Clinical Skills Confidence: What Materials Should I Use?

This time, Clinical Skills Confidence focuses on choosing therapy materials. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer here, as there can be so many factors. Budgets (or lack thereof), ages of your students, abilities of your students, goal targets...

I will share with you how I choose therapy materials and where I tend to look for them. I don't think I go anywhere or look at anything without thinking "how could I use this in therapy?" 

Places I Look For Materials

*Super Duper Publications (check out their overstock items which change weekly and are 40% off OR their weekly special items which are 50% off) 

*Speaking of Speech Swap Meet

*Target - since I visit this store slightly obsessively (read: Ode to Target), I always check the Dollar Spot, toy section, seasonal section, and end caps - sometimes I find awesome clearance items 

*Consignment stores - I have found awesome toys/books for low prices here

*Dollar stores

*Party stores - favors can be used in all sorts of fun ways!

How I Choose Materials:

*cost

*can I use it for multiple students and goals?

*durability - will it last for awhile?

*Fun-o-meter Level: will it be FUN for my students?

*will it be used as a reinforcer or the primary activity? (games tend to fall in the reinforcer category)

*size - sometimes this is a factor if your therapy room doesn't have a lot of storage space

*would I recommend it to parents? 

*can it be used year round?

How do you choose therapy materials?