A Powerful Communication Board for Your Playground

inclusive AAC awareness

Introduce a Communication Board to your local Playground!

Imagine this: the sun shining, laughter echoing, and kids of all abilities playing together on the playground. Wouldn’t that be incredible? YOU can make this happen! Introducing a special communication board to your community playground, ensures that every child, regardless of their communication abilities, can join in the fun.

**Why a Playground Communication Board?**

Some of our friends need a little extra help talking. A communication board on the playground opens up a world of play and connection for everyone. It’s not just a board; it’s a bridge that connects hearts and creates lasting friendships.

**How Can You Help?**

We believe in the power of community! By making a commitment to provide a playground communication board to your local playground, you become a superhero in making the playground inclusive and accessible for all. Here are 5 easy steps for how you can be a part of this exciting journey:

  1. **Make a plan:**

Ask yourself (and your committee) these questions as this project takes shape:

    • What playground would benefit from communication boards?
    • What languages are predominantly spoken in your community?
    • How would the communication boards best be installed (ie: free standing in a frame, attached to a fence, attached to a piece of equipment, secured to a side of a building, etc.)
  1. **Research Your Options**

When looking for a company to provide the communication signs, you want to ask the following questions:

    • Has a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist developed the vocabulary?
    • Can the communication sign be 100% customized if need be at a reasonable price?
    • Is the overall price reasonable?
    • Is communication with a REAL PERSON easy, efficient and effective?
    • Does the company stand behind the quality of their communication signs?
  1. **Find Funding Sources**

 Everyone likes to be part of a great idea that helps everyone in the community. 

    • Research different funding opportunities in your community.  
    • Get creative and host a mini-fundraiser in your neighborhood, school, or workplace. Bake sales, garage sales, or even a fun-themed event can make a big impact.
    • Reach Out to Local Businesses – local businesses love supporting community projects. Approach them and see if they would be interested in sponsoring our playground communication board. 
  1. **Making it all come together**

Once your vision is set, you’ve made your selection and the funding is in place, it is important that the production of the communication sign is fast and accurate:

    • Ensure you receive a draft copy of the artwork/layout prior to production.
    • Share your agency’s and/or funding source’s logo to be included on the communication sign
    • Expect frequent and clear communication
  1. **Celebrate**

When your playground communication board arrives, plan for a playground part to unveil this great accomplishment. Celebrate the fact that you have made a firm statement in your community that: 

    • Inclusivity Matters:  Every child deserves the chance to play and communicate on the playground.
    • Building Friendships is Important:  The communication board isn’t just a tool; it’s a bridge to new friendships and shared adventures.
    • Community Unity Matters: Together, you helped to create a community that embraces and supports every child’s unique abilities.

Bonus tip: 

**Stay Connected:**

Record your journey on social media with regular updates, stories of triumph, and a behind-the-scenes look at how your contributions are making a real difference. 

Join us at Resources at Lakeshore Speech, LLC. in creating a playground that speaks the language of joy, friendship, and inclusivity.  Together, we’re building bridges that last a lifetime! Request a free quote today.

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communication boards for playgrounds
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Installed playground communication board in Randolph Oh

Exclusive: A Christmas Social Story for All Ages

‘Twas days before Christmas

And all thru the place,

Anticipation was brewing

Behaviors a disgrace.

 

Young and old are excited

Let’s celebrate – oh Joy!

Use your expected social skills

For every girl and boy.

 

With gifts a plenty

Don’t forget the magic word,

For friends and family,

“Thank you” must be heard.

 

All the smells and sounds

For many is bliss,

Yet other lament

“I can do without this!”

 

Have a plan in place 

Creating comfort abound,

Makes for a season

Of happiness all ‘round.

 

Happy Holidays to all

The message to you each,

Tidings of joy to everyone

From Lakeshore Speech!

santa hat icon
How to Use and Model Social Skill Filters
symbol systems
playground safety
happy to create sentences
Happy Holidays icon

How to Prepare for Gift Giving & Receiving

Getting and giving gifts can be exciting but hard for some individuals. Preparing for this time of the year helps to make everyone’s celebration special.

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Playground Communication Board Funding: 6 Ways to Finance

Playground Communication Board Funding: 6 Ways to Finance Accessibility

Communication boards give non-verbal individuals and those with speech differences a voice to build relationships in public spaces. However, bringing a playground or pool communication board to your local park can feel challenging due to upfront costs.

Fortunately, you don’t have to carry the financial load alone. Today, we’re breaking down six practical ways to secure playground communication board funding for your school, park, or community center.

Proven Sources for Playground Communication Board Funding

1. Apply for Disability Grants and Foundations

Many non-profit organizations offer dedicated grant funding for AAC boards and assistive technology. Look into national disability organizations or regional community foundations that support inclusion initiatives. Applying for these specialized grants is often the most direct route to secure full project funding.

2. Pitch Local Corporate Sponsorships

Local businesses love supporting projects that directly impact their immediate community. Create a simple pitch deck showing how outdoor communication signage makes local spaces inclusive. Pitching a local business owner with a tangible goal (e.g., “$1,500 sponsors one board”) can secure quick funding in exchange for their logo on the sign.

