10 Best Past Tense Speech Therapy Activities for Kids

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding the Past Tense: Regular vs. Irregular
3. The Power of Video Modeling
4. 1. The "What Happened?" Picture Cards
5. 2. Action Replay with Speech Blubs
6. 3. The Yesterday Jar
7. 4. Kitchen Helpers: Cooking in the Past Tense
8. 5. Scavenger Hunt: "I Found It!"
9. 6. The "Mystery Box" Recaps
10. 7. Puppet Theater Retelling
11. 8. "Guess What I Did?" Charades
12. 9. Block Building Sequences
13. 10. The "Day in Reverse" Bedtime Story
14. Systematic Cueing: A Strategy for Parents
15. Making Screen Time "Smart"
16. Value and Getting the Most from Speech Blubs
17. Realistic Expectations for Your Journey
18. Summary of Key Takeaways
19. FAQ
20. Conclusion

Introduction

Have you ever listened to your child recount their day at the park and heard them say, "I goed on the slide!" or "We seed a doggy!"? While these "mistakes" are actually a fascinating sign that your child is starting to understand the rules of grammar, they also signal a perfect opportunity for growth. Mastering the past tense is a significant milestone in a child's language journey. it allows them to share stories, explain their feelings about past events, and connect more deeply with the people around them.

At Speech Blubs, our mission is to empower children to speak their minds and hearts. We understand the nuances of language development because our founders grew up with speech challenges themselves. They created the tool they wished they had—a joyful, effective solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support. In this post, we will explore 10 engaging past tense speech therapy activities that you can do at home. We’ll cover everything from the difference between regular and irregular verbs to the science of video modeling. By the end of this article, you will have a robust toolkit to help your child navigate the "yesterdays" of their life with confidence and joy.

Understanding the Past Tense: Regular vs. Irregular

Before diving into the activities, it’s helpful to understand what we are actually teaching. English is a tricky language, especially when it comes to time.

Regular Past Tense Verbs

These are the rule-followers. To turn a regular verb into the past tense, we generally add "-ed" to the end.

• Walk becomes walked.
• Jump becomes jumped.
• Play becomes played.

Even though the spelling is consistent, the sound can change. Sometimes "-ed" sounds like a /t/ (as in "walked"), sometimes like a /d/ (as in "played"), and sometimes like /id/ (as in "painted"). Modeling these sounds correctly is a key part of any speech therapy plan.

Irregular Past Tense Verbs

These are the rebels. They don't follow the "-ed" rule and instead change their form entirely, or sometimes not at all.

• Go becomes went.
• Eat becomes ate.
• Run becomes ran.
• Put stays put.

Children often "over-regularize," which is why you hear "runned" or "eated." They have learned the rule for regular verbs and are trying to apply it everywhere! Our goal is to help them recognize the exceptions through play and repetition. If you are unsure where your child stands in their language development, you can take our quick 3-minute preliminary screener to get a simple assessment and a free 7-day trial.

The Power of Video Modeling

At Speech Blubs, we use a unique approach called "video modeling." This is based on the scientific principle of mirror neurons. When a child watches a peer perform an action or say a word on screen, their brain reacts as if they were doing it themselves. This makes learning feel natural and fun, rather than like a chore.

Our app provides a "smart screen time" experience that is a far cry from passive cartoon watching. It encourages active participation and family connection. By watching other children use past tense verbs in context, your child is more likely to imitate and internalize those language patterns. Our method is backed by science, placing us in the top tier of speech apps worldwide with a high rating on the MARS scale.

1. The "What Happened?" Picture Cards

One of the most effective ways to teach the concept of "past" is through visual "before and after" scenarios. This helps the child see the transition of time.

How to play: Find or create cards that show a sequence. For example, the first card shows a child holding a full glass of juice. The second card shows an empty glass and a child with a satisfied smile.

• Ask: "What happened?"
• Target: "He drank the juice."

For a parent whose 3-year-old "late talker" loves animals, you can use pictures of a bird in a nest and then the bird in the sky. When the child sees the empty nest, you can prompt them to say, "The bird flew away!" This links their interest in the "Animal Kingdom" to specific language goals.

2. Action Replay with Speech Blubs

Turn therapy into a game of "copycat." Using the Speech Blubs app, navigate to sections that feature clear actions.

How to play: Watch a video of a child performing an action, like blowing a bubble or jumping. After the video finishes, stop and ask your child what the peer just did.

• Model: "Look, she blew a big bubble!"
• Encourage: "What did she do? She..." (Wait for the child to finish).

