Fun Toddler Language Learning Activities

Fun Toddler Language Learning Activities

by Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP Language Building Skills Language Development

We often get the question posed to us, “how can I help my toddler to talk?” The short is answer is blunt and very obvious: talk to your child! That’s right, just make sure you are directly engaging your toddler in a wide variety of activities that are rich in language. At a high level, it really is that simple! This is a recommendation that is rooted in reams of research in the field of speech-language pathology and allied disciplines. However, just hearing from me, “talk to your child!” might leave you frustrated and wanting more: how do talk to my child? What are some fun toddler language learning activities that are best for this? This blog post is dedicated to providing some guidelines and tips for making this happen. It is one of the most important things you can do as parent of young child and it can have a positive impact on not only language development, but also on future academic potential and even on emotional development.

photo: Happy Kids and Orange Bird by Sam Howzit

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The Art of Communication: 3 Ways to Build Communication Skills

by Chris O Language Development Reading School Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

 

Image Courtesy of nicadez.blogspot.com

School may be back in session but that doesn’t have to stop you from helping your child develop communication skills outside of school. Whether your child already attends music therapy sessions, is a tactile learner who struggles with verbal communication, or works with an SLP during school for a speech disorder, there are enrichment options you can use with your child. The best part of all is that these are not only effective for developing communication skills, but they can benefit your child’s overall learning development – and be fun on the side.

3 Art Options to Develop Communication Skills Continue reading →

Communication Milestones for the Later Elementary Years

by Chris O Language Development Reading School

 

Image Courtesy of mentoringminds.com

Image Courtesy of mentoringminds.com

As the time approaches when many children are headed back to another year of school, many parents are left wondering if their children are ready for what lies ahead. Communication milestones is one term used to describe an intricate weaving of skills and tools that are acquired. These skills include those involving reading, writing, speech, language, use of voice, and more. Communication milestones for children in the older elementary years can be more subtle in nature, but they are nonetheless extremely important.

Communication Milestones in 4th – 6th Grades

Most children have established a foundation of communication by the time they enter kindergarten, and the early elementary years are spent building on those, especially in areas such as reading and writing, as well as more complicated conversations. The older elementary years are no less important than these early years, but their progress might not seem as noticeable. It is during this time when the skills continue to increase at a steady pace, often all the way through high school (and hopefully beyond).

When it comes to communication milestones for older elementary students, look to see that your child is developing in these various areas, both in and out of school. Continue reading →

Communication Milestones for the Early Elementary Years

by Chris O Language Development School
Image Courtesy of developingcourses.com

Image Courtesy of developingcourses.com

The other day here at the Speech Buddies Blog we reviewed the communication milestones for preschoolers and kindergarteners. While it is true that the first five years of a child’s life are a time of tremendous brain growth and development, it doesn’t mean that the communication milestones for the early elementary years are any less important. In fact, these years mark times of increased independent learning and reliance on the communication skills developed by the time your child is ready for first grade. But what are the milestones in the early elementary years that kids should develop to prepare them for middle school and beyond?

It’s important to review what makes up “communication” as a general set of skills and tools. The three main parts are the voice, speech, and the language (including written, spoken, singing, and more). The combination of these areas, along with articulation, voice, and fluency, form your child’s set of communication milestones. Continue reading →