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Talking and Connecting on Valentine’s Day: Part Two
You didn’t think we’d only do ONE Valentine’s Day book round up, did you??
You didn’t think we’d only do ONE Valentine’s Day book round up, did you?? 🤓📚💘 It was tough enough to narrow it down to only two bog posts…
While we believe that all types of books can be beneficial at any age (see our free resources for book reading here and here), these are geared more towards toddlers and preschoolers vs the earliest readers. With that being said, if you have a little one that is not yet sitting to listen to more than 2-3 words at a time, read the pictures and don’t read the words. Follow your child’s gaze and comment on what they’re eyes are showing you they are interested in.
For next reading steps with kids, I love to use pausing for predictions and wonderings to build speech and language while connecting. Research has shown us that this type of shared reading helps kids to use more words, and the authors of the above research study theorize that adult uncertainty helps children to attach more importance to their ideas. How cool is that?!
Okay ya, it’s cool, but how do I do that?
Here are some ideas:
When reading Just One You! you can notice items that each character has and wonder and pause for your child to fill in the pause. You say “I see paper, and a green crayon, I wonder what Abby likes” or “I see a watering can and flowers, I wonder what Elmo likes”.
When reading In My Heart, you can notice colors and actions in the pictures and wonder how the character is feeling before you read the words. You say “I see a big explosion and her eyebrows are all scrunched up and her arms are crossed. I wonder how she feels”.
**Notice the wondering and that there is no direct asking “How does she feel?” or “what does he like?”. The magic and connection is in the pause, not direct asking.
Speaking of connection, we hope the above tips and thoughts serve as a guide and the biggest priority for you and your child is enjoying time together. We hope you and your little loves enjoy our list of books as much as we do. Happy reading and Happy Vday!
One Hard Thing at a Time
Stop tryin to do all the things, instead, remember: “One hard thing at a time”
Hey there, quick stop in to say…when you’re trying to decide where to start with speech and language (or pretty much anything else with a toddler), pick one hard thing at a time.
Wow, really just one? Because there are a trillion hard things that I’m sure you can think of in the next minute….ready, go. Just kidding.
Here at Nurture the Bond, we know we share a lot of ideas and strategies. And today we are here to share that it's not about implementing everything all at once.
Take a breath and choose just one thing. Yes, one thing that feels like a challenge. Work through it, embrace the mess-ups, celebrate the successes, and let it be a learning experience.
Why focus on just one hard thing at a time? Because it lets you:
Sharpen your focus on what needs your mental energy the most
Decrease overwhelm, making each step more manageable
Observe your child engaging and responding to your efforts
Trust the process. We've witnessed the transformation in thousands of families, and it's a journey filled with immense joy and rewarding change. You're not just teaching your child; you're growing together. And that, dear friends, is what makes all the difference.
And you know who to reach out to if you need a helping hand or ear to vent to (us, it’s us).
Talk soon fam!
8 books to read to your toddler this Valentine’s Day
Use these books to promote speech and language skills and build connection this Valentine’s Day
IT’S ALMOST VALENTINE’S DAY!!! (Aka Leah’s favorite holiday…and YES, it is a holiday. Leah will 100% go to bat for hearts day any day of the week).
The essence of this day is love, and we all know that world needs a little (or a lot) more love in it. We wholeheartedly believe that one way we can send out love is through the stories we tell and read to our children. Let’s let these stories of love, friendship, kindness, hugs, and hearts ripple out to our kids and others around us.
In honor of the love we have for Vday, we created a 2 part list (part 1 is today) of some Valentine’s day goodness wrapped up in a board book (because, as we all know, some of our kids love books just a liiiiitle too much for trusting that the pages will not be ripped).
Part 1 of the Vday books we love:
Here are some ways you can foster connection with your little while promoting speech skills during reading:
Read the PICTURES. Forget the words, focus on the pictures that your child is interested in and say those out loud. The storyline you’re seeking is the connection and fun you and your child have.
Find the REPETITION in the story and PAUSE during a repetitive part. For example, in I Love You Night and Day, you could PAUSE for every “love” with a big squishy hug to go with it after you or your child fills in the pause.
Use play sounds! Love is a Truck is a great place to start for practicing modeling play sounds like: “woo woo” for the truck, “vroom” for the cement mixer, or “woof” for the dog.
Be on the lookout for our part 2 of Valentine’s Day books we love, coming soon. Until then, enjoy the books, let us know how it goes, and remember to nurture the bond….speech will follow.
