Play With Words Speech Therapy, LLC.

04/19/2022

Come join us April 30th!! Register at the link below!

Join us on Saturday, April 30th from 4pm-7pm for our first ever Pediatric Summit at Pax Chiropractic! If you have questions about your child’s development, early interventions, holistic wellness and preventative care, this event is for you! At this summit you will have access to some of the top pediatric providers in the Bucks County area, hear mini presentations from each of our amazing providers, and get all of your questions answered!

We have Dr. Anna Bolshin from LovingTouch PT, Casey Crosby from Play With Words Speech Therapy, LLC. and Dr. Khadija Douglas from Infinite Wellness coming and presenting! Parents, teachers, other local providers are more than welcome to stay for the entire event or come and go as they please!

We will have the official schedule posted by the end of this week!

You can get your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bucks-countys-pediatric-summit-tickets-290977189607

12/03/2021

🧸 🧩🚗🐶 “What toys should I buy this year to help with speech and language?” This is a very popular questions lately and I wanted to give you guys some guidance as the holidays are quickly approaching!!

My answer:

⬆️ -All of the one listed in the picture above are the “essentials” and where I’d recommend starting if you don’t yet have them

👶🧒Look for toys that your child can manipulate (and not just press buttons)

🚂 🚘 ⚽️ Look for toys that allow you to talk about what you’re doing together and describe your play

🍩🦸‍♀️🍼Toys that encourage pretend play (ie. dress up toys, baby dolls, pretend food, play kitchen, etc)

👨‍👩‍👦 Remember YOU are the best “toy” and teacher for your little one. Building language is possible with just about any toy. However, there are definitely ones that provide more language rich opportunities than others!

❌Toys that I typically do not recommend: Flash cards, apps that claim to get your child talking quickly, and toys that are marketed as “educational” (Primary focus is on ABCS and 123’s) While these are great concepts to learn and be exposed to they are never the first or main focus in therapy. It’s far more important for your child to be able to express their wants and needs to you then label academic concepts. Unless of course letters and numbers are incredibly motivating for your child—-then in that case we can use them in different ways to help build language!

The list above is just the start of toys that I love to use! If you already have the ones listed and are looking for additional ideas please let me know. I have been providing personalized toy lists to families who have reached out for assistance! Please do not hesitate to send me a message or ask during an upcoming session for some suggestions for your child ❤️

10/31/2021

🎃Happy Halloween!🎃 We had so much fun decorating pumpkins this week in our speech sessions! Some of our children used stickers and Mr. Potato Head pieces while others let their imaginations run wild!

Some of the concepts we targeted:

👁Labeling body parts (eyes,nose,mouth)

😊Emotions (happy,sad, surprised, mad)

🎃 Describing each pumpkin (bumpy, smooth, big/little)

📍Spatial Concepts (top,bottom, middle, side, next to, behind while placing stickers in different areas)

➡️ Requesting different pieces to make the pumpkin and making choices! (More stickers, more glue/ Do you want the Eyes or nose?)

👻 Receptive Language ( following directions—put the ghost on top! Or show me the nose!)

⭐️Core Words: on/off/push/pull/help/more/all done

🔈Sounds: Practice a target sound five times and then put on a piece of the pumpkin!

🎃🎃 🎃 Hope you have so much fun trick or treating tonight!! 🎃🎃🎃

10/11/2021

🎃 📚🎃 My FAVORITE Halloween themed books that help build language skills!

🎃All of these books are REPETITIVE and FUN! The 2 key things we need to help build language. What’s your favorite book to read in October?

🎃Let me know if you need any additional book recommendations. Happy Reading!!

09/27/2021

❤️❤️❤️THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

I am so incredibly honored to have won “BEST OF BUCKS- SPEECH THERAPIST!”

I promise I do not take my commitment to you lightly. I am always thinking about each child that I work with and how we can continue to make even more progress together. I continuously strive to better myself and my skill set so that I can do just that.

I started this practice in large part because I wanted to be able to finally provide speech therapy in a way that felt authentic and incredibly impactful. I wanted to make genuine connections with each family and child that I met. I wanted to be able to spend time each week preparing and coming up with new ideas for each child. I wanted each family to feel supported both when I was with them and in-between sessions. I wanted to start a practice that at its core is incredibly different from the rest of the ones out there. Most of all- I just really wanted to help children reach their speech and language goals in a fun and fresh way. This win makes me feel like I am on the right track to achieving all of those things.

I never want this company to become just another speech therapy practice. I want it to be known as the place where your child is truly above all else cared for and valued as if they were the therapist’s own child. At Play With Words your child will never just be a 30 or 60 minute session a week—-you will be supported and thought about during off hours too!

