The Speech and Language Blog
Colorado Springs Therapy Center
Rosie Rotter M.A., CCC-SLP
Colorado Springs Therapy Center
Rosie Rotter M.A., CCC-SLP
3/18/2021
Reading is a hard thing to do. It often isn't until we have to help another person in our lives learn to read that we remember how hard it actually is. There's rules to follow to make it easier, but for every rule there seems to be about 1,000 exceptions. Not to mention all of the words in English that are just, well, weird! Restaurant? Why the heck is that U in there? People? Why don't we pronounce the O? Diphthongs, digraphs, sight words, prefixes, it's enough to make anyone's head spin. Let's talk about some good ways to help teach the basics to the young reader in your life!
Start with the basics. Begin with teaching your young reader the letters and the sounds they make. There's some debate on whether to teach uppercase or lowercase letters first. I've heard several occupational therapists say they always teach uppercase first because they're easier to write which adds an extra reinforcement piece to the whole process. I've heard reading specialists and other speech pathologists say to teach lowercase first because they'll generally see more of those when they read. I'm personally a fan of teaching both at the same time when working on individual letters, but any of these ways are fine.
Vowels are without a doubt one of the trickiest parts of the English language. Their sounds can change very easily based on the letters around them. I like to start by teaching your young reader the SHORT vowel sounds. This makes it less confusing when they start blending sounds together to read CVC (consonant-vowel consonant) words (i.e. cat, bat, etc.) They'll tackle the long vowel sounds when the silent or "sneaky e" rule is introduced. If you prefer, teach both sounds at the same time--whatever your young reader can handle!
Tip: If these initial concepts are very difficult, use visual phonics instead! It pairs a hand cue with each sound the letters make. Here's a link to a video I like to use:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn5DaRUjgFQ
There are also visual charts available online as well.
After your young reader has a handle on their consonant and vowel sounds word families are the next natural step. If your young reader can easily identify the sounds made by -at, -ad, -in, -en, etc. , the easier it will be to start blending all sounds together to read CVC words. Google can give you lots of lists and TeachersPayTeachers has lots of free materials.
Don't get freaked out about these. Start with the small ones like: it, see, my, by, etc. The ones you can easily point out in the books you're reading to them. Google which ones are appropriate for kindergarten and work your way up from there.
Flashcards are a good way to learn these, but that definitely isn't fun. If your young reader can sit still for 5-10 minutes to review first, that would be ideal. Then play hide and seek! Hide them around the room you're in and have your young reader find them and see how many they can remember!
Digraphs are 2 consonants that come together and make only one sound.
SH, CH, TH, PH, WH.
I like to teach these with hand cues as well when teaching them for the first time. SH is easy--finger to your lips, it's our "quiet" sound. CH is our "exploding" sound; bring your fingers into your palm then straighten them out quickly. TH is our "noisy" sound. Put your tongue between your teeth, blow air loudly, and point to it. Since PH makes an F sound like a frog; hold up 2 fingers, turn your hand upside down, and curl your fingers up like they're jumping. WH just makes the W sound. Round your lips and point to them.
Image Credit:
https://amplify.com/remotelearning/mclass/first-grade-skills-map/rf-1-3-aii-know-the-spellings-for-the-common-consonant-digraphs-sh-ch-voiced-and-unvoiced-th-f-spelled-ph-ng/
Diphthongs are 2 vowels that come together to make one sound. These are more commonly referred to as vowel teams since they work together. Give lots of examples of these and point them out during joint reading time!
OU/OW
out, now, ouch, how
AU/AW
paw, haul, raw, pause
OI/OY
boy, foil, toy, boil
EW/OO
grew, too, few, moo
Image Credit:
https://whatsnewinroom102.weebly.com/home2/magnificent-may
1/18/2021
My name is Rosie, and I am an SLP at Colorado Springs Therapy Center. Our new website was just launched and we are so excited about it! We have two clinics; one on the north side of town, and one on the south side of town. We offer PT, OT, and speech therapy services across the lifespan by implementing evidence based practices in our sessions. We treat a wide range of ages, disorders, and abilities with a family-centered approach.