This reinforces the peer-to-peer learning that makes our app so effective. You can download Speech Blubs on the App Store to explore hundreds of these video modeling opportunities.

3. The Yesterday Jar

This is a wonderful activity for building a daily routine around past tense speech therapy activities. It focuses on functional, real-life communication.

How to play: Every evening before bed, have your child draw a quick picture of one thing they did that day. It could be eating an apple, going to the park, or playing with blocks. Put the drawing in the "Yesterday Jar." The next morning, pull the drawing out and talk about it.

• Prompt: "What did we do yesterday?"
• Target: "We played blocks" or "I ate an apple."

This activity reduces frustration by using the child's own experiences as the subject matter. It fosters a love for communication by making their stories the star of the show.

4. Kitchen Helpers: Cooking in the Past Tense

The kitchen is a sensory-rich environment perfect for language learning. Cooking involves a very clear sequence of events, making it ideal for practicing "-ed" endings.

How to play: As you make a simple snack like toast or a sandwich, narrate your actions in the present tense, then immediately recap in the past tense.

• "I am spreading the butter. Look! I spread the butter."
• "I am toasting the bread. Now it's done. I toasted the bread."

Using these functional moments helps generalize the skills from "practice time" to "real life."

5. Scavenger Hunt: "I Found It!"

Movement is a great way to keep kids engaged. A scavenger hunt naturally leads to the use of the word "found," which is a high-frequency irregular past tense verb.

How to play: Hide five of your child's favorite toys around the room. As they find each one, they have to bring it back to you and report their success.

• Model: "You found the blue car!"
• Prompt: "What did you do?"
• Target: "I found the teddy!"

If your child is struggling to initiate the sentence, you can use the "forced choice" strategy: "Did you find it or found it?" This encourages them to think about the correct form.

6. The "Mystery Box" Recaps

Similar to a scavenger hunt, a mystery box adds an element of surprise.

How to play: Put an object inside a box or a bag. Let your child reach in, feel it, and guess what it is. After they pull it out, discuss the process.

• Ask: "What did you feel?"
• Target: "I felt something fuzzy."
• Ask: "What did you think it was?"
• Target: "I thought it was a cat!"

This activity moves beyond simple action verbs and into cognitive verbs like "thought," "felt," and "guessed," which are essential for more complex communication.

7. Puppet Theater Retelling

Puppets are fantastic tools for children who might feel shy or pressured during direct face-to-face speech practice. The focus is on the puppet, which lowers the child's anxiety.

How to play: Use puppets to act out a very short story—for example, a puppet named Benny who hops to a tree and then sleeps. After the "show," have your child tell you what Benny did.

• Target: "Benny hopped and then he slept."

At Speech Blubs, we believe in creating joyful family learning moments. Co-playing with puppets while incorporating the language patterns seen in the app is a powerful combination for progress.

8. "Guess What I Did?" Charades

This is a high-energy game that works well for older children or siblings.

How to play: One person acts out a simple action (like brushing teeth, driving a car, or swimming). Once the "audience" guesses the action, everyone must say the action in the past tense together.

• Action: Mimes swimming.
• Guess: "Swimming!"
• Group Recap: "You swam!"

This reinforces the collective joy of communication. To see how other families have integrated play like this with our digital tools, you can read our parent testimonials.

9. Block Building Sequences

Blocks provide a physical representation of "before" and "after."

How to play: Build a tall tower together. Once it's finished, or if it accidentally topples over, talk about the steps it took to get there.

• Model: "We built it so high!"
• Model: "Oh no! It fell down."
• Prompt: "Why did it fall? Because you pushed it!"

This helps children understand cause and effect, which is a foundational skill for logical storytelling.

10. The "Day in Reverse" Bedtime Story

Instead of reading a book, try telling the story of your child's day, starting from the most recent event and moving backward.

How to play: "First, we brushed our teeth. Before that, we put on pajamas. Before that, we ate dinner." This backward structure forces the brain to focus more intently on the past tense verbs because the chronological flow is interrupted. It’s a great mental workout for language processing.

To start your journey with these types of activities and more, create your account and begin your 7-day free trial today.

Systematic Cueing: A Strategy for Parents

When practicing these past tense speech therapy activities, how you respond to your child's mistakes matters just as much as the activity itself. Research suggests that "systematic cueing" is highly effective for children with developmental language delays.

1. Request to Clarify

If your child says "I jump," instead of correcting them immediately, try: "I didn't hear you, try again?" This gives them a chance to self-correct.

