Communication Development
Strategies to support your child's communication development within their everyday routines and play.
On the Blog...
6 Skills Your Baby Needs Before They Can Imitate Words
Waiting for your baby to talk? This one’s for you. There’s a few things they need to be able to do before they’ll understand the power of imitating words. If...
How to Practice Speech Sounds during Play
Speech sound practise should be fun! Make sure it’s a sound they can actually say but they just need practice to use more often. Briefly pause any game to build...
Say and Sign Before You Do: Water
Being able to ask for a drink is so important - imagine being thirsty and unable to help yourself?! We're all fab parents so we tend to anticipate our little...
Supporting Behaviour: What to Say
This one's a powerful one. We know from research that praising a child when they're doing the right thing is the BEST way to support their behaviour. Every time you...
Letter to Sound Rules
I’m so proud of August tonight that I could EXPLODE.I’ve been teaching August his letter to sound rules since he was 1 year old (he turns 3 in June)- not...
If your Baby isn't Talking yet
You can help your little one to learn how to talk to you by making noises and having fun.You read that correctly.Way before talking develops (from birth, actually) your little...
Say it Back Correctly
It takes a long time for little ones to master saying words correctly, and along the way they tend to have all kinds of cute ways to say things. It's...
When to Sign 'Finished' to your Baby
Imagine knowing what you want but being unable to tell anyone? It would be so frustrating. That’s what it feels like for our little ones before they can communicate with...
Teach Manners through Modelling, not Parroting
When you prompt your little one to “say please” or “say sorry”, they’re learning that they have to copy what you say to get what they want, but it’s unlikely...
Benefits of Singing Routines and Nursery Rhymes
Develops language and phonological awareness. Develops turn taking and social communication skills Enhances physical development and rhythm Improves memory, concentration, spacial awareness and thinking skills Fosters a close relationship between...
How to use Routines to Teach new Language
Routine are magic for language learning. We play this game every day where I take her dummy (dody) and she grabs if back again. This has lead to her initiating...
How to Tempt your Baby to Communicate with Songs and Actions
I’m singing a familiar song and have chosen an action that I know Etta can do. I’ve modelled the action that keeps me singing - tapping the tray. Then I’m...
Clap out the Syllables in Longer Words
ALL CHILDREN drop syllables from longer words at some point in their development. Its called 'weak syllable deletion' - and it just means that they drop the weaker, less pronounced...
5 Reasons why you are the Best Person to Teach your Child to Talk
Why it’s so important that caregivers are empowered to be part of speech and language therapy. They trust you more than anyone We’re all more likely to listen to and...
Six Common Mistakes when Teaching a Child their First Words
📌 Share with a parent who's teaching their child to talk 😍 Asking a lot of questions Try: Comment on things they are doing and objects that catch their attention....
Functional First Words
Share with a parent who is trying to teach their little one to talk. When Speech Therapists describe words as functional, they mean "useful words to get your point across...
Close Enough to Kiss and to Talk to
I've seen so many babies being worn super low lately. Learning to wear your baby can be a learning curve - there are so many types of wrap and...
Why Children find it Hard to Learn a New Speech Sound
Hint: they’re not being lazy.If you couldn’t remember to put a new sound in the middle of all your sentences all day - why would you expect a child to?!...
Tempt them to Communitcate
These are just a few of the ways that you can tempt your little one to interact with you, basically by doing something a little bit silly. Kids are so...
How to Teach your Baby to Talk: Turn Taking
It's not just about feeding them and keeping them alive! Your baby's brain is a sponge and they're ready to start learning how to communicate with you!!It all begins with...