Our Favorite Toddler Christmas Books
Holidays can quickly bring on feelings of overwhelm, and more rush than you thought was possible. A mantra that we find helpful during this time (and just during life in general) is LESS IS MORE.
Holidays can quickly bring on feelings of overwhelm, and more rush than you thought was possible. A mantra that I find helpful during this time (and just during life in general) is LESS IS MORE.
What if you took the time you were going to spend searching for that perfect deal on that perfect toy or the time creating the picture perfect advent calendar that insta told you would take 5 minutes but is taking you 5 days and costing you your sanity, and you instead invited your little one to read with you?
Here are a few of our go to Christmas books that can help you bring on intentional connection time with your little ones this season. The most important part is the enjoyment you share together.
You don’t need to read all the words, you don’t even need to read all the pages. Take the pressure that you feel to do it perfectly and throw it out the window.
If you happen to have any of these books or pick them up at the library, amazon, a bookstore, the little free library down the street, or wherever you get books, here are a couple ideas for each book we list:
Pause for “up” in the repetitive part of the book “the bear stays UP”. Find the animal on each page and make the animal sound with the corresponding animal. What sound do badgers make? Moles? Get creative.
2. Santa Rex:
This book is a great place to start if you’re having a hard time not reading all the words in books. There are a limited number of words on each page, and simple, beautiful illustrations. Use the pictures, and the well intentioned, but clumsy, accident prone dinosaurs to use exclamatory words like: uh oh! Oh no!, ahhh!, OOoOooo!
Use the repetition and familiar tune to your advantage in this one and pause for animal sounds. If you’re really feeling festive give it your best opera voice when reading/singing. Because clearly we all have a song inside our hearts (whether or not it sounds good when we are singing it..)
Snowmen at Night is the original and is a goodie for sure. For a “spin off” (do we call books spin offs?), Snowmen at Christmas does not disappoint. The snowmen are busy doing all the things for Christmas and this is a great book for modeling verbs like “he is sledding!”, “she is eating”, “they are dancing”.
This is a two for one deal because they are both a great jumping off point for modeling exclamatory words that are fun and motivating for your construction vehicle loving toddler. See: “vvvvvvrrr!”, “thunk-crunch”, and “scrreeecchh!” as lovely examples for not your average words to model.
We hope that this post is the friendly reminder you need that the biggest gift this holiday season is quality time spent together. Let us know how it goes, fam.
In a Land of More, More, More…
With the holiday season upon us, how do we think about toys and language development? Can research help inform our purchases?
How many of us are running to Target post-bedtime or staying up late into the night on Amazon, trying to find those PERFECT presents for the little ones (and adults!) in your lives? We get it. We’re raising our hands right there with you too.
But in a land of more, more, more, we’re hoping to help decrease your stress (and susceptibility to marketing tactics!…gulp) this holiday season with some research-backed strategies to think about when toy shopping.
With the holiday season upon us, how do we think about toys and language development? Can research help inform our purchases?
The holiday season is upon us! And that means, it’s shopping season. How many of us are running to Target post-bedtime or staying up late into the night on Amazon, trying to find those PERFECT presents for the little ones (and adults!) in your lives? We get it. We’re raising our hands right there with you too.
But in a land of more more more, we’re hoping to help decrease your stress (and susceptibility to marketing tactics!…gulp) this holiday season with some research-backed strategies to think about when toy shopping.
The amazing folks at The Informed SLP took the time to look into this topic and we want to share it with you! I wonder how much of it will surprise you?
Well, what does the research say?
Having fewer toys available at a time is associated with more joint engagement between the parent and child. Rather than buying more and more toys, consider rotating toys and having fewer out at once.
Toys that are less visually “busy” seem to encourage parents to use more specific vocabulary (such as object names instead of general words like “this, that”)
Traditional toys facilitate better quantity and quality of language input compared to electronic toys.
Electronic toys were associated with decreases in conversational turns, adult responsivity, and content-specific words during play sessions with typically developing children. Children also vocalized less during play with electronic toys.
Parents of autistic children talked less and had less lexical diversity with electronic toys versus traditional toys.
Both autistic and non-autistic children talked significantly less and used fewer different words when playing with electronic toys compared to traditional toys.
Wait, you’re speech-language pathologists. Don’t you love toys?!
