National Day Themes in September - Week 3: Ideas for Speech Therapy with Elementary Students
- shannon | speech hamster
- Sep 15
- 12 min read
September 15 - 21
September rolls on with a mix of playful and purposeful themes that fit beautifully into speech therapy sessions. This week blends creativity, kindness, and a dash of silliness to help students connect with language goals in memorable ways.
Welcome to National Days in September Week 3! From making a mark on International Dot Day (September 15) to shaping words on National Play-Doh Day (September 16), this week delivers hands-on fun. Constitution Day (September 17) adds a civic twist, while National Cheeseburger Day (September 18) and International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19) bring food and fantasy into the mix. Rounding things out, National Care for Kids Day (September 20) and the International Day of Peace (September 21) encourage kindness and reflection in therapy activities.
This blog post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase through them, with no extra cost to you.
Use the table below to explore some of the national days celebrated the third week in September. To avoid scrolling fatigue, use the quick links to view activity ideas and book suggestions for each theme.
View other weeks in September:
September National Days Week 1 (September 1 - 7)
September National Days Week 2 (September 8 - 14)
September National Days Week 4+ (September 22 - 30)
To view themes for all 12 months head over to 10 Reasons to Use National Day Themes for Easy Speech Therapy Planning.
*Free resource links listed here may change over time. Please check the original source for current availability and terms.
September National Days Week 3
Date | National Day Quick Links |
September 15 | |
September 16 | |
September 17 | |
September 18 | |
September 19 | |
September 20 | |
September 21 |
September 15:
🎨 International Dot Day (September 15)
About: International Dot Day was inspired by the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds, which encourages children to “make their mark” and celebrate creativity. It’s a global celebration of self-expression, courage, and art.
Fun Facts:
Millions of children in over 180 countries participate in Dot Day each year.
The holiday started in 2009 when a teacher encouraged his students to share dot-inspired art.
Dots can represent art, music, writing, or any creative spark, not just drawings.
Articulation:
Practice target words as students place dot stickers on a page or stamp dots with paint.
Boom Cards: Check out my Doodle Dots ($) for articulation activity designed to be a 2 player game. Click on the image below to preview on Boom Learning:
Boom™ Cards articulation game on Boom Learning!
Phonological Awareness: Clap out syllables in color words (red, yel-low, pur-ple) or make rhyming “dot” pairs.
Vocabulary: Teach shape, size, and color words through dot-themed art projects
Following Directions: Give multi-step directions for where to place stickers or stamps.
Sequencing: Retell the story of The Dot in order.
Narratives: Have students create a story about a “magic dot.”
Open Ended Activities:
Use bingo daubers for free-play speech practice.
Roll dice and use the number to determine how many target words to practice and how many "dots" to complete on a dot-to-dot activity.
Crafts: Create a dot mural with cotton swabs or circle stickers.
Popular Children's Books:
The Dot - Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds: Vashti believes she can’t draw until her teacher encourages her to just make a mark—a simple dot—which leads to a journey of self-expression and creativity. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud] 🛒 [Free Resources on TpT]
Ish Written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds – A young boy learns that art doesn’t have to be perfect and that creativity is all about expression. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud] 🛒 [Free Resources on TpT]
September 16:
🟢 National Play-Doh Day (September 16)
About: National Play-Doh Day celebrates the colorful modeling compound first sold as wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s before it became a favorite children’s toy in the 1950s.
Fun Facts:
Play-Doh comes in more than 50 colors.
More than 3 billion cans of Play-Doh have been sold since its invention.
The scent of Play-Doh is trademarked because it’s so recognizable.
Articulation: Hide picture cards in Play-Doh and have students practice words as they dig them out.
Phonological Awareness: Smash a Play-Doh ball for each syllable in a word
Vocabulary: Target descriptive words like roll, squish, soft, sticky, flat.
Listening: Follow directions to build simple shapes (make a snake, then a ball).