2. Emphatic Recasting

If they say "I runned," you respond with: "You ran? Wow! You ran so fast! What did you do?" You are modeling the correct word "ran" with emphasis without making them feel "wrong."

3. Forced Choice

If they are stuck, give them two options: "Did you say you 'catched' the ball or 'caught' the ball?" This helps them analyze the grammar.

4. Elicited Imitation

This is the final step. Ask them to repeat the correct version: "Say it like me: I caught the ball."

Pro Tip: Focus on progress, not perfection. If your child is having fun and trying to communicate, you are winning! The goal is to reduce frustration and build a love for speaking.

Making Screen Time "Smart"

We know that many parents worry about screen time. That's why Speech Blubs was designed as a "screen-free alternative" to passive viewing. While it happens on a screen, the interaction is designed to get the child off the screen—mimicking the kids they see, touching the screen to trigger actions, and interacting with you, the caregiver.

Our app is a powerful tool for family connection. We recommend "co-playing"—sitting with your child, laughing at the funny filters, and practicing the sounds together. This adult support is what transforms a digital tool into a developmental powerhouse.

Value and Getting the Most from Speech Blubs

We want to be transparent about our pricing so you can make the best choice for your family. We offer two main paths:

• Monthly Plan: $14.99 per month. This is a great way to test the waters.
• Yearly Plan: $59.99 per year.

The Yearly Plan is our best value for several reasons:

1. Cost Savings: It breaks down to just $4.99/month, saving you 66% compared to the monthly plan.
2. 7-Day Free Trial: You get a full week to explore everything before being charged.
3. Reading Blubs: This plan includes our companion app, Reading Blubs, which helps transition speech skills into literacy skills.
4. Priority Support: You get 24-hour support response times and early access to all new updates.

We encourage users to choose the Yearly plan to get the full suite of features and ensure your child has a consistent, long-term resource for their development. You can find the app on the Google Play Store to start your trial.

Realistic Expectations for Your Journey

Speech therapy, whether at home or with a professional, is a marathon, not a sprint. While some parents see an immediate spark of interest and new words, others find that progress happens in small, steady increments.

Using Speech Blubs and doing these activities will help:

• Foster a love for communication.
• Build confidence in social situations.
• Develop key foundational grammar skills.
• Create joyful family learning moments.

It is important to view these activities as a supplement to a child’s overall development plan. For many children, our app is a powerful partner alongside professional therapy sessions.

Summary of Key Takeaways

• Differentiate Your Approach: Use different strategies for regular verbs (adding -ed) and irregular verbs (memorization through play).
• Use Visuals: Before and after pictures are essential for teaching the concept of "past."
• Leverage Video Modeling: Use the peer-to-peer methodology in Speech Blubs to trigger mirror neurons.
• Incorporate Functional Play: Use daily routines like cooking, cleaning, and bedtime stories to practice language.
• Be Strategic with Cues: Use recasting and forced choice to guide your child toward correct grammar without causing frustration.

FAQ

1. When should my child start using the past tense? Most children begin using regular past tense verbs around ages 2 to 3. Irregular verbs usually follow shortly after, though "over-regularizing" (saying things like "foots" or "runned") can continue up until age 5 or 6 as they master the exceptions of the English language.

2. My child keeps saying "I goed" instead of "I went." Should I correct them every time? Constant correction can lead to frustration. Instead, use "emphatic recasting." If they say "I goed," you say, "Yes! You went to the store! You went with Daddy." This provides the correct model without interrupting the flow of their story.

3. Is Speech Blubs a replacement for a speech-language pathologist (SLP)? No. Speech Blubs is a powerful supplemental tool designed to provide "smart screen time" and extra practice at home. While it is based on clinical practices like video modeling, it works best when integrated into a broader developmental plan, which may include professional therapy.

4. How long should we practice these activities each day? Consistency is more important than duration. Just 10 to 15 minutes of focused play with the app or a specific activity can make a huge difference. The goal is to keep it fun and joyful so the child looks forward to "speech time."

Conclusion

Teaching past tense speech therapy activities doesn't have to feel like a lesson at a desk. By turning everyday moments into opportunities for connection and utilizing the power of video modeling, you can help your child find their voice. Whether you are playing with a "Yesterday Jar," acting out puppet shows, or using the Speech Blubs app to watch peers model new words, you are providing the foundational support your child needs to "speak their minds and hearts."

Ready to see the difference for yourself? Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Google Play to begin. Remember to select the Yearly plan during sign-up to take advantage of the 7-day free trial, the Reading Blubs app, and the best overall value for your family's journey. Together, let’s make every "yesterday" a story worth telling!