A toolkit lends voice to kids

Observer

14-03-2025

A groundbreaking speech therapy toolkit is transforming how children with speech and language delays experience Ramadhan, helping them express emotions, navigate social expectations and engage in the holy month's traditions with confidence.
Developed by speech-language therapist Pristine Sara George, the 'Ramadhan Edition of Cute Little Talkers Speech Therapy Toolkit' is the first of its kind, integrating cultural and religious traditions with personalised communication support.
Pristine Sara George poses with Ramadhan Edition of Cute Little Talkers Tool Kit
The toolkit uses visual aids, picture schedules and interactive exercises to help children participate in Ramadhan's daily rituals — Suhoor, Iftar, prayer times and acts of kindness.
'Many families observe Ramadhan together and this toolkit provides a natural setting to reinforce speech and language skills,' says Pristine. 'By blending therapy with meaningful traditions, learning becomes engaging, functional and culturally relevant.'
Ramadhan Good Deeds Challenge - Fun Activity Book
Designed for children at various developmental levels, the toolkit offers customised exercises to enhance expressive language, sentence-building, comprehension and social communication.
Key features include social stories that explain concepts like fasting, generosity and patience, tailored to each child's cognitive and language level, along with communication boards and sentence-building prompts for non-verbal or minimally verbal children. Additionally, play-based therapy ensures meaningful participation even for those with severe speech delays, while storytelling exercises, sensory play activities and daily routine exercises help reinforce learning and encourage engagement with Ramadhan traditions.
Sensory play activities, include crescent moon-themed bins and lantern tracing, reinforcing learning through tactile engagement and daily routine exercises linked to Ramadhan practices, such as sequencing words during Wudu (ritual purification performed before prayers) or role-playing greetings like 'Ramadhan Mubarak!'
Ibrahim Muhammad Faiz, a 10-year-old student at British School Muscat, finds the toolkit engaging. 'It's really fun! There are different games, puzzles and storytelling activities. I practice it almost every day because it's so interactive!' he says.
The toolkit extends beyond structured learning, helping children gain confidence in real-life situations.
Ramadhan Planner - Fun Activity Book
Parents can integrate activities into their daily Ramadhan routines, encouraging children to label or request food items during Iftar prep, using visual sequences to discuss Ramadhan values during storytelling time, practicing social scripts for greetings and donations during charitable acts and teaching sequencing words like first, next and last through Wudu steps during prayer time.
One child, initially struggling with making requests, began using picture symbols from the toolkit to ask for dates and water during Iftar. Over time, they transitioned to verbal communication, demonstrating increased confidence in meal-related conversations.
Pristine, the only Speech-Language Therapist in Oman to have designed a sensory workshop for children with special needs, sees this toolkit as part of a broader vision for inclusive communication. 'Every child should have the chance to participate in traditions that bring families together, regardless of their communication abilities,' she said.
Speech therapy experts emphasise the importance of cultural context in language development. By incorporating Ramadhan's spiritual and social customs into communication exercises, children not only improve their verbal and non-verbal skills but also feel a deeper connection to their family and faith.
'This toolkit is about inclusion,' Pristine explains. 'Every child should have the chance to participate in traditions that bring families together, regardless of their communication abilities.'
Excercise page from Ramadhan Edition of Cute Little Talkers Tool Kit
Each toolkit is customisable, with laminated hard copies designed for repeated use. Available across Oman, parents, educators and therapists can order tailored booklets through the Al Harub Medical Center's Instagram page. Encouraged by its success, Pristine plans to develop similar toolkits for Eid, Christmas, Diwali and other cultural celebrations, ensuring that speech and language development remains meaningful across traditions.
'Every child deserves the ability to express themselves, especially during celebrations that hold deep personal and cultural significance,' she says. 'With the right support, communication becomes an empowering and joyful experience.'
EOM