Looking for /l/ articulation activities that give your students something fun to make while they practice? Let’s build a Loony Lasagna! Instead of choosing ordinary ingredients, students can pile on a leaf, a balloon, or even a bell. The sillier the recipe, the more there is to talk about.
This color, cut, and glue activity gives you a simple routine for practicing initial, medial, or final /l/. Here’s how I’d use it in a speech therapy session.
Choose the /l/ word position you need
Loony Lasagna comes in three separate versions. Pick the one that matches the student’s current speech goals:
- Initial /l/: Loony Lasagna for /l/ at the beginning of words, with picture ingredients such as leaf, lamb, lemon, and ladder.
- Medial /l/: Loony Lasagna for /l/ in the middle of words, with pictures such as pillow, balloon, melon, and alligator.
- Final /l/: Loony Lasagna for /l/ at the end of words, including silly ingredients such as a bell.
Each version is an eight-page printable PDF with 18 picture-word ingredients, a lasagna template, a recipe page, directions, and resource information. You can choose a few ingredients for a short session or use more when you have extra time.
Set up your silly cooking station
Grab the printed activity pages, crayons or markers, scissors, and glue. That’s your cooking equipment! If cutting takes up too much session time, prepare the pictures beforehand so you can spend more time practicing and talking.
Start by looking through the pictures together. Name the ingredients, check any unfamiliar vocabulary, and choose words that work for your student. Use the speech models and cues you already use for that student’s /l/ practice.
Practice while you color, cut, and glue
The activity has several natural stopping points for another turn with the target word:
- Color it: Name the picture and practice the word before choosing its color.
- Cut it: Say the word again as the ingredient is cut out or handed over.
- Add it: Tell a partner which ingredient is going onto the lasagna.
- Check the recipe: Look back at the finished creation and name what you added.
You don’t have to use every picture or ask for the same number of repetitions at every step. Adjust the pace and amount of support to the student’s needs.
Move from /l/ words to phrases and sentences
When your student is ready for longer practice, let the recipe do the work. Try short phrases such as “a leaf” or “my balloon,” then build sentences:
- “I added a leaf.”
- “My lasagna has a balloon.”
- “There is a bell on top.”
Use the included recipe page to write down the ingredients, dictate a recipe, or read the finished recipe aloud. For students who aren’t writing yet, pointing to the pictures and telling you the recipe works, too.
Make it work for a small group
Students can use different /l/ word positions while sharing the same cooking theme. Take turns ordering an ingredient, asking a classmate to pass a picture, or describing the finished lasagna. Keep each student’s practice focused on their own targets.
For home practice, send the finished lasagna with a short list of the words practiced and the cues the family already knows. A quick “Tell me what’s in your lasagna” conversation gives them a clear way to use the page.
Ready to make a Loony Lasagna?
Choose your word position: shop initial /l/, shop medial /l/, or shop final /l/. These are digital downloads to print; no physical materials are shipped.
Want more ideas? Browse all /l/ articulation resources, or try the same food-themed routine with my Silly Sandwich articulation activities.