Describing: Students describe their creations using complete sentences.
Following Directions: Give multi-step building tasks (make a tower, then flatten it).
Sequencing: Sequence the steps of making a Play-Doh pizza.
Narratives: Tell a short story about a Play-Doh character they create.
Open Ended Activities:
Free sculpting while practicing speech targets.
Free playdough mats resources and free playdough recipes on Teachers Pay Teachers
Crafts: Create Play-Doh animals and compare them.
Popular Children's Books:
Modeling Clay with 3 Basic Shapes: 40+ every project begins with just a ball, a worm, or a teardrop. No guesswork, no complicated steps ... just pure, screen-free fun. 📖 [Amazon Link]
Not a Box Written by Antoinette Portis: A rabbit turns an ordinary box into endless creative possibilities, inspiring kids to use their imagination in crafting and play. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Not a Stick Written by Antoinette Portis: A pig proves that a stick is not always just a stick. Whether it's conducting an orchestra, painting a masterpiece, or slaying a dragon...give a child a stick and let imagination take over and the magic begin. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
September 17:
📜 Constitution Day
About: Constitution Day marks the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 in Philadelphia. Schools across the country use this day to teach about citizenship and government.
Fun Facts:
George Washington was the president of the Constitutional Convention.
The Constitution is the oldest written national constitution still in use today.
It begins with the famous words, “We the People.”
Articulation:
Practice target words while adding them to flag or liberty bell image.
Review the Amendments using Designed to Educate's free U.S. Constitution Bill of Rights Cheat Sheets with kid friendly wording. Highlight the words that contain target sounds.
Vocabulary:
Teach words like citizen, rights, leader, community.
See how many words your students can create from C-O-N-S-T-I-T-U-T-I-O-N
Free Resources: Browse through the free "constitution" resources on Teachers Pay Teachers
Following Directions: Follow directions to color an American flag correctly.
Describing: Describe symbols like the eagle or Liberty Bell.
Narratives: Create a story about being “classroom president for a day.”
Crafts: Make paper flags or “We the Kids” posters.
Popular Children's Books:
We the Kids – Written and illustrated by David Catrow: A kid-friendly introduction to the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution. Humorous illustrations bring the words to life.📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
If I Were President – Written by Catherine Stier, illustrated by Diane DiSalvo-Ryan: Children imagine what it would be like to be president. The story introduces responsibilities and civic duty in a fun way. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
September 18:
🍔 National Cheeseburger Day (September 18)
About: National Cheeseburger Day recognizes the classic American food—hamburgers topped with melted cheese. It’s a day to enjoy one of the most popular foods in the world.
Fun Facts:
The cheeseburger was likely invented in the 1920s in Pasadena, California.
Americans eat nearly 50 billion burgers each year.
Adding cheese to a hamburger became common because it kept the meat moist and flavorful.
Articulation: Grab Dawn Speech Therapy's free Burger Flipping /s/ blend activity for initial and final word position practice - OR - Fun in Speech's free burger themed Articulation Spinner Worksheets.
Build a Burger: I created this free Build a Burger Sequencing Activity you can find on TpT or in my Free Resource Library (see bottom of blog to subscribe).
Use it with one or more of the following activities:
Burger Sequencing /Auditory Recall Activity: Describe how to make a burger by naming a sequence of toppings for students to recall as they build the burger with the flash cards. Start with sequencing 2-3 items and build to 7-8 items.
Articulation Roll & Grill Dice Game: Roll a die, say a target word that many times, and add the same number of items to your burger bun. How many layers can you add to your burger before topping it off with a bun?
WH Question Toppings: Tape WH questions to the backside of the toppings cards. As students build their burger, they answer a question for each layer.
Categories: The Speech Bubble offers a free Build-a-Burger Categories resource on Teachers Pay Teachers you may want to grab for some small group fun!
