Karrie Boudreau Speech-Language Services

10/11/2025

🎃 Spooktacular Speech Goals for Halloween! 👻
Hey Families! Ready to carve out some fun speech and language practice while enjoying all the Halloween goodness? 🍬 This time of year is a treat for hitting those targets!

Here are some fun and friendly goals to focus on while you're decorating, trick-or-treating, or just enjoying the spooky season:

🗣️ Language Targets
Concepts: Focus on spatial concepts ("The ghost is on the pumpkin," "The candy is under the table") and descriptive words (e.g., "The cat is black and fuzzy," "That spider web is sticky").

Verb Variety: Use action words related to Halloween! Try: "Carve the pumpkin," "Wear a costume," "Knock on the door," "Walk fast!"

Following Directions: Practice 2-step and 3-step directions while prepping to go out: "First, put on your coat, then grab your bucket." or "Go to the hallway, find the box, and bring me the witch hat."

Story Retell: After watching a kid-friendly spooky show movie or reading a Halloween book, have your little one retell the story using the characters, setting, and main events.

💬 Articulation & Phonology Targets
Target Sounds: Sneak in words with your child's target sounds!

/s/ blends: spooky, scary, costume, broomstick, slime, stop

/r/: ready, car, treat, rat, really, scare, fear

/l/: lantern, look, listen, loud, lamp, light

Practice in Context: Every time your child asks for a piece of candy, remind them to use their clear /k/ sound! 🍫

🤝 SocialTargets
Greetings: Practice saying "Trick or Treat!" and "Thank you!" in a loud, clear voice.

Asking Questions: Encourage your child to ask neighbors or friends about their costumes ("What are you?") or decorations ("Did you make that?").

Don't forget to keep it fun! The goal is happy communication, not perfect communication. Happy practicing, Families! 🧡🖤

09/13/2025

Hey parents!

Are you ready to fall into some fun speech and language activities with your child? 🍁 As the leaves change and the air gets crisp, it's the perfect time to explore new vocabulary and practice those speech sounds!

Here are a few easy, autumn-themed ideas you can try today:

Leafy L-Words: Go on a scavenger hunt and talk about the "little," "long," or "lovely" leaves. Pick them up and say, "Look at the yellow leaf falling down!" This is a great way to work on the L sound.

Pumpkin Patch Talk: Head to a local farm or even thr grocery store and describe what you see. Use words like round, big, small, and heavy. Talk about the colors, too: red, green, and orange apples, or big orange pumpkin!

"Falling" Fun: Watch the leaves fall from the trees. Encourage your child to say "fall" or "falling" with you as they come down. You can also pretend to fall like a leaf, using playful movements and sounds!

These simple activities can make a big difference in supporting your child's speech and language skills. Enjoy the season and have fun with it!

Ready to take the next step? My fall schedule is filling up fast! If you have questions about your child's speech and language development or want to book an appointment, please reach out today.

Send a message to learn more

08/22/2025

🍂🍁 Don't let your child's progress take a fall! 🍁🍂

It's time to start thinking about speech-language sessions for the new school year. Fall schedules fill up fast, so you are encouraged to book your preferred time slots now to ensure your child gets the support they need.

Reach out today to secure your spot and set your child up for a successful year of communication!

06/21/2025

02/15/2025

"🚀 Blast Off to Speech & Language Success! 🚀

Hey amazing parents! Let's talk about the super-powered journey of improving speech and language skills! I know you're eager to see your little ones communicate with confidence, and guess what? We're going to get there! ✨

Pssst, here's the secret sauce: it's a mission that takes time, consistency, and a whole lot of FUN! 🎉 Think of it like training to be a superhero – you wouldn't expect to fly on day one, right? 🦸‍♂️

We're building communication superpowers, and here's how:
Daily Doses of Awesome: Short, playful practice sessions pack a punch! Let's turn learning into an adventure! 🗺️

Unique Superpower Unlocked: Each child has their own incredible journey. We're celebrating every giggle, every imitation, every word, every victory – big and small! 🏆

Patience is Our Power-Up: Some days will feel like you're soaring, others like you're taking a scenic route. Both are part of the adventure! 🏞️

Team Up for Triumph!: We're in this together! Let's collaborate, conquer challenges, and create communication magic! 🪄

Ready to unleash your child's communication potential? Let's make learning an exciting adventure! 🌈

Don't hesitate to reach out if you need a boost of encouragement or some super-powered strategies!