4/2/2020
I met some amazing tiny people with a ton of stuff to communicate, but didn't know how and that was the moment I knew what direction my life was going.
Today is world autism day. I thought about adding an exclamation mark after that sentence, but to a lot of people this is just another day. To a lot of people this isn't something they like to celebrate and I understand why. When you have a child with autism the only thing anyone tells you is the bad stuff, the scary stuff, the milestones they won't reach. As someone who deals with the scary stuff, but also the amazing stuff I've got news: they're selling your kid short.
I promise things will get better. It will be slow, it will be terrifying, and you're going to find out who your real friends are because everyone else might disappear. But nothing can replace the joy you'll see when your kid learns a new skill, joins in a game with others even if for just a few turns, uses more than one word on their AAC device, asks a question in a whole sentence, remembers the spatial concepts their SLP has been reviewing with them for months; I could go on forever.
I think autism is beautiful, but not everyone does because sometimes autism means it's not safe to drive. Sometimes it means feeding your child by hand longer than expected. Sometimes it means going into public less. Today I encourage you NOT to read the statistics. Instead, find a mom with a blog talking about her everyday. The little victories, the big messes, the funny stuff her kid does/says, and her immense love for her child who is different. That's the beautiful side of autism I wish everyone could see for themselves.
I just so happen to be related to some of these amazing humans and I need you to see their adorable faces NOW.
Both of these little monsters are currently THRIVING thanks to their parents, early intervention teams, therapists, teachers, and of course their own hard work. They are smart, goofy, wonderful kids and I hope everyone sees people in their life who have autism the way I see these two.
3/16/2020
Times are kind of scary right now. There's uncertainty, panic, and anxiety. I encourage you to say "yes" to your kids more right now. Let them do the messy activities. Make the cake, decorate the cookies, paint with pudding, make the slime, find science experiments on YouTube. Just like the adults, the kids are trying to wrap their still-developing brains around what's happening in the world and it's HARD. Everyone deserves a whole BUNCH of grace right now while we're trying to figure out what is going on with this virus. So while you're trying to cling to some shred of structure and/or sanity in the coming weeks please try to say "yes."
With that, I give you your survival guide to entertain and educate your kids:
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Shared on Facebook via Felicia Hatcher
Taken from ABCs to ACTs' Facebook Page
http://legacyexchange.smarttech.com/#tab=0
Create a free account.
Don't worry--you don't need a SMART Board to use this, and lots of things are free! Just press "Save to SLS online" when you find one you like instead of downloading it and all your activities are saved right there!
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/
This website includes lots of materials made by teachers, for teachers...which is now every parent ever. Things range from free to upwards of $100 dollars, but most are pretty inexpensive.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-QcZISbFb9EiIEQ41cVhxw
This momma scientist has some great videos for your kids to learn about all things moving and living.
This page is full of books containing speech and language targets for your kiddos!
The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic is located on Maryville University's campus in St. Louis where I completed my undergraduate studies. All the therapists there are WONDERFUL, creative, and practical. Check out their Facebook page for more ideas for targeting speech and language at home!
Oh look, it's NPR...you know, where I get basically every piece of advice on this page!
You can watch Broadway shows FOR FREE for a limited time only.
NASA Makes their Entire Media Library Publically Accessible and Copyright Free
You can Now Download over 300,000 Books from the NYPL for FREE
How to Make a GeoDome
I know you have a huge pile of Amazon boxes, so get to work!
Coronavirus Social Story from Easterseals Illinois Autism Partnership
3/5/2020
What is apraxia? Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to speak. Children with the diagnosis of apraxia of speech generally have a good understanding of language and know what they want to say. However, they have difficulty learning or carrying out the complex sequenced movements that are necessary for intelligible speech. (Taken from Apraxia Kids website: https://www.apraxia-kids.org/ )
Apraxia is a motor planning disorder. Like it was mentioned above, a kid knows what to say, they just can't seem to get it out. This is because there is a disconnect somewhere between the motor strip in their brain and the muscles in their tongue and mouth.
Apraxia is not just for kids, though! It frequently happens in adults after a stroke or traumatic brain injury (TBI).
