Communication Development

Strategies to support your child's communication development within their everyday routines and play.
Browse this section if you're looking to broaden your child's vocabulary, improve their speech sounds or develop their social communication.

On the Blog...

Fill them up with language: Toilet Edition

Fill them up with language: Toilet Edition

I know you're all going to get to a point where you want your little ones to independently use the toilet and fully transition out of nappies. I want to...
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How to teach your toddler to count

How to teach your toddler to count

Some children learn to to count when they're 1, some take a little longer and count when they're closer to 5. As with all milestones, there's huge variation, but what...
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Say it back 3 times

Say it back 3 times

You HAVE to make yourself sound like a weirdo if you want to support your child's communication. Why?! Because sounding weird makes your little one TUNE IN to what you're...
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Fill them up with Language: Washing Edition

Fill them up with Language: Washing Edition

Just LOOK at all the language you can pour into your little one as you do the washing. There's no need to feel guilty when you need to get stuff...
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Say and Sign before you do

Say and Sign before you do

Here's the thing. If your toddler cries at your feet and you just pick them up, then they learn that 'crying at mums feet gets me picked up', so they'll...
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Speak Normally

Speak Normally

I'm not sure why we all started talking in the third person to our children but I'm here to tell you that you don't have to! And it's better not...
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Flash Card: True or false?

Flash Card: True or false?

I will NOT be using flashcards. Not only are they super unnatural (are YOU ever shown cards and forced to shout out what you see on them?!) but they’re just...
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What counts as a first word?

What counts as a first word?

More than you think! A first word is something that your child says intentionally, the same way every time and consistently - to get or communicate what they want. E.g....
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Sing to Learn

Sing to Learn

Nursery rhymes are EXCELLENT for language development. My Mam's been teaching August a new word a day by singing to him and it's so exciting to see!HOW does it help?...
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The Language Development Ladder

The Language Development Ladder

Here's how I like to think of language development: It's like a ladder. All children are on this ladder somewhere, even if it's just briefly, and there's things we can...
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Help your baby to start talking!

Help your baby to start talking!

Communication temptations are little purposeful opportunities set up to tempt your baby to show you what they can do! The PAUSE is the most important thing here. You're going to...
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Tempt your child to communicate

Tempt your child to communicate

Create opportunities for your child to initiate an interaction with you by setting up a COMMUNICATION TEMPTATION. Place a favourite toy or snack within view but out of reach, or...
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Story Spoons

Story Spoons

If you're into bringing stories to life then this is for you! Wooden spoons are cheap, easy to get a hold of and make EXCELLENT story props! So easy for...
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Books Alive: The Hungry Caterpillar

Books Alive: The Hungry Caterpillar

Super excited to finally have this finished! I wanted to bring 'The Hungry Caterpillar' to life because it ticks so many boxes for us. August loves the story ✅ He...
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Story Stones

Story Stones

I read Hairy Maclary about 6 times a day. August LOVES it - so I wanted to bring the story to life a bit. I made these story stones last...
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Contain your excitement

Contain your excitement

Your eyes haven't deceived you. I've just given August all the plastic containers I could find (nope they don't all have lids) and let him go to town. Containers are...
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Communication Temptation: Offering Choices

Communication Temptation: Offering Choices

Imagine knowing what you want but not being able to tell anyone! That's often the frustration that faces our little ones and more often than not they're desperate to let...
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Sign with us: Dear Zoo

Sign with us: Dear Zoo

Let's add some books to our repertoire! Dear Zoo is a favourite of ours - it has a really great rhythm, it's simple, it has animals, it has lift the...
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When do different speech sounds develop?

When do different speech sounds develop?

What’s the difference between speech and language??? Language is the words and signs we use to get our point across. So when we’re learning a new language, we’re learning a...
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