Yes! We sure do! BUT, we want to remind you that they are USEFUL TOOLS for creating connection, engagement, and language modeling. They’re a helpful piece to the puzzle, not the whole party.
As The Informed SLP says, “the best toy is one that gives you lots to do and talk about, but doesn’t steal the spotlight.”
Now, how do we take this research-backed knowledge with us to Target or Amazon (or hopefully your local bookshops and toystores!)
Here are some questions to ask yourselves while shopping:
Do I need a toy? There are many other activities besides toy play that are great for language development! Consider how gross motor activities, daily routines, books, and outings (zoo, library, etc.) offer excellent opportunities for supporting language.
Outings and experiences can also make great gifts in lieu of toys!
What’s already around the house that could be used as a toy? Many household objects can serve as excellent toys if you get creative (e.g. salad spinners, cardboard boxes, sock puppets, pots and pans).
What purpose are you hoping for this toy to fulfill? Is it to keep your child occupied while you make dinner? Is it to encourage problem-solving skills? Is it to support language development? Toys can serve different, valid purposes, and that will affect what you’re looking for.
What types of things can you say and do while playing with this toy? All toys are not created equal in this regard. Take a moment to consider what you could name and what actions you could do with the toy. The more vocabulary and sentences you can model with the toy, the better it is for language, broadly. Consider these examples:
Fidget spinner toy (few labels, few actions)
Animal puzzle (many labels, just a few actions)
Farm set (many labels, many actions)
Will this be fun for my child at their current developmental level? That farm set may be amazing for modeling lots of language, but if the child is mainly engaged in cause and effect or combination play, it may be a non-starter. That being said, there often may be ways to play with toys at a variety of different play levels with some creativity.
Will it steal the show? The most important ingredient for language learning is an attuned communication partner who is modeling and expanding on the child’s communication. Make sure that whatever toy you use, the interaction between you and your child is center stage. And the best hack of all? Just don’t put in the batteries!
And if you love these ideas, but fall prey to glorious marketing strategies, take this amazing infographic that The Informed SLP made shopping with you so you don’t forget :)
If you go through this list and still want to buy something for those little loves in your life, GREAT! We have just the list(s) for you:
Not only does each item on this list check all of the Informed SLP’s boxes, they can all be played with in a variety of ways, for a variety of developmental levels, are non-electronic, and include fine- and gross-motor play.
AND: each toy on our Gift Guide and each book on our Book Gift Guide comes with a little manual for how to play with it, what language strategies to use, and what words to model.
We’re wishing you a meaningful holiday season! Full of connection, communication, and love.
Our Favorite Hanukkah Books
Hanukkah is a little over a week away! Let’s get ready to add a little more light into the world , with the addition of these books.
Do you know the best (or at least our favorite) way to prepare for a holiday? No, it’s not decorations or buying all the things at Target (even though my husband would QUICKLY disagree). It’s reading!
So cuddle up and plan to spend some intentional time reading together with your littles to get ready for the upcoming holiday.
Apparently we’re just glossing over Thanksgiving already since the days keep rolling and we’re almost in DECEMBER.
Hanukkah is a little over a week away! Let’s get ready to add a little more light into the world , with the addition of these books.
Do you know the best (or at least our favorite) way to prepare for a holiday? No, it’s not decorations or buying all the things at Target (even though my husband would QUICKLY disagree). It’s reading!
So cuddle up and plan to spend some intentional time reading together with your littles to get ready for the upcoming holiday.
EIGHT NIGHTS OF HANUKKAH:
What’s your favorite addition to add for the eighth night?!
What to do with Toddler Talk: A Guide
Who doesn’t love a toddlerism. “Aminal” always brings a smile to my face or the newest “Fippy!” for “Blippi” whenever the TV gets turned on.
These instances when you want to whip out the baby book to never forget how cute your favorite smallest human talks, are also times that you can be building their speech and language skills.
Who doesn’t love a toddlerism. “Aminal” always brings a smile to my face or the newest “Fippy!” for “Blippi” whenever the TV gets turned on.
These instances when you want to whip out the baby book to never forget how cute your favorite smallest human talks, are also times that you can be building their speech and language skills.
Well, how bout that. It’s a two-fer.
While your kids are learning new words and oh so cutely saying them incorrectly, please take a moment to revel in the joy your sweet babe brings you AND recast the word back.