(Image from https://www.depaulhearingandspeech.org/what-is-childhood-apraxia-of-speech/ )
Currently, the exact cause for Apraxia by itself is unknown, but we do know it can be developed as a secondary effect of brain damage such as a stroke, TBI, or a genetic syndrome. That being said, if a child is diagnosed with Apraxia it does not mean they have sustained brain damage of any kind. Some kids are just born different!
Connected speech is extremely unintelligible.
Word production is not consistent; the same word is produced different ways on different days.
Sometimes shorter words are more clear than longer ones.
Sounds are often distorted or substituted.
Abnormal syllable stress.
Planned/frequently used words or phrases come out more clearly, as the motor plan for that sequence of sounds is more developed.
You'll never guess....speech therapy! The American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) recommends therapy begin with 3-5x per week and can be reduced as progress is made. During therapy clients learn to correct motor patterns and create clearer, more intelligible speech. This is typically done through visual and tactile (touch) cues instead of auditory cues.
Remember the disconnect in the motor path I talked about earlier? If you sit there and tell a kid to "say it like this" with no visual or tactile input, chances are you'll eventually rip your hair out because it just ain't happening without it.
Tactile cues and multi-sensory approaches are necessary for this population of people because of the disconnect in motor patterns. These different approaches allow the brain to build up motor patterns in different ways. Have you ever heard of neuroplasticity? This is the brain's way of "healing" itself. It finds different ways to make things happen when there has been damage or disruption to its usual pathway. It's essentially growing a muscle. Think of producing speech sounds as a squat or sit up and tactile cues as a weight or resistance band. It helps facilitate making the "muslce" bigger (or in this case more accurate), much faster than practicing without the extras.
If you know or love someone who has been diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech, you probably understand how frustrating it can be. I highly recommend finding some kind of support system whether it be another mom at the clinic you're attending, a Facebook group, a blog writer, etc. Here are some Facebook pages, blog posts, success stories, and other resources:
Facebook Page: Fighting for my Voice: My life with Verbal Apraxia
(Image on the left from this page).
Apraxia Kids
"How My Child with Speech Apraxia Says I Love You"
"Waiting on Words"
"SLP Mommy of Apraxia"
Parents please know: you're doing a GOOD job. Stop beating yourself up.
Information in this post on Apraxia came from the following:
2/14/2020
Hey friends! I definitely slacked on my Valentine's post, BUT two weeks really isn't much time if you think about it....yeah I knew it sounded wrong as I was typing it. However, Just because Valentine's Day has passed does not mean we should stop talking about and teaching the importance of love and kindness to our kids! I definitely felt some love real hard this week from some of my favorite tiny humans. I'm very lucky to work with such SWEET families! Anyway, enough about me. Let's get to it:
In short: YES. It absolutely can! If you're like me you have probably thought kids learn kindness essentially through osmosis. If I'm kind to others and my little people see it, they'll be kind too, right? Well, it turns out one of the best ways to teach kindness is by talking out situations in which our kids act poorly toward another person. When you see this happening it's instinct to say "Honey, don't do that." This statement doesn't teach anything. Instead, draw attention to the other child's emotions and facial expressions. Give names to emotions and describe how it feels. (Reading facial expressions and understanding emotions is HUGE for appropriate social interactions. It's another very common goal on my caseload). Relate it back to your child. Ask them "How would it feel if Johnny did this to you?" Research shows the kids whose parents use this approach grow up to be more confident and helpful in social situations. If you'd like to learn more here's a podcast from NPR's LifeKit delving deeper into the topic:
https://www.npr.org/2019/05/09/721721668/kindness-can-be-taught-heres-how
Here is another one that goes even further into the root of kindness:
Basically, if you're not following this podcast you should be!
Regulating your emotions is a skill that's hard for little brains to do no matter what. Add a diagnosis on top and it's just plain RUDE of us to expect our little ones to be able to hold it together all the time.
Let me reiterate: EMOTIONS ARE HARD FOR KIDS.
IMPORTANT SIDEBAR:
PARENTS: STOP APOLOGIZING FOR YOUR KID HAVING A MELTDOWN. It's flat out unnecessary and anyone who thinks otherwise is straight up crazy pants.
