Mini Articulation Trinkets Shopping List

I'm all about three things:  getting organized, bargain shopping, and having fun in speech.  So, when Jenna at Speech Room News shared how she organized her mini articulation trinkets, I headed to Michael's during a great sale and picked up a storage box.  This purchase checked off the "getting organized" and "bargain shopping" goals, so now it was time to have some fun!  Incidentally, this cute box pictured above is currently on sale at Michael's if you want to snag yours soon!

The inspiration continued when I watched Felice at The Dabbling Speechie's SLP Summit presentation on Sensory Bins.  I loved her use of cut up straws for a sensory bin, so I bought a few bags of straws at the Dollar Tree and made my own box to serve as an I Spy bin ready to go.  I paid a little for the box at Target, but I just love these bins for storing so many of my activities.  I also used my favorite app on the planet: Custom Boards by Smarty Ears apps to create a matching sheet.  I wrote a detailed review about this app for Teachers with apps a few years ago that you can read here.

Next, came the really fun part: filling up the sound target bins.  The first stop was my son's miniature collection.  He tends to keep those small prizes from school fairs and birthday gift favors in a desk drawer, but he was more than happy to part with them.  Fortunately, he also LOVES Legos, so he graciously parted with several mini figures and accessories.  Next, I looked through my own speech materials and found some items from play sets and sensory bins. Last, I bought a collection of Dinky Doodads on Etsy.  Taking these steps was a great start, but I was short in a few areas. So, I made a list of specific things that I needed and built my collection over time.  Here are the remaining places that I searched for my mini treasures:

• The Dollar Tree typically has a wind up toy or two by the cash registers.  I like having one of these in each sound box because they allow for a little more opportunity for target practice while you play with it.  You may also find magnet numbers, miniature animal figures, individually packaged specialty characters, and small Koosh objects at your local Dollar Tree store.
• Target Dollar spots sometimes have mini object erasers in a pack of 4 for $1.  I recently found a fruit one on clearance for 30 cents that had a strawberry, banana, grapes, and a watermelon.  
• Michael's sells ABC letters in the bead work section.  It's a little pricey, but I get much use out of mine in these articulation bins and my play dough sets.
• Party stores often have trinkets for favors or decor for themed parties that may come in handy like coins for a pirate party.
• Walmart carries seasonal favors that are fairly priced.  I found a collection of stretchy body parts during Halloween a few years ago that the kids love.
• IKEA sometimes carries animal finger puppets in a collection of 5-6 that are fun for varying play during a seek-and-find game.

Here is a peek inside a few of my articulation boxes.  Right now, I am only storing initial sound targets but you could certainly collect medial and final target sounds words too.