There are multiple ways to use recasting to support your child’s speech and language development. In this instance we are recommending you use recasting to repeat the word back to your child in the correct form, pronunciation wise. They say “aminal”, you say “yes, animal!”. They say “fippy”, you say (slightly begrudgingly, because you’ve watched hundreds of episodes) “Blippi!”.
Recasting is effective because it:
Prioritizes the content of your child’s message. First and foremost you want your child to know that you hear what they are saying and it is important to you. By taking the time to say the word back to them, you are implying to your child “I value what you say”.
Provides a clear model in the perfect moment. Providing models to your little one is always a great thing, but sometimes when you model, does it ever feel like your child is not tuned in? They aren’t really hearing you? When you recast the word they just said, you are stepping into the moment ripe for a shared connection and ** focused model** of how to say that word
There is no pressure. When you recast a word back to your little, you are giving them the opportunity to hear it in the correct form, and then waiting to give them the opportunity to try it themselves if they want. What we aren’t doing is telling them to try it again the “right way” or saying “say it this way”. We are repeating it back to them and leaving it at that. The no pressure part really does wonders, and gives space for your child to have the confidence to try something that may be hard for them.
Continue letting your little one’s mispronunciations bring you smiles and joy, and we hope this post gives you the know-how of how to use them to help support your child’s speech sound development. By recasting, you’re not just correcting; you’re nurturing your child’s growth with love and understanding.
Talk soon, fam.
Gift Guide Part DEUX: All The Books
Gift Guide Part DEUX: All The Books
WOULD WE EVEN BE SLP’S IF WE DIDN’T MAKE A GIFT GUIDE OF OUR FAVORITE BOOKS?! WE DIDN’T THINK SO EITHER.
Would we even be SLP’s if we didn’t make a gift guide of our favorite books?! We didn’t think so either.
Would we even be speech therapists (SLP’s for those in the know) if we didn’t put out a Gift Guide: Part DEUX, that’s ALLLLLL about our favorite books? Nope. We didn’t think so either. And shhh…we might have one more coming…
So here it is- Our Favorite Book Recommendations. Broken up by category so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. Quickly and easily. Just what we busy parents (and grandparents!) like. Aside from being speech-language pathologist approved, Natalie dreams of living in a library and Leah of owning a children’s bookstore, so you know our recs are legit :)
In case you have all of those already, check out our Repetitive Book List for Early Language Learning. These are great for all kids, but especially those that could benefit from a little extra repetition to get talking.
If we could review and give language strategies for each and every one of these books, we would. But we’d be up way into the night working on it, and you’d get bored and stop reading part-way through, so we’ll spare you. Instead, we’ll give you TEN of our favorites. Win win for everyone.
1: Goodnight Gorilla
One of the reasons we love this book is that there are a total of TEN words to actually read.
Sometimes as adults we need to SAY LESS.
Try using only play sounds when reading it (e.g. “ahhh”- pretend to yawn, “shh” -pretend to sneak, and “oh!” -pretend to surprise)
We love the repetition in this book! It’s perfect for adding in that MAGIC PAUSE.
After a couple pages, read “hooray for…” and PAUSE. Count to ten in your head. We know it’s slowwww. Any response is a great place to start! Finish the phrase for them and keep reading.
3: Dear Zoo
This is one of our faves to practice the art of “Hanging on a second”. Here are four hot tips on what and how to target:
Model “open” sign (hands together and pull apart) on each page. Hand over flap and gently block until attempt is made. Any sound, gesture, or engagement attempt counts. Honor it and turn the page.
Model animal sounds on each page. Label the animal and make the sound. Not sure what sound a camel makes? Me neither! Pause for an attempt. Honor any attempt and turn the page.
Model “back” on each page. Model it the first few pages, “so I sent it……”, then add our MAGIC PAUSE and hang on a second! Any attempt counts- honor it and turn the page.
Put it all together! Model “open”, animal sounds, and “back” on each page. Add that MAGIC PAUSE after each one, and watch the magic unfold.
4: From Head to Toe
Get those bodies moving!
Have your little imitate the motor movements on each page in the book (“I am a penguin and I turn my head”). Then practice saying, “I can do it!” while raising your hand.
5: Silly Sally
Your kids will LOVE learning the word “UPSIDE DOWN” in this book!
Silly Sally meets a different animal on each page and they do a different action each time (“On the way she met a pig, a silly pig, they danced a jig”). It’s a great book to add in verbs to your little one’s vocabulary (research shows that late-talking toddlers use dramatically fewer verbs— an average of about 3 compared with almost 46 for typically-developing toddlers)
A fan favorite over here!