First of all, putting words and labels to feelings is difficult enough as it is. On top of that, 2-4 year-olds get told "no" about 400 times per day. Wouldn't that make you frustrated too? They are trying to learn about the world around them and explore, but the people they love most (parents, teachers, babysitters) keep saying NO! By the 20th time I'd be livid...okay the 3rd if we're being completely honest.
Second, it's not your fault your kiddo starts screaming at me when I say it's time to clean up the Play-Doh. It's not her fault either. Her developing brain can't handle being told "no" right now, and THAT'S OKAY. If you ever work with me you'll hear me say: "It's hard being little. You have to do what everyone else says all the time." Let that sink in for a minute.
Instead of just saying "no" when your kid is throwing a tantrum about not getting candy at the grocery store, explain your reasons WHY. I know the checkout line is the last place you have the patience for this, but promise me you'll just try. If we don't explain the WHY of things we deprive our kids of important opportunities for language exposure and growth. I don't care if you hold up the line for this and you shouldn't either. Neither should anyone else in the WORLD. Don't feel bad about it because you are doing your best to raise an awesome kid who knows how to deal with their biggest feels so they can become happy, well adjusted adults. If the person behind you in line has a problem with that they can take a dang walk.
Here's a link to another blog explaining how to say "no" without actually saying "no."
https://www.redbookmag.com/life/mom-kids/advice/a2560/how-to-say-no/
1/30/2020
I'm not sure about y'all but this month was LONG. Here are some more ideas to help you kickstart February and keep your kids moving and entertained!
Find out what your child's favorite vegetable is and cook a meal including it. Then challenge your child to try a new vegetable or one they THINK they hate. Kids' taste buds change almost daily, so they might not even know what they're missing! You can make it a game to see which kid (if there's more than one in your house) can try the most vegetables in one week or one month. If you're feeling really fancy make a sticker chart simply because kids love stickers. But also, come on. You love stickers too.
(And secretly you're expanding their food palate--especially good for picky eaters).
I touched on street safety a little bit a few weeks ago, but here are some fun ways to incorporate it at home before you get there. Talk about the right way to cross the street (hold hands, look left and right).
When I was growing up my dad would always say:
Look right, look left.
Look right again, Look left again.
Proceed.
It has a rhythm that I can't make clear here, so make up your own if you want because I promise your kids WILL remember it . I can confirm because to this day I say this in my head when I cross the street.
Draw safety signs like "Stop" and "Yield." Talk about what they mean and how to follow their rules when crossing the street.
Learn traffic signals by using scarves (or whatever else you can find in your house that is red, yellow, and green) to play red light-green light.
Talk about seeds, plants, and how different fruits and vegetables grow: under the ground, on a vine, on a tree, in a pot, etc. You could print a picture of a plant or find a real one and label the different parts such as roots, leaves, stem, etc. If you're feeling particularly ambitious take a trip to Home Depot, Lowes, or a local small business that sells plants. Grab some plants and soil to pot with your kids. If you don't have pots, you could probably use that old bowl from great grandma Myrtle sitting on a tall shelf no one ever uses anyway. Talk about how just like our bodies need balance between good and bad, plants do too! You can compare sun, water, and fertilizer to the different foods and drinks we consume. This is great vocabulary input and hands-on learning!
Concentrate on showing the kiddos how to properly brush their teeth WELL.
Learn the toothbrush rhyme: I have a little toothbrush, I hold it very tight. I brush my teeth each morning and each night. If you don't like that one, here is a song from the people who made Baby Shark so popular! I know you're rolling your eyes at me right now, but just trust me alright?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvguF5lQyVE
See if the kids can identify the ryhming words. Once you explain and show them the process, have them practice and have them show you what they remember at bedtime. This is a good vocabulary lesson (cavities, gums, roof of your mouth, molars, canines, etc.) and you can also pull spatial concepts into this (under your tongue, outside your teeth, inside your teeth, behind your molars, etc).
Side note: electric toothbrushes are great for oral awareness!
Talk about being safe. Make sure everyone in the family knows their name, address, phone number, and what to do in case of an emergency.
