Mr. Potato Head

Mr. Potato Head is a classic toy that allows for easy speech, language, and literacy building!

Mr. Potato Head can be used as a tool to help your child build speech sounds.

You can find target words on the Mr. Potato Head Speech Chart.
While playing with Mr. Potato Head, have your your child think about their target sound.

Basic vocabulary – this is an easy toy to use to target body parts. You can use the Mr. Potato Head go fish cards or Mr. Potato Head body part memory while working on these.
Concepts
- Sequencing concepts can be used while building your potato head. You can use the Mr. Potato Head toy or this build a potato printable. Try using this Mr. Potato Head sequencing activity printable (horizontal and vertical presentations).
Describing –
- Describe what we use body parts for (e.g., eyes for seeing, ears for listening, etc.)
- Using the build a potato printable as a barrier game encourages allows for practice with describing skills (see Following Directions below for more instructions) .
Comparing and contrasting – talk about how the Mr. Potato Head body parts and clothing items (either using the toy or the build a potato printable) are similar and different.
Categories –
- Sort items into body parts, clothes, colours, etc.
- Talk about what you would dress Mr. Potato Head like for different activities (e.g., if it was raining, it he was going to school, etc.).
- Use the Mr. Potato Head story maker printables while generating ideas about what Mr. Potato Head might find in each location (Beach, School, Zoo).

Plurals – playing with Mr. Potato Head provides many opportunities to target plurals using the clothing and body parts (eyes, ears, arms, hands, shoes, etc.). You can use the Mr. Potato Head game (directions) to practice plurals.
Pronouns – there is lots of opportunity to practice pronouns while playing Mr. Potato Head (he, him, his for a Mr. Potato Head and she, her, hers for a Mrs. Potato Head).
Prepositions –
- “in” – put pieces inside the potato, push them into the potato holes
- “out” – take the pieces out of the potato
- “on” – put the hat and shoes “on”
- “off” – take the pieces “off”
Verbs – pretend playing with Mr. Potato Head allows for lots of verb practice
Questions formation –
- try using the read along visuals to practice asking “What do you see?”
- try playing go fish using the go fish cards or memory cards to practice “do you…?” questions (print this on the back of the pages).

Try playing this Mr. Potato Head game (directions).
Turn the build a potato printable into a barrier game. *If you have two potato head toys you can turn the toy into a barrier game.
- Print two copies.
- Each player gets one copy of the potato and the body part/clothing items.
- Place a barrier between the players.
- Take turns placing an item on your potato and then giving a direction to the other player so they make their potato look the same.
- Once both players are ready, check back to make sure the potatoes look the same.
Use the Mr. Potato Head sequencing activity to add visuals to following directions.

Phonological awareness –
1. Rhyming –
  1. Try singing Willoughby Wallaby while building your potato. Willoughby Wallaby wose, an elephant sat on a…nose. Willoughby Wallaby wat, an elephant sat on a…hat.
2. Sound identification – give a sound cue to tell which body part to add to the potato (e.g., “hhhh” = hat, “nnnn” = nose, “t-t-t” = teeth or tongue, etc.)
Story telling –
1. Use the story maker printables (Beach, School, Zoo) to tell stories about Mr. Potato Head.

Word Chart

Sequencing Visuals

Go Fish Cards

Body Parts Memory

Print on the back of Go Fish and Memory Cards

Build a Potato Activity

Game Board

Game Directions

Story Maker – Beach

Story Maker – School

Story Maker – Zoo

amazon.com (Mr. Potato Head Silly Suitcase)

amazon.com (Mr. Potato Head Tater Tub Set)

amazon.com (basic Mr. Potato Head)

amazon.ca (Mr. Potato Head Silly Suitcase)

amazon.ca (basic Mr. Potato Head)

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Speech Kids Calgary