions if they’re unsure, building their problem-solving and clarification skills. For example, if a child is unsure where to place a “small tree,” they can ask, “Is it inside the square or outside?” This practice fosters social skills and improves communication as children learn that asking for clarification is an important part of effective interaction. By making room for these inquiries, barrier games help children become more aware of both their own needs and their communication partner’s perspective.
Barrier games with drawing or building support a wide range of language skills, from expressive language to listening and problem-solving. Children learn to follow directions accurately while developing receptive language skills and the ability to process complex instructions. Beyond language skills, these games encourage teamwork, making them an effective tool in therapy settings. With just a few simple materials*, barrier games create a rich language-learning environment that combines creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, turning speech therapy into a fun, skill-building adventure.
* Back in the beginning of time (speech therapy time that is) barrier games were constructed simply with different geometric shapes in different sizes and colors. Today, we've greatly expanded these games using fun background scenes and a wide variety of pictures of people, places, and things.
If you want to try some without the DIY, take a look at this bundle of barrier games, or these themed sets.
Continue to have fun and.........keep on talking.
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