This is also a good time to talk about stranger danger or what to do when you feel unsafe ANYWHERE. When explaining strangers it's important to explain it in a way that doesn't make your kids scared. For instance, that other mom or dad at the park is probably not dangerous. Practice these situations at home so your child knows the language to use and can feel confident saying NO to an adult.
Growing up my friend and her mom had a code word no one else knew, and if she ever felt unsafe, especially if her mom was not there, all she had to do was call her mom and say the word "Oreos" in some form or another and her mom knew to come get her right away.
The code word system is also a good idea if your child walks home from school, or if there is an emergency and someone other than you has to pick your child up from school.
I hate to bring internet safety into this too, but in the world we live in today it's real. Talk to your kids about online safety (i.e. don't tell anyone where you live, no last names, etc). Here are some videos that explain it on a more kid-friendly level.
1/23/2020
Let's be honest, staying on track and sticking to your goals is HARD. I'd be lying if I said I haven't slipped up in making changes in the first 20-ish days of the new year. (Donuts are my favorite thing on this earth). BUT hopefully my next round of tips and activities can make your journey a little easier!
What are some vegetables sitting in the back of your fridge from the “I’m going to be super healthy” trip to the grocery store this year? Cut off the bad parts and throw them in a soup! Include your kids in the cooking process. This is a great time for them to learn the fundamentals of cooking and how to use measuring spoons, cups, and follow a basic recipe even if it’s out of your brain. Also, HELLO LANGUAGE INPUT! Think of all the vocabulary they can learn! If you don’t have enough ingredients, draw all of them you’d put in your soup and play pretend. If you feel so inclined, research composting to lessen food waste! Something I learned this week: the majority of food waste in this country happens IN OUR HOMES. If you'd like to learn more check out this podcast from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2019/12/10/786867315/how-to-reduce-food-waste
Talk to your kids about the importance of limiting sugar in a positive way. Explain that it's okay to have sugary things sometimes, but not all the time because too much of some things can be bad for you. Think of other examples of things that are bad for you in large amounts to help solidify this concept. Things such as:
-Too much sun will give you a sun burn
-Too much to eat can give you a tummy ache
-Too much caffeine can make you shaky
-Too much TV time can make your brain "mushy"
Have a “no sugar day” and think about making these days a weekly occurrence. Here’s a momma who tried it and succeeded!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amUiXp02sQA
Sorry, I’m a millennial, so BuzzFeed is everything.
Have the kiddos exercise by giving them two things to do at a time such as: jump up and then sit down. Use jumps, running, crawling, crab walks, lunges, etc. Increase to three things, then maybe 4.
Following 1-2 step directions is one of the most common goals on my caseload right now. Teaching kids to listen is difficult, but a game like Simon Says is the easiest way for them to learn when they’re young.(Plus this disguises the fact you’re actively parenting by trying to TEACH them things *scary music*)
Sing Head Shoulders Knees and Toes to keep up their energy!
Play tag or jump rope. (This is good cardio for parents too, don't just watch!) If it’s too cold outside, have a dance party inside! If your child is a baby bounce them on your knees while you sing the alphabet or count.
During bath time talk about why it’s important to be clean. Make up your own bath time song or find one on YouTube you like.
Side note: Since we’re talking about safety as well as health this month, I’d like to stress the importance of teaching your child the anatomically correct names for their body parts and who is allowed to see/touch those parts. ESPECIALLY if your child has difficulties communicating. If a kid tells me someone touched their (schnooty, muffin, tee tee, thingy, etc.) I have no idea what that means.
Here is a podcast from NPR talking about how to talk to your kids about their bodies, consent, and the language to use when they ask questions about their bodies in the future; all backed up, researched, and supported by doctors and psychologists who have been published in the American Academy of Pediatrics. The title of this podcast is scary, but trust me, I've listened to it and it has lots of good information. It's obviously not required you do anything talked about in this podcast because they're YOUR kids. You do what works best for YOUR family. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/12/787466794/the-birds-and-the-bees-how-to-talk-to-children-about-sex
Make an evacuation plan in case of a fire
You could draw a map of your house and practice--make it a race. A good meeting spot is the mailbox, but if you don’t have one in front of your house use your best judgement for a safe location.
Local Fire Department websites have additional resources for talking about fire safety in a way that isn't scary.
