Description
Are you looking for a way to simplify your therapy planning? Do you need a resource that seamlessly adapts to mixed groups, individual sessions, or social skills groups? Barrier games are just what you need!
Enhance your speech therapy toolkit with barrier games! This printable activity is designed to elevate speaking and listening skills in speech therapy, ESL classes, special education, and beyond. Barrier games address a common challenge many SLPs face: finding adaptable materials that cater to diverse learning needs and objectives.
Barrier games are a therapy tool that transforms the way you approach language goals, making learning an interactive and enjoyable experience for students. Perfect for mixed groups, helping to generalize concepts, and works great in social skills groups.
With a focus on both expressive and receptive skills, these barrier games aid in developing crucial speaking and listening skills like giving and following directions. It’s an engaging way to enhance social skills, basic concepts, vocabulary, categorization, sentence formation, and storytelling.
➜ Want to streamline therapy planning?
➜ Want to utilize more open-ended materials that can be used to work on multiple goal areas?
➜ Need resources for mixed groups, individual sessions, or social skills groups?
✅ WHAT’S INCLUDED:
- Beach scene with 15 separate pictures
- Treasure map scene with 13 separate pictures
- Mermaid scene with 14 separate pictures
- List of directions to give with each scene (targeting concepts below)
- Black and white versions for an ink-saving option
TARGET:
- Vocabulary: e.g., Put the sandcastle on the beach.
- Adjectives: e.g. colors, size
- Spatial concepts: e.g. on, in, under, below, next to, between
- Following multi-step directions
- Sequential directions: e.g., Before you put the ball in the water, put the sun in the sky.
- Social skills: e.g. Giving and receiving instructions, asking questions to clarify instructions.
HOW TO PLAY:
Give everyone playing a scene and set of pieces. Set up a barrier between players (e.g., file folder). One person (clinician or student) arranges all their pieces on the scene and then gives directions to other player(s) on where to place the items. The purpose of the game is to have matching scenes at the end.
You can put sticky tack on each piece so it will stick to the scene – or simply just place on the scene. Barrier games are also commonly played on a magnetic surface. You can play on cookie sheets and place pieces on a thin, sticky magnet if you wish.
BUNDLE & SAVE!
Grab even more barrier games when you purchase the Barrier Games Mega Bundle! With over 20 barrier games included, you’ll get fun and exciting themes for the school year.
SLPS AND EDUCATORS LIKE YOU SAID…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I love the barrier activities you created! My speech students really like having their own “treasure map” and all the fun pieces to add to the scene. After a bit of prep, I have 4 sets that I’ve used for sequencing, basic concepts, following directions and describing activities. 3 years and still going strong! Thank you for this resource.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“I have used this over the years with so many students. Sometimes as a center, sometimes as a 1-1 activity to assess their ability to follow directions and take multi-step instruction. This is one i often use before the first set of Parent teacher interviews.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“So many different ways to use this resource and adapt for different students! Love that it comes with pages of suggestions for instructions – it makes prep and contingency modification during sessions so much easier!”
⭐ YOU MAY ALSO LIKE ⭐
Barrier Games Savings Bundle
Digital Barrier Games Bundle
This is a digital product that will be available for download upon purchase. Due to the nature of this product, there are no returns.
Copyright © Allison Fors, Inc. All rights reserved by author.
Do not share or email this document with anyone. Permission to copy for individual use only. If you would like to share with other therapists or teachers, please direct them to my store. Copying any part of this product and placing it on the Internet in any form is strictly forbidden. Do not modify or alter this document.








Amanda R. –
Love these games…..my kids are loving them.
McLain D. –
thank you!
Mayra R. –
Fun
Kate T. –
Great!
Alexandra Keenan –
This themed set is perfect for my summer private clients!
Nicole S. –
Very cute! Perfect for summer therapy!
Michelle R. –
Love it! Thank you!
Meghan D. –
This was a fun informal assessment for following and giving directions! My 3rd grader loved it.
Amanda S. –
thanks!
susan E. –
Thank you
Taylor C. –
love these!
Deborah M. –
Thank you!
Carly R. –
Great resource. Thanks 🙂
JoEllen B. –
These activities are some of my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
Keepers Communication –
Two thumbs up!
Tiny Talkers –
These are great! I just need about 30 more!!!
Rachel G. –
A good resource, thank you.
Elisabeth W. –
Just what I needed!
Kris W. –
Highly useable, thank you
Danielle J. –
Another favorite in my classroom!
Mary K. –
Very nice item. Saved me lots of time.
Jamie L. –
Love love love these barrier games and so did my kiddos!
Jennifer R. –
This is a great game for multilingual learners too! Thanks!
Claire B. –
Amazing quality resource. The perfect addition to my beach theme resources!
Virginia Mason –
The children in my class have loved playing this barrier game. Great for encouraging positional language. Thank you!
Paige B SLP –
super cute
Bridget Waddell –
Awesome! Thanks!
Stephanie J. –
This was great thank you
Cassidy A. –
So many great concepts to address for receptive language
Jessica Reed –
Love the ocean theme! This will be perfect for the school year!
Julie G. –
Really cute!
Laura N. –
Students really enjoyed this activity.
Liz H. –
The kids love this game. Easy to use and lovely pictures
Mallory D. –
Love this hands on activity; you can target soooo many concepts with this resource. Thank you for sharing!
Rhiannon B. –
So many different ways to use this resource and adapt for different students! Love that it comes with pages of suggestions for instructions – it makes prep and contingency modification during sessions so much easier!
Stressed Out Strategies –
I have used this over the years with so many students. Sometimes as a center, sometimes as a 1-1 activity to assess their ability to follow directions and take multi-step instruction. This is one i often use before the first set of Parent teacher interviews.
Deborah G. –
I love the barrier activities you created! My speech students really like having their own “treasure map” and all the fun pieces to add to the scene. After a bit of prep, I have 4 sets that I’ve used for sequencing, basic concepts, following directions and describing activities. 3 years and still going strong! Thank you for this resource.
Shannon W. –
it’s a great resources, thanks!
Haylie M. –
This is cute graphics and wonderful themes. My kids enjoyed the barrier games.
Makayla S. –
I have a few students that LOVE ocean-themed activities. This is a great way to target many goals while also keeping them engaged
Notable Speech –
Lots of fun & super versatile. Thank you for a great product!
The Divergent SLP –
My student who loves barrier games absolutely was engaged with this one! It was the perfect fit for my ocean themed weeks as well!
Sandra Boyle –
This has been a fun activity for all my clients this summer
Samantha R. –
This has been such a fun game to use with students who struggle with speech and language, listening, concentrating, and following direction. Barrier games offer so many learning opportunities to students at any level. They are so fun and interactive. They have been such a hit with all students.
Alexandra Calles –
My students were very engaged with these resources. Super quick and easy to use! 🙂
madison W. –
My students really enjoy these materials and they are very versatile.
Bridget W –
My elementary students love the bright pictures! The pirate one was really fun – students had a blast being the teacher and giving each other directions. I also use the pieces in a sensory bin initially when we are reviewing vocabulary.