12/22/2024

Wishing you and your family a safe, festive & memorable holiday! Thank you to all my clients, family & friends for the support. See you all in 2025! 🎄

12/15/2024

Looking for ways to practice speech or language with your child this holiday season? Here are some Christmas themed ideas.

Playdough: Shape playdough into Christmas trees and decorate them with playdough ornaments. Describe the ornament when done!

Gingerbread House: As you build a gingerbread house, name the candy, and materials, talk about the colors and flavours or where you are putting items (in, on, under, over).

Christmas Craft: Make ornaments or color pictures and use felt, paper, or beads or other materials. Label and describe as you go.

Christmas Word Hunt: Hide Christmas-themed word cards around the room. Your child can search for the cards and say each word to you when they find them. (e.g. Santa, sing, sack)

Christmas Songs: Sing Christmas classics and focus on the target sound ("Santa Claus is coming to town!")

Christmas Reading: Read Christmas stories and point out words with the target sound. Ask your child to watch your mouth as you say the word.

Christmas Baking: Model words with the target sound as you bake together.

Keep speech practice fun and engaging! Contact Karrie Boudreau, Speech-Language Pathologist if you have any questions!

12/05/2024

Is your child ready to reach their full communication potential?

As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I specialize in helping children develop essential communication skills. If you have concerns about your child's speech sound production skills, receptive or expressive abilities, please don't hesitate to reach out. Early interevention is important.

Now booking appointments for the new year. Let's work together to empower your child's communication journey.

10/10/2024

Boo-tiful language learning with Halloween fun! 🎃👻

As a speech-language pathologist, I believe in the power of play. During the spooktacular season of Halloween, there are loads of opportunities for learning! Let's combine language development with some frightful fun!

Here are some boo-tiful ideas:

Costume creations: Describe your child's costume in detail. Talk about the colors, shapes, and materials. Use descriptive words to bring the costume to life.

Trick-or-treat adventures: Practice saying "trick-or-treat" and thanking the person giving the candy. Count the different types of candy you collect and describe their flavors.

Spooky storytelling: Read Halloween themed stories or listen to Halloween tales or music. Discuss the characters, plot, and emotions. Use interesting words to make the stories more engaging.

Bonus idea: Create a Halloween-themed sensory bin filled with items like fake spiders, googly eyes, and colorful feathers. Let your child explore the bin and describe the different textures and sensations.

Need more spooky fun? I can help! Let's create personalized activities that make language learning a frightfully good time.

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻



Karrie Boudreau, Speech-Language Pathologist

09/21/2024

👂 Did you know that hearing plays a vital role in speech and language development? 🗣️ When children can hear clearly, they can better understand and imitate sounds, words, and sentences. This helps them build their vocabulary, communicate effectively, and even develop their reading and writing skills. 📚 If you're concerned about your child's hearing, please contact an audiologist. Audiologists are hearing specialists who can conduct comprehensive hearing assessments to identify any potential hearing issues. Early intervention is key!

To help protect your child's hearing:

Limit exposure to loud noise: Turn down the volume on TVs, music players, and other devices.
Wear ear protection: Use earplugs or headphones with noise-canceling features when necessary.
Avoid using cotton swabs: These can push earwax further into the ear canal and cause problems.
See a doctor regularly: Regular check-ups can help identify and address any hearing concerns early on!

Send a message to learn more

07/16/2024

☀️Summer Fun for Language Support!☀️

Did you know you can make any activity a fun language learning opportunity? Here are a few easy ways to boost your little one's language skills this summer:

Read Together, Every Day! Even a quick peek at a book counts! Point to pictures, make funny voices & sounds, add gestures and ask simple questions like, "Where's the doggy?"

Talk, Talk, Talk! Narrate what you see, what you're doing, and what you're eating. Vary your voice level and tonation to make it interesting and increase engagement.

Play Outside and Explore! Name things you see (trees, birds, cars), use action words (climbing, running, digging), and describing words (big, smoothe, loud, soft) let them copy you!

Sing and Dance Together! Nursery rhymes and silly songs are super fun! Clap, stomp, and wiggle to the beat.

Pause & Give Wait Time. Allow your child to process the information they hear and see. Give them time to join in if they choose to do so.

Keep it fun, keep it simple, and watch your toddler's communication skills grow!



Do you have questions about your toddler's communication skills? Feel free to reach out! I'm now taking bookings for August and some have availability for new clients.