We have written a few posts in this series, explaining how we use ‘normal’ toys to target specific speech and language skills. You can read our posts about using dinosaurs, toy animals, Lego, and Nerf guns. Many younger children find Mr. Potato head very motivating. They also now make a whole range of extra parts […]
Posts in category Advice for parents
Developing speech and language skills through so...
“Where words fail, music speaks” – Hans Christian Andersen Songs are powerful – for many of us they evoke memories and express emotions. However, perhaps most of all, they can be fun! Children are no different. Many children love music and singing – and they usually don’t have the same inhibitions about doing it publicly […]
Attention and listening for school aged child...
Last week Helen wrote about attention and listening skills in younger, preschool children. You can read that post with some great ideas and strategies here. When children get older and start school, good listening skills are a key factor in academic progress. If you can’t listen to information and instructions, learning is much harder. By […]
Understanding two key wo...
The language of following instructions can be very confusing for young children. As Elizabeth explained in this post, when you give an instruction, very often a child does not actually need to understand all the words to follow it. In fact, sometimes they don’t really need to understand the words at all – they can […]
Dumm...
Dummies or pacifiers! – Whatever you call them, this is a subject that often comes up for speech therapists working with younger children. Are they a problem? Will they affect speech development? When and how can you get rid of them? So today I am going to try and answer some of these questions. This […]
Understanding 1 key w...
We have written before about key words or information carrying words. You can read that post here. We talk about key words when we describe a younger child’s understanding of words. When we talk, ask questions and give instructions, there are usually clues around us that help children understand. So even if they aren’t sure of […]
Making therapy f...
Nobody wants to keep doing something they know they struggle with. Children are no different. Therapy and practise can take a while and we really need to keep the child motivated. It is important to keep sessions positive and fun. So when you are planning your sessions or thinking about how to help a child, remember to […]