Not only is it awesome for the vehicle-loving friends (truck, car, jeep, van, bus, etc. all come by to offer their help), but it’s GREAT for early counting!
This book is such a beautiful reminder that sometimes the best thing we can do is simply listen. We don’t need to solve our children’s problems or tell them how to feel. We can sit next to them and be present, just like we’re reminding ourselves to do.
The power of active listening, pausing, and just BEING with our children will create deeper connections and trust, the foundations of language. Let's embrace the art of being present and cherishing these moments together.
8: Bark Park
Best book for all those puppy-lovers out there!
Here’s another one to practice the art of “Hanging on a second”. After a couple pages, your kiddos will be barking to the beat.
Just like Goodnight Gorilla, this book is perfect for SAYING LESS, even in books that have more words. We don’t always need to read every word.
In Good Dog, Carl, we love to describe the pictures using short sentences (e.g. “going down the laundry shoot. hi puppy! up up up the stairs”), and really model “baby” and “puppy”.
10: Goodnight Moon
And what book list would be complete without this incredible classic. We love everything about this book- from the illustrations, to the solidarity for parents doing bedtime.
Have you ever noticed the clock in the book? Bedtime for bunny takes an hour and ten minutes! Feels right, yeah?
We love practicing “night-night” in this book, and “hush” for the quiet old lady.
What other books would you want to learn some new strategies for? Don’t forget to grab the whole list!!
Happy reading!
Nurture the Bond’s Gift Guide
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST APPROVED
[…AND NOT ON EVERYONE ELSE’S LIST]
These gifts are speech-language pathologist approved, encourage language development, and connection with your littles. Read on for the best ways to encourage words and language development with them in only 5 minutes of playing or less. These strategies are quick, effective, and easy to implement. Because who has time to dedicate their whole day to playing with their kids, we’ve got stuff to do, people!
Speech-language pathologist approved
[…and not on everyone else’s list]
Happy November, friends! With the clocks changing this weekend, we’re also changing our brains over from Halloween to the holidays. And while yes, it seems like everyone and their Grandma puts together these AMAZING gift guides these days (more to come on that soon, we promise), we have a few favorites that we wanted to contribute.
These gifts are speech-language pathologist approved, encourage language development, and connection with your littles. Read on for the best ways to encourage words and language development with them in only 5 minutes of playing or less. These strategies are quick, effective, and easy to implement. Because who has time to dedicate their whole day to playing with their kids, we’ve got stuff to do, people!
Animals and Barn (see description for more options)
Personalized Books (see description for more options)
1: FLOWER GARDEN
This toy is a favorite for all ages and stages. The best part is that your language can grow with it. Our favorite first words to use with it are: up, on top, in, tall, whoa, crash.
With toys with a lot of pieces, sometimes we like to keep “control” of the pieces (aka have the bag of all the pieces in our lap and resist the urge to dump them all out). This makes it easy to offer choices. Pull two out of the bag and offer them to your kiddo:
“Do you want stem or flower?” | “Big or little?” | “one flower or two flowers?”
Sure, we sometimes ask colors too, but remember there are SO many other words we can model for our kids besides colors! And remember that once you offer, any attempt is a great one. Maybe it’s a point, maybe a “deh” for stem…repeat back whichever one they’re reaching for as if they said it clearly, “stem!” and move on.
Alternately, let your kiddos dump them ALL out and build it together. Just model the words of flowers that you pick, without any expectation for them to imitate you. “Oooh, big flower, on! Stem in. On top.”
You’ll be shocked at how taking the pressure off will actually INCREASE their desire to try!
2: LEARNING BARN TOYS
Aren’t these the cutest little friends? There are so many ways to play with these little guys. Yes, we can model colors and numbers…BUT we prefer a wider variety of words and pretend play schemes with it. Our favorite first words to use with it are: night-night, wake up, go in, close, open, hi, bye.
As every speech pathologist (or SLP for you all in the know) will tell you, our absolute favorite thing to do with little items that have a lid is to knock on them. Here’s the routine, it goes a little something like this:
“Knock knock….open”, “Hi puppy”, “woof woof”. Yawwwwn, “where does puppy want to go night-night?” “Put in…top on”, “Night-night puppy”
Rinse and repeat. Five minutes or less of intentional play time.
