As a new mom, I'm starting to realize even more so than before how fun (and necessary) it is to find activities to fill a child's day. My baby is only 3.5 months old, so his wake windows are still short, and it's entertaining enough for him to just go for a Brooklyn neighborhood walk or play on his play mat. But, I still find myself looking for activities to take him to (he loves to people watch! :) ) or envisioning what I might take him to in a few months! Here are a few act

Speech & Language Milestones: 12–24 Months The period between 12 and 24 months is one of the most exciting times for communication development and knowing the toddler speech and language milestones for this age can be helpful . Toddlers move from being primarily communicators through sounds and gestures  to using words, phrases, and early sentences to share their thoughts, needs, and ideas. It’s also a time when development can look very different from child to child, and tha

Scavenger hunts are fun and they're a great way to enhance a child's speech and language skills. Whether you’re indoors on a rainy day or exploring your neighborhood, scavenger hunts naturally encourage communication, problem-solving, and social interactions . What makes Scavenger Hunts Language-Enriching 1. They are a natural, play-based way to meaningful support language development During a scavenger hunt, kids are exposed to new words, descriptive language (e.g., colors,

The speech and language skills that develop in the first year are foundational to continued development.

Each month we curate a selection of free or low cost activities in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan that are language enriching and, as speech therapists, we recommend to support development. Here are a few activities happening in November: Brooklyn Children's Book Fair; November 9th, 11 am-3:30 pm Location: Brooklyn Museum Plaza; Eastern Parkway- Prospect Heights, Brooklyn The Brooklyn Children's Book Fair is an annual event that brings together children's book authors to read a

Newborn language development and ways to support it in daily interactions.

Exploring the benefits of a collaborative environment for speech therapists and occupational therapists to support clients.

Language development for Gestalt Language Processors (GLPs) is a process that involves various stages. GLPs acquire language in chunks or "gestalts" rather than starting with single words. These gestalts are called Delayed Echolalia and may include phrases, songs, or even entire shows or books, and serve as essential building blocks for future language development. When caregivers and educators understand the importance of delayed echolalia for GLP's language development, the

At Speech Language Play NYC, we are strong advocates for movement in speech therapy sessions. Some may choose to sit at a table, but that's not our expectation for what speech therapy will look like. There are a few reasons for that:  It's developmentally expected that some children would want to be moving around Movement is necessary for some kids; it supports attention and regulation When a child is regulated and having a good time, progress in speech therapy goals will mor

Ms. Rachel is a YouTube sensation who so many families and children adore. And it makes sense! She's warm, full of energy, fun and engaging. She uses strategies and approaches that can support language development for many young children, making her a great option for families who want to put a show on for their children to watch.  What makes Ms. Rachel so engaging, from my lens as a speech therapist? She uses many intentional and supportive strategies and techniques to help

The signs your child is a gestalt language processor (GLP) go beyond using delayed echolalia . Knowing other characteristics to consider in determining if a child is a gestalt language processor will allow you to interact with them most effectively, seek speech therapy from an NLA-trained speech therapist, and help your child reach their full potential.  Let's talk about some of the signs your child may be a gestalt language processor: Use of delayed echolalia Delayed echolal

Speech therapy is helpful for late talkers who need support to develop their first words. Let's choose toys that will be the most helpful to elicit language. Note: This post is about the first-word development for Analytic Language Processors. We also talk a lot about Gestalt Language Processors on our blog and recommend reading this post for more information on GLP language development.  Kids who babble and coo and then eventually start saying their first words are called A

Let's talk about the language development of Gestalt language processors (GLPs). It's important to keep in mind that a GLP will ALWAYS be a GLP. What does this mean? GLPs are people who develop language with a top-down approach. They initially produce "chunks" of language, also referred to as gestalts or delayed echolalia, then learn to break those chunks down into flexible language that can be mixed and matched. For some gestalt language processors, they can go through this

Speech and Language Milestones: A Guide for Parents Understanding the typical speech and language milestones for your child can help you track progress and determine when it's time to seek support in the form of a speech therapist, occupational therapist, or even a physical therapist. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) provides valuable insights into these milestones, offering a guide for parents to support their child's communication development. In this

Creating a  language-rich environment for your child  can be crucial for fostering their speech and language development at home. Although hitting those speech and language milestones is a HUGE deal, there's a whole lot of groundwork to lay before that! Your child's language development depends on many factors, but the most crucial one is...their environment! Want to create a language paradise that will make your child's vocabulary bloom? Let's explore what we can do at home

A child's first words in their speech and language development are often nouns (e.g., doggie, mommy, daddy).   Nouns are tangible, we can point to them, hold them, and show them to a child who is learning their first words. But, as language develops, it's important to incorporate verbs as well. When a child has about 50 single words, they are ready to start combining the words into phrases (e.g., Daddy ball, Mommy up). This often happens between 20-24 months old. To support t

Speech therapist recommended activities in Brooklyn throughout February Storytime at Books are Magic on Smith Street Where: Carroll...

Speech therapist recommended activities in Brooklyn.

The holiday season continues! In the last blog post about the holidays, we discussed some ways that parents of a neurodivergent child can prepare themselves for interactions with family and friends.  This week, we are going to talk about how parents of a neurodivergent child can prepare them for the holidays – meeting new people, going to new places, and experiencing completely new situations. We know that every neurodivergent child is unique…it would be impossible to create