Oldies but goodies...(doesn't just apply to music)

I realize that there are many people out there in the world who crave "new"- new cars, new books, new furniture, new houses, etc- and disregard older things. Don't get me wrong, I love to get new things too. There's nothing like that new car smell or the fun of learning how to use a new camera. However, I've found that when it comes to therapy materials there can still be much said for older items.

Got lots of old tests? You can't use them for standardized test scores, but they may be a great way of collecting some informal data using subtests. 

Got old magazines/books that are falling apart? Use the pictures to make new story books, picture cards, or perhaps even magnets. 

Got old therapy materials- Use them to supplement your normal supplies. I like to add some variety into my articulation sessions by using the ancient Peabody cards and several old picture target books purchased via ebay. It's a teachable moment when they run into objects they've never seen before. I use an old deck of ESL conversation starters to work on social skills. They still had brains back in the 70s and 80s. 

See some old games lying around....look at them because they may be prefect for working on a target. 

 I showed you a picture of this game already. It's one that I picked up at a garage sale last summer. It is a prime example of how Milton Bradley inadvertently helps therapy sessions over the years. It also taught me to look past the crumbling game boxes to find hidden treasures on the inside. (The picture is post-extreme makeover Scotch Tape Edition.)  This game is from the 1980s and they don't make this version of Memory anymore. I wish they did because it is PERFECT for therapy. My students love telling story sequences using this game. My regular card decks are not always so popular.

Have a happy weekend!