3. Launch Crowdfunding Campaigns

Platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe allow you to collect smaller donations from many community members. When setting up your campaign:

  • Share personal stories about why inclusive play matters.

  • Detail exact costs so donors know where their money goes.

  • Ask local community groups to share the campaign link.

4. Host Community Events and Fundraisers

Organize local events like a 5K fun run, a charity bake sale, or a community walk to raise awareness while collecting donations. Partnering with local schools or parks departments for these events helps get more people excited about funding accessible play equipment.

5. Research Government Grants and Civic Programs

Municipal, state, and federal grants frequently allocate funds for park improvements, ADA compliance, and public accessibility projects. Check with your local city council or parks and recreation board to see if existing public improvement funds can be applied to communication signage.

6. Partner with Educational Institutions

Reach out to local universities, colleges, or school districts with special education or speech-language pathology programs. Educational institutions often have access to unique departmental grants or student research funds that can be co-applied toward public accessibility projects.

Securing Playground Communication Board Funding for Your Community

Finding playground communication board funding requires exploring a mix of local and institutional resources, but the payoff is immense. By combining local business support, grants, and grass-roots fundraising, you can give non-verbal children and adults a voice on every playground.

Ready to start? We are here to help. Contact us or Request a Quote today!

Yours in Speech,

Resources at Lakeshore Speech

funding ideas for communication boards
playground communication board funding
Design consultation with certified SLP
communication board design

9 Easy Ways to Create Sensory Friendly Holiday Decor

string of holiday white lights

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and togetherness. We’ll explore how to create a sensory-friendly holiday environment by making thoughtful choices in your decorations.

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10+ Memorable Sensory-Friendly Thanksgiving Tips

Thanksgiving table set with food

Celebrating Thanksgiving with a child with Autism may require some preparations ahead of time and on the special day to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

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Holiday Prep – Make the Holidays Memoriable – Part I

AAC and Communication Tips for a wonderful Thanksviging

Preparing Loved Ones for the Holidays is the Best Gift of all!

The weather reminds us the season of Holidays is at hand. Cooler days and nights, leaves and snowflakes falling.

While your are prepping your house for the Holidays, don’t forget to prep your friends and family as well. Earlier this year, we suggested ideas for making your loved one’s time celebrating the 4th of July more enjoyable. Now is the perfect time to begin preparing for you and your family to create an environment during these Holidays that supports your loved one as much as possible.

Location of celebration.

While your family may have always celebrated the Holidays at Aunt Millie’s house, is it really the best place? Does Aunt Millie’s house have enough room so your loved one can comfortably participate in the festivities? Does Aunt Millie’s house have a place where your loved one might be able to ‘escape’ the whirl of activity? You may need to suggest a different venue for the Holiday celebration, a venue that better supports your loved one. If a venue change is not possible, you may need to suggest or abridge the time you spend at Aunt Millie’s to a time frame that better supports your loved one.

Time of celebrate.

Is there a law stating all Holidays must be celebrated at dinner time? This year you may need to suggest a different time of day to celebrate the Holidays, a time of day when your loved one is at her/his best. Holiday brunch? Holiday lunch? Holiday snack time? You know your loved better than anyone. When she/he is at their best, YOU are able to relax and enjoy the festivities as well.

Timing of events.

Is the best part of the celebration held for later in the day or evening? Can the highlight of the day be the first thing that happens? Relieving the anticipation of the highlight will decrease unexpected behaviors, which better supports your loved one.

This is not a finite list of considerations.  These are examples to get you thinking of the best plan for you and your family. These are examples to begin your prepping for the Holidays to best support your loved one so ultimately everyone can enjoy being together for the Holidays.

 

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.

How to Celebrate Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Child Apraxia

What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is some degree of disrupted speech motor control.In other words,  a child diagnosed with CAS experiences  difficulty rapidly and accurately moving and sequencing  the tongue, lips and palate for the required movements for continuous and intelligible speech production.  While the data on incidents of CAS in children is lacking, the estimates of some sources indicate that CAS is low incidence with perhaps 1 – 10 in 1000 children affected or 3 – 5 % of speech-impaired preschoolers.

What does this look like at home, one the playground, in preschool?

A child with CAS may experience a limited number of vowel sounds, difficulty imitating mouth movements and/or words/sounds, or a variety of errors that may be unusual or idiosyncratic.  Children with CAS may or may not experience receptive language deficits.  Depending on the child, negative behaviors associated with not being understood may also be evident.

What does a parent do?  Where do you go?

An experienced Speech-Language Pathologist in the area of CAS can help navigate families and children through the CAS journey.  As a parent/caregiver, do not feel intimidated asking if your SLP has experience in the area of CAS.  The therapists at Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC. are happy to answer your questions about CAS as well as provide specific therapeutic interventions.

February is CAS awareness month.  If you would like more information, please feel free to ask your Speech-Language Pathologists as well as visit The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America.

Yours in Speech,

Lakeshore Speech Therapy, LLC.