Communication Development
Strategies to support your child's communication development within their everyday routines and play.
On the Blog...
The Million Word Gap
READ ⬇️Research has shown that kids who are read to daily hear around 1.4 million more words by age 5 than those who aren’t. That’s a HUGE difference! 🤯Here’s how...
Worth the wait
WORTH THE WAIT ⬇️Parents, ever feel like you need to fill every silence with words? 🤔 Here’s a game-changer: WAIT! ⏳Imagine you’re in a meeting, and your boss asks you...
Whats in your head?
What’s in your head?! Theory of mind is when kids realise that others have thoughts and feelings that differ from their own. It pays to remember this when it comes...
Language Tip: Road Safety
Steal this strategy ⬇️There's no more important time for a child to 'STOP' than in a road safety sitatuation.We all WANT to give them the freedom to run or bike...
Tell a story to get a story
TELL a story to GET a story.🙂Takes the pressure off🙂 Models excellent sentence structure🙂 Helps jog their memory🙂 Teaches story telling and sequencing🙂 Increases likelihood that they'll share with youSend...
Language Development Tip
Why it matters ⬇️ For some reason, adults have fallen into a pattern of speaking in the third person to our kids. For example, people often say "come to mummy"...
Starting School Mistake
Do this ⬇️⬇️Did you know that teaching your child what SOUND each letter makes is way more important than them learning the name of the letter?E.g. knowing that a K...
Stop doing this one thing if you want your child to talk more
IT'S SO TEMPTINGto ask our kids to say stuff to us.Like "say hello", "say please", "say mooo", "say milk".ESPECIALLY when our kids aren't saying many words yet and we want...
What NOT to do if your child starts stuttering
Do this instead ⬇️ It's not uncommon for some kids to go through periods of dysfluency (less fluent speech) as they develop. Stuttering (also known as stammering) can sound like...
Teach your child to talk using Plydough
Throwback ThursdayA little video of Auggie (age 2years and 7 months) and I playing with playdough and retelling the story of the very hungry caterpillar.Retelling stories with props is so...
My child doesn't say some speech sounds - should I worry?
⚠️SAVE THIS FOR REFERENCESome sounds are harder to say than others. Knowing WHEN sounds typically develop will ensure that you’re not expecting too much of your little one.Children are developing...
Ten things to do with your kid that isn't play with toys
Tired of playing pretend?Save this list for later - it'll come in handy when you're totally over toys and ready for another activity.Playing with toys can be tiring for adults....
Functional language always wins.
Whether you're teaching words verbally, through sign or using a communication device, children need functional language FIRST before any academic concepts like the alphabet or colours.It makes sense right -...
Help! My child keeps speaking in a baby voice
Why though? Kids tend to revert to using baby voices or acting like babies when they're: 1. Embarrassed 2. Seeking nurturing It's nothing to worry about. It's a behaviour, it's...
Quick reminder: Push your Child from the Front of the Swings
It's all about getting face to face. We know that when parents get face to face with their children and make eye contact, it significantly supports a child's emotional development....
I love taking my Kids Shopping
I love seeing the joy they get from feeling independent and like they're helping out. Is it controversial to say that I love taking my kids shopping?! I always feel...
Quick Tips for Language Development
YOU are your child’s best teacher.Making these small changes to the way you respond to your child can have a huge impact on their language development. It’s all about creating...
Tell a Story to get a Story
Less questions, more comments. Did you have a good day?Yep.What was the best bit?Lunch.Who did you play with?Dunno. If you’re struggling with one word answers from your child, then it’s...
Is my Child being Lazy with their Speech?
There's no such thing as lazy speech.If your child COULD speak correctly then they absolutely would. It's wayyy harder than you think to learn a new sound then remember to...
Language Development Tip: Choices Help Language to Develop
Not only will offering your child choices show them respect and reduce tantrums because they feel like they're in control, it can also help language development.Think about it, "do you...