THANK YOU all for believing in me and allowing me to do what I love every single day.

Love Always,
Casey

09/23/2021

🗝🗝🗝Repetition is the key to learning and using language!

⁉️What does this mean? Repeat yourself over and over and over again. At times you may feel like a broken record but that’s what really helps build language with our little ones!

🗣What do I repeat?
-Use the same simple words/phrases during activities you do together….. 🚪Say “Open Door” every time you open a door
🆙Say “up, up,up!” every time you walk up the steps and “down, down,down!” each time you step down! 💡Say “Light ON!” or “Light OFF!” every time you adjust the lights at home!
🎶Listen to repetitive songs together! Think Old McDonald and Wheels on the Bus!

🔁Repeating words/phrases during things you do each day will go a long way in helping to spur language development!

💥Repetition is also needed for kiddos working on their speech sounds. Focus on the sound they are working on and try to find different objects in your home that have those sounds that you can model for them daily (ex. Working on K—-exaggerate that sound every time you hand them their Cup, Coat, Cat, Candy, etc!)

🙋‍♀️ Feel free to reach out if you’re wanting to figure out other words/phrases that you can work into your daily routine!

♥️Let’s keep playing our way to better speech and language!

07/07/2021

🔗 Link to Vote: https://buckscountycouriertimes.gannettcontests.com/2021-Best-of-the-Best-Bucks-County/gallery/293955581?fbclid=IwAR0DTNxH_jRUZMQjI3TuP0iup5KUE9KOLZJiOfQ5y1kwDU-nevc40Hg7PUE

⭐️THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! ⭐️Just found out I was nominated for the Best of Bucks: Speech Therapist!! I am so beyond honored and humbled for the opportunity to help support you and your little ones. Let’s keep playing our way to better speech and language!❤️

Love Always,
Casey

06/02/2021

🧴🖐💦 Use moments already happening throughout your day to help build language skills.

Repetition is key when helping children to learn language. Help increase the number of times your child hears different words by using the same words while doing the same things each day.

While washing your hands use the same phrases each time you:

💦 Turn the water on
🧼 Sq**rt the soap
🤚 Rub your hands together
💦 Rinse your hands
💦 Turn the Water Off
🤚 Dry your hands

⬆️ See the picture above for example phrases to use!

💭 What words/phrases do you repeat a lot for your little one?

03/08/2021

Reading with your little one is a great way to develop language skills! See how to make the most of your time together ⬇️⬇️⬇️

📚 Let them choose the book! Give them a choice of 2 books and read the one they pick (either by verbally requesting, looking at or pointing to). Your child is more likely to stay and engage if it is a book they are excited to read!

👀 Sit face to face! Most of the time we read stories all snuggled up with our child's back to us. Try to sit facing your child so they can see your mouth and facial expressions while reading!

🧒 Follow Their Lead! Let your little one lead the way. You do not have to read every word on a page or even look at the pages in order. Label the pictures they point to and describe what the characters are doing instead!

🥳 Make it Fun! Be expressive, be silly and make funny noises for different animals/ characters you see. (Ex. MOOOOOOOO says the cow!) The more fun and engaging you are the more fun your little one will have!

What's your favorite book to read with your little one? Dear Zoo is a favorite of ours right now 🐫

✅DOUBLE TAP, SAVE AND SHARE to help this reach more families who may benefit.

➡️Follow for more tips to get your little one talking!

03/05/2021

A huge thank you to Lower Bucks Times for featuring Play With Words! I am so lucky to get to serve such amazing families everyday 💕

Yardley’s Casey Crosby provides individualized sessions at homes throughout the area

02/14/2021

Happy Valentine's Day! Hope your day is filled with lots of love and fun with your little ones ❤

02/07/2021

Thank you so much Macaroni Kid Lower Bucks County, PA for featuring Play With Words! We are so excited to be serving our amazing community ❤

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3733838680042270&id=542254192534084

Each week, Macaroni Kid Lower Bucks features a different "Mompreneur" -- a local mom who also runs a small business in Lower Bucks. The challenges…

02/01/2021

❄☃️❄ Build language while playing in the snow with your little one today!

🧣 Label winter clothing items as you help your little one get dressed for the snow! Give them a choice of 2 and see which one they want to put on next (Ex. Hat on, scarf on.... Hat or Mitten? Then pause to allow them time to answer by pointing, looking or verbalizing to you)

🗣 Use fun sounds while playing such as BRRRR and Weeeeee! while sledding. These sounds are often easier to say and more motivating for your child!