PLUS, did you know if you don't know how to install your car seat they'll do it for you?
Here is a link to the Colorado Springs Fire Department's page on fire safety in the home:
https://coloradosprings.gov/colorado-springs-fire-department/page/safety-tips?mlid=41071
Make a list with your child of their favorite memories of last year.
Have them draw some of the memories to share with friends and family.
Make it a book! Add your own pictures!
This is really great for memory skills, story re-tell, and sequential/temporal concepts.
These concepts are another very common goal on my caseload so get your kids practicing using language such as first, next last, before, after, etc.
1/9/2020
So it’s almost week 3 of January, and if you’re like me you’re still in denial about the “fact” that THIS is the year you’ll actually stick to your healthy eating/exercising more resolution. Then you go to the gym you just joined for $10 with three thousand other people who did the same and you become overwhelmed and annoyed. (I ate a salad today, so I’m still on track, right?)
Your resolutions are obviously yours and I hope you reach all your goals this new year! However, think about bringing your kids into the picture on this one. (Like they don’t take up enough of your time, right?) Stay with me. Make YOUR healthy habits THEIR healthy habits! In my experience kids are great accountability partners because they remember literally everything. To promote healthy and safe habits as a family, here are some activities to get your little ones thinking about and beginning healthy habits:
Colorado Springs is FULL of amazing scenery, walking trails, hiking spots, and typically gorgeous weather. Make it a daily or weekly goal to take your kids outside for a walk. If they aren’t big on the idea they can ride along in a wagon or stroller. They can scooter or bike as well! This is a good opportunity to talk about street safety and why wearing a helmet is important. Not to mention the vast opportunity for language input! Talk about the trees, the leaves, changing seasons, birds, squirrels, you name it! I know you brought your phone on this walk, so Google whatever type of butterfly that was and talk to your kid about it.
Let your child cut out (with supervision of course) or draw different healthy foods they like and glue them to a paper plate. Talk about them and the differences between healthy and unhealthy foods.
The “Ants on a Log” celery peanut butter combo never gets old! If your kiddo doesn’t like raisins, I recommend dark chocolate chips/chunks, cacao nibs, or blueberries. Ask your child to make up a story about the ants. Take it a step further if you’d like and have them draw pictures and make a book! Even if your child cannot read yet, drawing pictures and telling people about them is a giant leap into early literacy skills. You could write their story on the bottom of the pages for them and have them practice tracing letters.
Now you may be thinking this isn’t at all health related, but being safe is part of being healthy and honestly this is just something I think is important, so THERE. We all love furry friends, but not ALL of these furries are friendly. Teach your child to always ask a pet owner if they can pet their dog before touching it. This is good practice for social communication, requesting, engaging with different communication partners, as well as the obvious general safety concept. Practice at home by pretending a stuffed animal is a real dog. Give your child the chance to work and talk through the “yes” scenario and the “no" scenario. Teach your kids how to spot service dogs and WHY it's important not to touch them when they're working.
Silly Songs! I know you know this song! “I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas!” Then change the vowel sounds. Do A, E, I, O, and U to either drive yourself crazy or help develop your child’s auditory discrimination skills! Eat apples and bananas as a snack and add some peanut butter if it’s a non-preferred food.
Your local library has tons of general children’s activities (THAT ARE FREE), but they also have books about health/safety and eating well! Here are some recommended by librarians and educators:
The Things I Can Do, Jeff Mack
Clarabella’s Teeth, Ann Vrombaut
I.Q. Gets Fit, Mary Ann Frasier
How do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon? Jane Yolen
The Going to Bed Book, Sandra Boynton
My Trip to the Hospital, Mercer Mayer
Little Yoga: A toddler’s First Book of Yoga, Rebecca Whitford
I Like Berries, Do You?, Marjorie Pitzer
No Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids (and Dragons), Hean E. Pendziwol
12/18/2019
Toys like doll houses, plastic animals, and people, play kitchen, tool set, doctor’s kits, etc. are AWESOME because pretend play is IMPORTANT. Pretend play is the main way children learn at this age. They learn from the adults in their life giving them language input.
