Mealtime can be a stressful experience for some kids, especially if they have food sensitivities to taste, texture, smell, etc.
Or, perhaps you have a hyperlexic child who doesn't ask for things like food or water due to their expressive language difficulties.
Well, you can use these mealtime communication boards as a way to help them communicate their needs and preferences when it comes to food and meals. They can echo the phrases they see by reading it and speaking it. Or they can also point to the picture or phrase.
About the Free Mealtime Communication Boards
This set of communication boards is designed with gestalt language processors and hyperlexic learners in mind and are great for kids, teens, and adults to use. Below you will find five versions included:
- One with 16 colorful clipart images paired with a written phrase or potential gestalt
- One with 13 colorful clipart images paired with a written phrase or potential gestalt and 3 blank boxes to write and draw your own
- One with 16 blank boxes to write or draw your own
- One with 16 written phrases or potential gestalts
- One with 13 written phrases or potential gestalts and 3 blank boxes to write and drawn your own
Simply print off the page that will be the best fit for your needs, fill in any blank boxes (if applicable), and laminate for durability. Be sure to keep these tips in mind, though, when writing your own phrases or potential gestalts.
Once printed, customized, and laminated, display it somewhere in your kitchen (e.g., on the fridge, pantry door, or table), pack it in your child's lunchbox, attach it to a lanyard to take on the go (you might want to print it off at half the size in this case), add it to communication binder, etc.
The phrases can then be read and/or pointed to as a way to communicate one's needs. And parents or caregivers can point and model different phrases during mealtimes.
Download the Free Printable Mealtime & Food Communication Boards