Describe Your Dream Cheeseburger: Students describe a silly or delicious burger using adjectives and food vocabulary.
Popular Children's Books:
The Dinosaur Who Discovered Hamburgers – Written by Adison Books: Written by Adison Books, illustrated by Jenny Leigh: This imaginative story follows a hungry dinosaur who stumbles upon the idea of stacking meat, buns, and toppings—accidentally inventing the hamburger. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Are You a Cheeseburger? – Written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo:
Grub, a hungry raccoon, finds a mysterious seed and hopes it will grow into a cheeseburger. As he waits and cares for the plant, a funny and unexpected friendship blossoms—along with a lesson in patience and discovery.
📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Burger Boy – Written by Alan Durant, illustrated by Mei Matsuoka: Benny loves burgers so much he turns into one! As he learns to enjoy other foods, he also learns balance and the importance of variety. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
September 19:
🏴☠️ International Talk Like a Pirate Day (September 19)
About: Talk Like a Pirate Day began as a fun idea between two friends in 1995 and has since become a global day of silliness, encouraging people to speak in pirate lingo.
Fun Facts:
Common pirate phrases include “Ahoy!” (hello) and “Shiver me timbers!” (expression of surprise).
The holiday grew popular after humor columnist Dave Barry wrote about it in 2002.
Pirates in history rarely said “Arrr”—that came from movies.
Articulation:
Hide picture cards in a treasure chest (box or bag), and each time a student “digs up” a card, they practice it 3–5 times using their best pirate voice.
Boom Cards (Paid Resources): Preview these pirate themed activities.
Phonological Awareness: Work on rhyming by making silly pirate pairs (boat/coat, gold/cold). For segmenting, have students clap out the sounds in pirate words such as “map,” “ship,” and “flag.”
Vocabulary:
Introduce and review pirate-related terms like anchor, sword, parrot, and compass.
Sort vocabulary into categories such as things you wear, things you find on a ship, or things you might treasure.
Listening / Following Directions:
Give directions as though you’re leading them on a treasure hunt (“Take two steps forward, then turn left to find the gold”). Students must listen carefully and follow the sequence to reach the “treasure.”
Paid Resource: Check out my Pirate Theme Following Directions printable cards for linguistic concepts on Teachers pay Teachers.
Paid resource on Teachers Pay Teachers
Describing: Place a mystery item (like a toy or picture) inside a small box and let students describe it to their crew before “revealing” the treasure. Encourage use of adjectives (shiny, rough, big, tiny).
Sequencing: Read a short pirate adventure (or create a simple one together) and have students retell the events in order, using sequencing words like first, next, then, and last.
Crafts: Make paper pirate hats, eye patches, or a treasure map. Each craft step gives a chance for practice, and the finished product can be used for retelling activities.
Open Ended: Check out Speech Therapy Plan's free Talk Like a Pirate Day Speech and Language Activities on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Paid Resource on TpT: Preview my pirate-themed articulation and language adventure that can be used over multiple sessions! Story Reading and Notation, Identifying Target Sounds, Sorting Words by Sound Position &/or Parts of Speech, Name Yer Crew Activity (Mad-Lib Style), and more!
Other "Pirate" themed free resources on Teachers Pay Teachers
Popular Children's Books:
How I Became a Pirate – Written by Melinda Long, illustrated by David Shannon: Jeremy joins a crew of pirates and learns about their adventurous life. He soon realizes home is the best place to be. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud] 🛒 [Free Resources on TpT]
Pirates Love Underpants – Written by Claire Freedman, illustrated by Ben Cort: Pirates search for a golden underpants treasure. The rhyming text and silly premise delight children. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud] 🛒 [Free Resource on TpT]
September 20:
💛 National Care for Kids Day (September 20)
About: National Care for Kids Day is dedicated to supporting the well-being, health, and safety of children. It emphasizes kindness, positive role models, and community support.
Fun Facts:
The day highlights the importance of both physical and emotional care for kids.