We love this for adding verbs in to little one’s vocabulary (research shows that late-talking toddlers use dramatically fewer verbs— an average of about 3 compared with almost 46 for typically-developing toddlers)
3: CAR RAMP
There are so many fancy variations of car ramps out there, ones with all the bells and whistles. But this one is our fav. Simple and fun. Our favorite first words to use with it are (you guessed it!): ready, set, go, down, on top, more, weeee.
4: BILIBO SEAT
It’s a turtle shell, it’s a seat, it’s a diaper, it’s a helmet, it’s a…..BILIBO seat! Have you seen these before?! SLP’s and OT’s everywhere are raising their hands, but this is something that you don’t see in every household. But HOLY MOLY is it fun. It’s an awesome toy for those kiddos in our lives that are seeking a little extra sensory input. Our favorite first words to use with it are: spin, stop, whoa, row row.
We love pairing toys that move with songs. It’s the perfect way to add in that MAGIC PAUSE for your kiddos to fill-in-the-blank. A fan favorite is “Row, row, row your boat”, pausing for “boat” and “dream”. Or if you’re our kids, you love the dinosaur addition to it.
“Row, row, row your boat gently to the shore, if you see a dinosaur don’t forget to…ROAR”.
What are your favorite verses to add in?
5: CARRY AROUND ANIMAL TOWN
How cute is this?! Adorable jungle animals, amazing pretend play schemes, different familiar park equipment (slide, swing, seesaw). And the best part? It closes up and is portable (I hear a little “ahhh” with the clouds parting on this one). Our favorite first words to use with it are: my turn, on top, go, wee, splash.
6: CUSTOMIZABLE FAMILY BOOK
THIS. This is hands down my favorite gift to make. I’ve made one for both of my kiddos when they turned one. Because do you know what littles like? Looking at pictures of themselves and their family!
Yes, it takes a little bit of work, but Pinhole Press makes the process so easy. (And nope, we’re not getting paid to say this. We just ADORE this company). Add in your baby, mama, dada, siblings, pets, grandparents, aunts, cousins. Bonus points if it’s pictures of your kiddo WITH their family member.
BEST PRESENT EVER.
But! We wouldn’t be SLP’s if we didn’t mention, this book is not meant to drill your kiddos on names. Try to take down the, “who’s this?” like three notches. Read the book and model the names. You can say “hi” to them or add in your magic pause.
A classic. Once again, there are so many variations of barns and animals. So many bells and whistles. This is our favorite barn. It has stalls for the animals, opens up for different rooms, and has a big barn door to knock on. What else could you need? Oh, a wider variety of animals to go with it!
Our favorite first words to use with it are: animal names and sounds, eat, “num num”, knock-knock, go in, open, night-night, barn.
And HOW CUTE is this travel barn? It’s a portable wooden barn that folds up, includes animals and a tractor, and is only 8 inches! Adding to cart now…
8: SHAPE SORTER
There are shape sorters out there, and then there’s this one. Cute animal faces, only three slots, and it makes the FUNNIEST SOUND. Kids can’t get over the sound it makes. It’s perfect for capturing attention and wanting to do over and over.
Remember, keep doing it as long as your kid is interested.
Our favorite first words to use with it are: in, down, haha, silly, uh-oh, stuck, help, wiggle, push.
With this one, we love to pretend that we can’t get the shape in the shape sorter. Nothing like a grown-up having a tricky time to get kids engaged! “Uh, stuck” “Help!” “Wiggle wiggle, in” “Push!”. Your kiddo will be enthralled.
9: PERSONALIZED BOOKS
I See Me has a huge variety of personalized books. It could not be simpler to pick a theme, add your kiddo’s name, and even a picture, and VIOLA! A book to be cherished.
Our favorites are the farm book with a picture of your kiddo in it (because again, what kid doesn’t like looking at pictures of themselves?), and the truck book for our truck-loving friends.
You can help them learn the sign of “my” by tapping on their chest every time you say their name.
What a great way to practice recognizing and saying their name!
10: SPORTSTASTIC ACTIVITY CENTER
Ahhh, last but not least. Our absolute favorite gift to get kids moving, entertain them on rainy days (hello, we live in the Pacific Northwest!), and add language to those movements. Our favorite first words to use with it are: ready, set, go, wee, down, on top, big step, up up up, boom, swoosh.
Research shows that incorporating motor movements is a great way to get kiddos talking, so get your kiddos moving, and narrate their actions with this awesome toys.
