Strive Speech Language Therapy

16/08/2024

🐮 Animal noises 🐴

Did you know these can count as words?

Here’s 3 reasons to play with animal noises with your toddler!

🌟Animal noises like “moo”, “baa” and “neigh” are simple sound combinations, that are often easier to say than the animal’s name.

🌟They are a great start for attaching sounds to meaningful contexts, which is key for vocabulary development.

🌟Making animal noises is fun and engaging for little ones!

We love this finger puppet set from chasingwhimsiesnz! Lots of different ways to play with it, but we’ve been pulling them out one by one and doing our best animal impressions.

What are your toddler’s favourite ways to play with animal noises?

01/08/2024

What a mess! And what fun we had 🥳

Making cornflour slime really took me back to my childhood.

With this simple messy play, the options for vocabulary extension were endless. We talked about:
🌟Sequences using words like "first", "before" and "after"
🌟Measuring "double" the amount of an ingredient
🌟Adjectives like "slimy", "slippery", "gooey" and "squelchy"

I'd love to hear about the messy play your kids are enjoying at home! Comment below ⬇

31/07/2024

🎶 How much do your little ones love music and singing? 🎵

As a mum and a Speech Language Therapist, I'm constantly amazed at how motivating music can be to get kids talking!

Here's my favourite way to use songs with toddlers or preschoolers:

1️⃣ Start singing a well-known song once you have your child's attention (we love "Old McDonald" and "Tiny Tim").
2️⃣ Add actions or gestures and encourage your child to copy.
3️⃣ Pause and leave off a word at the end of a line - see if your child will use a noise, gesture, or word to keep the song going!

What are the songs that your child can't get enough of?

15/07/2024

Speech sound development can be complicated 🤔

Some children may simply be delayed in their speech sounds, requiring support as they get older.

Others may present with more significant difficulties from an earlier age. These are SOME of the early features to look out for and, as always, if you have any concerns talk to your child's teacher, GP or Plunket nurse!

13/07/2024

🌧️ Rainy (or cold 🥶) Day Fun 🌧️

Stuck inside on a rainy day? Why not dig out (or even make) some finger puppets!

Did you know that even using finger puppets with babies as young as two months can benefit their language development? 👶

You can use finger puppets to:

🌟 Retell Stories

🌟 Play Peek-a-Boo

🌟 Act Out Everyday Routines: Like getting dressed, or bath time.

🌟 Sing Songs/ or Say Rhymes

Almost anything you can think of. Older siblings love joining in on the fun too! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

09/07/2024

🌟 Did you know that action words (e.g. "run", "roll" and "ride") are key to your child's language development? 🌟

By modelling these verbs, you can help your child learn the words they need to start forming phrases and sentences. With a few verbs in their vocabulary, they can chat about what they’re doing and what’s happening around them. Early verb use can even pave the way for more advanced language skills later on! 🚴‍♂️🏃‍♀️

Here are some ideas of verbs to model in your routines:
🛁 Bath time- splash, wash, clean, scrub
🥕Dinner time- chew, bite, cut, drink, eat
🛝 Play ground- run, jump, swing, slide, push

Give it a go and see which verbs come to mind when talking to your child.

07/07/2024

Another way to have fun with letters! We made a letter fence that big brother loved building 🔨and little brother loved knocking down😨.

Simple interactions with letters in a variety of forms can help children learn about the alphabet and the connection between letters and sounds.

We always search for our own letters- "D" for Daddy 🤓, "L" for Loumi dog 🐶, etc.

How do you have fun with letters at your house?

Speech therapy services based in Paraparaumu. Private Speech Language Therapy services for Wellington, Porirua, Kapiti and Levin. Supporting children with Speech sound disorders, language delays and differences. Assessments and individual speech language therapy appointments available.

25/06/2024

Lots of parents wonder about the development of the 'r' sound.

This is one of the later developing sounds, and your child may change it to 'w' sound while they are still learning.

To help your child with this sound, see if they can 'rrrrrrrroar' like a lion, or say 'ahrrrrrrrr' like a pirate.

28/05/2024

Speech intelligibility- how much can you understand of what your child says?

These are the general guidelines based on recent research, and there is wide variation.

If you're concerned about how clear your child's speech is, talking to their kaiako can be a good place to start.

We also offer free phone consultations, so get in touch for a chat!

21/05/2024

Did you know that sensory experiences can help children more easily learn new vocabulary?

Touching, hearing, smelling or tasting an item/object can help children gain more information about a word, which supports their representation of what it means.

Try it with your child at home:
🌼 Let them touch and smell different plants in your garden
🥕 Let them be involved in food preparation, taste testing along the way
🪣 Let them feel, smell (and taste 😅) the sand in the sandpit

What kind of sensory play are your toddlers enjoying?

Speech therapy services based in Paraparaumu. Private Speech Language Therapy services for Wellington, Porirua, Kapiti and Levin. Supporting children with Speech sound disorders, language delays and differences. Assessments and individual speech language therapy appointments available.

17/05/2024

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17/05/2024

We’re all swamped with amazing toy options these days. Some of them come with hefty price tags too! 💸 But do our kids really need all the fancy bells and whistles to get the most out of play?

The answer: No way! 🚫✨

Research shows that non-electronic toys can lead to better quality interactions, especially for language development. Here’s what to look for:

1️⃣ Room for Talking: Choose toys that leave space for conversation. If your child is totally absorbed in the toy, it limits back-and-forth interactions.

2️⃣ Fun Factor: Pick toys your child loves! If they need a nudge to play, it’s not the right fit. Follow their lead and join in their fun.

3️⃣ Versatility: The best toys can be used in many ways, helping your child learn different kinds of words, like nouns (naming words) and verbs (action words).

Remember, not all toys are created equal. Sometimes you’ll want to engage in play with your child, and other times you need a toy that keeps them occupied while you cook dinner. For language development, consider the tips above.

And don’t forget to check out your local toy library for awesome, budget-friendly options! 📚🧩Kapiti Toy Library

Share your favorite language-boosting toys in the comments! 💬👇