❄ Focus on using single words and/or short phrases to describe what your child is doing in the snow. ( Ex. PUSH, PUSH, PUSH...ROLL, ROLL, ROLL...RUN, RUN, RUN, Building snowman,etc.)

❄ Describe what the snow feels like for your child (Ex. Cold, wet, fluffy)

❄ Build a snowman! Talk through each step (Roll the ball, put on top, eyes on, nose on,etc)

☃️ Make dressing the snowman a game! Put all pieces in a bag (or his hat) and take turns pulling out the next piece! Use phrases like "my turn", "I picked eyes" etc. Encourage your little one to repeat your model!

➕ Higher Level!
Make it a guessing game! Describe each item you found for your child and see if they can guess what it is! (Ex. They help you see!, It keeps your neck warm, etc)

Most importantly-- HAVE FUN!! Children learn best during play so keep it fun and engaging!

💬 Will you be getting out in the snow today? What's your favorite snow day activity? We LOVE sledding 🛷🛷🛷

✅DOUBLE TAP, SAVE AND SHARE to help this reach more families who may benefit.

➡️Follow for more tips to get your little one talking ♡

01/21/2021

Feeling a giant sense of relief to have received the first dose. I decided to get this vaccine to help protect my family and all of the amazing children/families that I get to work with every day. Here's to hoping this is the beginning of the end to COVID 🤞

01/07/2021

🎉🎉🎉 New Year, New Venture! So excited to announce that PLAY WITH WORDS SPEECH THERAPY, LLC. is now accepting clients. We are proud to provide high quality, individualized speech therapy services in the comfort of your home! Teletherapy services are also available for those interested.

In 2021 we have some BIG plans and hope to...

⭐ Grow our Play With Words community and help as many families as possible

⭐ Provide parent trainings/seminars to teach simple strategies that will help get your little one talking

⭐ Provide Mommy/Daddy and me language enrichment classes

⭐Be a resource in the community for ANYONE searching to help their little one communicate

If you have any questions regarding speech and language do not hesitate to reach out! We are more than happy to provide a FREE no-obligation consultation to help you decide the next steps for your family.

Check us out at www.playwithwordsspeech.com!

📞 Call/ Text: 267-658-9634
📧 E-Mail: playwithwordsST@gmail.com

We cannot wait to take this speech and language journey with you! 💬

12/18/2020

10/29/2020

🦷🦷🦷 There are so many different words and language concepts you can model for your little one while brushing teeth every day. Start using the same words/ concepts every time you brush to help increase the number of times your child is exposed to them! ( Repetition is 🗝 when learning language)

Words to Emphasize:

▪️Brush

▪️Swish

▪️Water ON/OFF

▪️ Step UP

▪️Dirty/Clean

▪️Rinse

👉 Spatial Concepts- Tooth paste is ON the brush, the brush is IN the cup, put the brush UNDER the water, etc.

💥 Sing the same repetitive song each time you brush. One of my favorites is: "This is the way we brush our teeth, brush our teeth, brush our teeth. This is the way we brush our teeth so early in the morning"

🧸 Pretend to brush teeth with dolls/stuffed animals while playing! Use the same words/songs you use while brushing your child's teeth. (Remeber--- repetition is EVERYTHING)

👀Look in the MIRROR- If you brush with your child in the bathroom mirror this is a great time to practice making silly sounds/ having your child immitate you. Children LOVE mirrors--use this to your advantage. (Wave, clap, make animal noises or even model different sounds your child may be working on in speech)

💬 Does your little one enjoy brushing their teeth? We recently switched to a crocodile tooth brush and my little guy LOVES watching him "CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP" towards his teeth 🐊

✅ DOUBLE TAP, SAVE and SHARE to help this reach more families who may benefit.

➡️ Follow on INSTAGRAM for more tips to get your little one talking ❤

10/11/2020

MORE pizza, more juice, more blocks, more bubbles, more swings......have you ever thought about how many times we use the word MORE in ONE day?

▪️MORE is an important word to teach early language learners as it allows them to start taking control of their world AND can be used in various contexts! (Ex. Meals, play time, bath time, etc)

▪️MORE is also one of the first signs/baby signs I tend to use!

🗝 Repetition is key when teaching little ones---- So say this word as much as possible throughout your day!

💬 Have you tried to teach your little one the word MORE yet? What's their favorite thing to ask for more of? Tell me below ⬇️⬇️⬇️ My little guy ALWAYS asks for MORE cheese and MORE wheels on the bus 🧀🚍

🌟 DOUBLE TAP, SAVE and SHARE to help this reach more families who may benefit.🌟

➡️ Follow on INSTAGRAM for more tips to get your little one talking ❤