Now check on those holiday gifts off your to-do list!
Happy playing, NTB Fam!
The Best Halloween Books to Get your Kids Talking
Check out a few of our favorite Halloween books that are at a just-right level for your littles. And keep scrolling for how to work on increasing your child’s language with each of these books.
(and a step-by-step how-to guide for each book)
Does anyone else feel like October is just flying right by? I haven’t gotten a chance to catch my breath and wrap my head around the fact that Halloween is almost here!
Before it’s too late (but is it ever really too late? Our kiddos love reading Halloween-themed books all year round), check out a few of our favorite Halloween books that are at a just-right level for your littles. And keep scrolling for how to work on increasing your child’s language with each of these books.
Book 1: Five Little Pumpkins
This book is perfectly set up to give your little one an opportunity to imitate gestures and words. When reading this with your child, remember to ADD IN GESTURES. For gestures, we’re looking for any body movement that represents what the words convey.
GESTURES ARE KEY
We are going for any imitation attempt with this book. If your little one copies your gesture, great. They pair the movements with a verbal attempt, awesome. And if they imitated the words, but not the gestures, that’s amazing too.
Expect that the response will be different after every page. Because, well…kids are unpredictable little humans. We’re not going for an adult version of “perfection” here, just increasing the amount of connection time.
Book 2: Spooky Wheels on the Bus
Nothing like a spooky take on a favorite song to get in the Halloween spirit. Use this book to:
Fill in your pause while singing
imitate actions (points for creativity!)
Model counting the creatures on each page
BONUS POINTS: Pair this book with our favorite Halloween squishies to work on matching
Match the squishies to each page saying, “Where’s the _____ squishy?”.
Add your magic pause and see if your toddler will find the squishy that matches with the page.
Then, let them hold and play with the squishy while you keep reading.
Taking the pressure off talking/imitating increases willingness to attempt! It’s a little counterintuitive, isn’t it?
Sing the song and add actions to each page. Move your hands like wipers while saying, “creak creak creak”, or come up with your best witches move.
No need to ask your child to repeat it, just model!
Count the items on each page saying, “There’s ONE bus” while tapping it.
Add your Magic Pause while you model counting, and see if your Little wants to help you tap the pictures while counting, or try to count themselves. Remember, any attempt is a great one. So if your kid stalls out when counting like mine does, “one, two, three, three, ten”, just continue to model.
Remember to Pause, Watch, and Wait. And enjoy the magic of this spooky season and connecting with your little one.
Book 3: Goodnight Goon
This is a great spooky season take on the classic Goodnight Moon. The predictive nature of rhyming books can be a great way to help your little one talk. Use this book to help your kiddo fill in your pause. If your child is having difficulty filling in your pauses, give a clue with a gesture. It may be the clue they need to try a word, or they may copy your gesture as their form of expression.
Copying gestures is a foundational skill for saying those words too!
“And there were three little mummies rubbing their tummies”.
You: start the phrase, PAUSE, WATCH, WAIT before you say, “tummies”.
If your child doesn’t fill in the blank after you’ve done your pause, watch, and wait, try giving them a hint: tap your tummy to give a clue.
Book 4. Little Blue Truck’s Halloween
You will hear a lot of speech-language pathologists say, “Don’t say say”. It’s one of our go-to strategies when working with little ones on developing language. It’s an easy-to-remember, catchy way to tell you NOT to do something, but also, we hear you asking, “What DO I DO?!?”
Here are a couple of ideas:
Focus on the lift the flap portion of the book. Instead of saying, “say duck” or peppering your child with questions, “what is that? What’s that animal?”, use the words on the inside flap as your guide.
Instead of “say duck”, try “it’s a duck!” or “quack says the ____” (pause).
Look at your child in a way that shows you are waiting for them to fill in your pause. We call this an “expectant pause”. You might even audibly inhale during your pause.
If your child doesn’t fill in your pause? Totally fine. You model filling in that expectant pause. “Oink says the ____” (Pause…audibly inhale), your child doesn’t fill in your pause so you say: “Piggy!” and move onto the next page.
If your child doesn’t say the word you’re pausing for: Don’t sweat it! You model the word you’re waiting for. Not saying, “say” is all about modeling and pausing.
What are your favorite Halloween books?
Happy reading, fam!
Hang on a Second: 3 Steps to Get Your Toddler Talking With Wind Up Toys
It can feel overwhelming to know where to start when helping your little one to talk. One of our favorite toys to offer when helping a child understand the power of gestures, words, and sign language are wind up toys.