Small acts of kindness, like reading with a child or playing a game, are ways to celebrate.
Many schools and organizations use this day to host kid-centered activities.
Kindness Bingo: Engage students with a bingo game that encourages various kind acts. View these free* resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.
Kindness Tree: Create a classroom tree where students add leaves describing acts of kindness they've performed or witnessed. View free* resources on TpT.
Kindness Jar: Create a Kindness Jar filled with 20 simple acts of kindness ideas for students to draw and discuss ways they would complete the act of kindness.
Popular Children's Books:
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? Written by Carol McCloud and illustrated by David Messing: A book that teaches the value of kindness through the metaphor of filling someone's invisible bucket with care and positivity. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud] 🛒 [Free Resources on TpT]
The Kindness Book Written by Todd Parr: Showcases various ways to be kind, including giving compliments. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Kindness is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler Written by Margery Cuyler and illustrated by Sachiko Yashikawa: Mrs. Ruler encourages her students to perform acts of kindness, leading to a classroom celebration. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
September 21:
🕊️ International Day of Peace (September 21)
About: The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations in 1981 to encourage global ceasefires and promote non-violence and unity.
Fun Facts:
A special Peace Bell, cast from coins donated by children worldwide, is rung at the UN headquarters every year.
The dove with an olive branch is a well-known symbol of peace.
Many schools mark the day with peace pledges, art, or moments of silence.
Vocabulary:
Teach emotion and character words such as harmony, gentle, friendly, and respect.
Have students sort words into “peaceful” vs. “not peaceful” categories to deepen meaning.
Grab Sue's Snazzy Classroom's free Peace Day Acrostic Poem Template for language rich activity.
Listening: Lead a guided activity where students follow calming instructions, such as “Close your eyes, take one breath, now touch your toes, then say your word.” Multi-step calm-down sequences help practice comprehension while also promoting self-regulation.
Following Directions: Give directions for making a paper peace dove (Polliwog Place, TpT) or coloring a peace themed coloring page (Create with Katie, TpT). For example, “Color one heart blue, then add an extra heart between the doves”, Increasing complexity as needed.
Sequencing: Have students order the steps of a peace-building activity, such as “making up after an argument” or “sharing with a friend.” Retelling real-life scenarios connects sequencing with social-emotional learning.
Open Ended / Crafts: Crafts: Assemble a World Day of Peace Collaborative Poster (Classroom Bloom Store, TpT) or a peace SEL craft (Kids are the Future, TpT) where students draw or write one way they can show peace. Each step can involve articulation or language practice.
Popular Children's Books:
Can You Say Peace? – Written by Karen Katz, illustrated by Karen Katz: Children around the world say “peace” in their own languages. The book highlights global friendship and unity. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Peace Is an Offering – Written by Annette LeBox, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin: Gentle poetry shows how peace can be found in everyday moments. The book encourages kindness, hope, and connection. 📖 [Amazon Link] 🎥 [YouTube Read Aloud]
Get a Taste of Week 3: Pirates, Play Dough and Peace
As you review the themes, you'll see September Week 3 shines with themes that support speech and language goals through art, play, and community. From dot-filled creativity to pirate adventures and peace poems, these days offer fresh opportunities for practice. Get ready to build on these ideas and look forward to even more kid-friendly themes in Week 4.
See More National Day Themes for September:
September National Days Week 1 (September 1 - 7)
September National Days Week 2 (September 8 - 14)
September National Days Week 4+ (September 22 - 30)
Quick Link to View All 12 Months: 10 Reasons to Use National Day Themes for Easy Speech Therapy Planning (each month's themes are noted at the end).
Hi! I'm Shannon, creator of Speech Hamster. If you have found the information in this blog post useful, there's more where that came from! Subscribe to the Speech Hamster Newsletter to gain access to the Free Resource Library; a hub containing a host of National Days downloadable resources and so much more!
Comments