Rory’ Story Cubes and Tell Tale are good games for creative storytelling, building sentences and grammar skills, and discriminating between sensical and nonsensical things.
Craft supplies are a great tool for language development! Stickers, ink stamps, and paint dobbers are less messy than regular paint and glue activities. Often times, kids need to ask for help to get these things open and the little hand movements required to use them also help with motor control.
If your kiddo is working on oral motor awareness, these things help facilitate a more mature structure of their oral mechanism: echo-microphones, whistle, kazoos, crazy straws, straw cups, bubbles for blowing, electric toothbrush.
Straw cups are a great way to help kids learn tongue lateralization and promote increased oral motor awareness. Sippy cups that require kids to tilt their head back to get liquid out promote decreased awareness of oral motor mechanisms.
Play-Doh is always a great activity that sometimes need a little extra creativity. What manipulatives can you put in it? Maybe plastic animals, beads, etc. are good options! Talk about the things hiding inside the Play-Doh. Narrate what you’re doing. (Look! I’m going to smash/roll/poke it.)
Shape sorters are great to help solidify the concepts in and out as well as colors. These are also a good way to help with motor skills.
Motor Works Toys and Legos are great for targeting problem solving skills and building vocabulary around that process (I wonder if… Maybe this will…)
Early exposure to literacy is one of the best ways to help your child learn. Even if they like to rip books apart, keep reading! Even if you are just talking about the pictures--kids are still learning about literacy. It helps parent-child bonding, joint attention (the basis for verbal communication), letter identification, and print awareness.
Any kind of books or puzzles that have movement pieces/lift-a-flap keeps kids engaged and gives opportunities to practice using their pointer fingers.
Another inexpensive idea is to personalize a book for your child buy printing pictures of them and put them in a photo album or binder. Kids love to look at themselves doing things because by nature, kids are self-centered. Thinking of other people is a skill they will not master for a long time, so use that to your advantage! Make a book of a vacation they went on, their first year of school/their birthday, etc. and TALK about it.
If they insist on reading it over and over again that's FINE. That helps them solidify information and concepts like remembering and re-telling stories. These are awesome auditory discrimination/comprehension skills they will need for when they start school and begin reading independently.
12/11/2019
The Snowbelly Family of Chillyville Inn: This book is good for kids working on /l/. It has really fun pictures to talk about and it also has lots of rhyming words--good for auditory discrimination.
Corduroy's Christmas: It’s interactive! It has flaps for kids to lift, which is really good for kids who can’t sit still for a long time. It has lots of opportunities to work on spatial concepts and prepositions as well as holiday vocabulary kids may not get to use very often.
There was a Cold Lady who Swallowed Some Snow: This is part of a series of books, and these are fun because you can sing the children’s song that goes with it. This is a good strategy for kids who have trouble paying attention. It has lots of opportunities to work on /s/ blends. It’s a silly book which is great for kids who love absurdities, or for the kids who have a hard time understanding what's real and what's not. It’s great for yes/no questions! (Do we REALLY swallow rocks? NO!)
If You Take a Mouse to the Movies: This book has lots of Christmas vocabulary, and it’s good for working on /m/ sounds and /s/ sound at ends of the word. Work on finding the mouse on each page to help with spatial concepts!
Llamma Llamma Jingle Bells: This book is good for kids working on /l/ sounds and rhyming. This one also has Christmas vocabulary.
The Snowy Day: This is simpler story and it’s great to target /s/ blends. This book is also good for teaching pronouns because the story is about a real boy instead of an animal, which can sometimes be tricky for kids to understand.
Duck & Goose it's time for Christmas: This book is good for kids working on /k/ and /g/ in various word positions, and it’s great for teaching negatives in sentences (i.e. no, not). It’s also great to target verbs.
Red Sled: This is more of a wordless picture book. This one is good for kids to work on story telling or topic maintenance. (We’re only talking about THIS page right now). This one is also good for kids who are working on their sounds in conversation who need to just work on carry-over.
Bear Stays Up: This book is good for targeting spatial and size concepts, rhyming, /b/ sounds, and Christmas vocabulary. It is also good for introducing forest animal vocabulary since kids are more exposed to zoo and farm animals.