It can feel overwhelming to know where to start when helping your little one to talk. One of our favorite toys to offer when helping a child understand the power of gestures, words, and sign language are wind up toys.
Read on to learn how you can use these tiny toys to help your child to communicate.
Use The Magic of Waiting
First show your child how great the wind up toy is. Wind it up and let it go, and enjoy the fun together.
Then send in the “Magic Pause”.
What we mean by that is…look at your child as if to say “ball (or wind up toy) is in your court”. Smile at them, with big, wide eyes, maybe put your hand out, and also WAIT.
The magic of waiting is that you are showing your child it is their turn! They get to be in control of what happens next. We suggest actually counting silently in your head to 5, maybe even 10 seconds. It’s a long time, but so worth it.
You are waiting for your child to fill in your pause with words like “go” or “help” or “more”. Immediately after you hear your child attempt* a word, you let the wind up toy do it’s thing.
**A word on word attempts. If your child says “ma” for “more” or “pep” for “help” that definitely counts as the word. It takes hundreds, if not thousands of motor movement attempts before accurately saying a word when you are a toddler. Now is not the time to expect perfect speech.
2. Model, Model, Model
Sometimes, children might not yet have the words or be using the words that you are waiting for. In these instances, your role becomes even more important. If your little one doesn't spontaneously say the magic words, it's your opportunity to model the word you are waiting for. Say the word they're thinking, whether it's “more”, "go" or "help," and then send the wind-up toy on its way.
3. Use Gestures
Language development isn't just about verbal communication. You can take this moment to introduce signs like “more”, "go" or "help." Sign language is a fantastic way to bridge the communication gap, allowing your child to express themselves if they aren’t using verbal language yet. Not only does sign language enhance language development, it helps children learn the power of words.
As you engage in this playful and interactive process with wind-up toys, you're not just providing entertainment; you're supporting your child's language development in a fun and engaging way. It's a beautiful example of how everyday moments can be transformed into meaningful learning experiences.
That’s it for now, until next time fam!
5 Ways to Nurture the Bond and Get Your Kid Talking
We’ve created a simple, go-to way to keep that connection at the forefront of your mind while you also help your little one to talk! Drum roll please…..
Hey There,
We are so grateful to have you on this journey with us. And as we embark, we think there is no better way to start than to tell you what to do to grow the unique connection you have with your child while also getting them to talk! We have worked with hundreds, if not thousands of families over the years, and have come to realize that communication milestones are not what’s most important, it’s the way that families get to share time, love, experiences, and connections with each other.
We’ve created a simple, go-to way to keep that connection at the forefront of your mind while you also help your little one to talk! Drum roll please…..
The 5 ways to nurture the bond and get your child talking
Get face to face - getting face to face is the first step in building connection with your child. It allows kids to be on the same level as their grown up allowing them to feel and be seen, heard, and know that they matter.
Be a detective - wait, watch and listen to what your child is doing, saying, and reacting to. One of the biggest reasons a child is going to imitate you and start talking is because you have been curious and figured out exactly what they are thinking and/or trying to communicate to you.
Join their world - Our kid’s worlds can be so incredible and rich with imagination and at the same time leaving our grown up brains going “huh, you wanna do what??” Do your best to leave the need to try and play in the “right” way and look at playing and routines through the eyes of your child. When we do this, our kids are much more likely to be engaged and motivated to try new words, and communicate with us.
Hang on just a second! - This one is tricky but makes a world of difference. Our little ones came into this world not too long ago and their brains are on overdrive taking it all in. When we give them time by saying less, and getting comfortable with silence, we are giving them an opportunity to take a turn to give their input.
Check yourself - You are your most valuable resource. You are the one reading this blog, and you will be the one trying out these strategies with your little love day in and day out. This is why it’s imperative you give yourself grace, moments to breathe, and the freedom to not get it right sometimes. Before implementing any of these strategies, try to check in on yourself to notice where you are at and ask yourself if you are able to give yourself what you need in that moment. Maybe it’s a breath, maybe it’s a second in the bathroom to yourself, maybe it’s a larger shift in the way you’re doing life. Either way, we can’t stress enough the importance of checking on YOU.
There ya go! Start with these 5 guiding principles to connect with your little ones and watch speech and language develop. We can’t wait to hear about all the amazing growth and connections that you find for you and your child.