Launching HABA’s new Terra Kids Catamaran

Posted on May 16, 2012 by sherry

One of the joys of having a toy award is knowing that I am helping kids by helping their parents and educators select great products to build language. But, I must add that I just love to find new great toys, and watch how kids react to them. Seeing new products introduced at the  International Toy Fair in New York City in February, I requested samples of many products to review for the PAL Award. Each day is a new adventure as boxes arrive with products to test and see if they really do spark language and creative play.

One such package arrived from HABA with their new Terra Kids Catamaran kit to assemble 50 pieces of pre-cut balsa wood into a seaworthy boat, propelled only by rubber bands and a paddle wheel. After my husband spent a few hours gluing it together we gathered a gang in the neighborhood to launch our catamaran in the pond. Kids helped us wind up the paddle, check the tether so we could pull our boat back in after its ride, and send it off into the water. With a quiet ripple behind it, the boat took off, as if on Mark Twain’s river. Our kid helpers were spellbound and started to offer variations to each new launch–let’s add an acorn man,  see if it can hold a big stick,  give Polly Pocket a ride, or travel all the way across the pond. This make and play model clearly sparked their imagination and sense of exploration as they sought to play with it in new ways. One little guy said under his breath, ” I need one of these!”

Ages 8 and up

Here is my full review: Click here

 

 

 

Posted in 10 and up, 8 years and up, Elementary School Age, Language, Strategies to Encourange Language Development, Toys | Leave a comment

Kid’s Progress in Speech Therapy

Posted on May 10, 2012 by sherry

4 year -old drawings of self-playonwords.comMy private practice is 9 years old and lately I am hearing from some former parents who are asking for a tune-up in therapy for their kids. Yesterday I did a preschool observation of a little 4 1/2 year-old boy who I had worked with when he was 2 to get the language going. He was so grown up, playing with friends on the floor creating a machine out of magnetic tubes to suck up the jar of available bugs! I got another call today from a mom of a 7 year-old girl who needs to clear up her /r/ sound. I had worked on articulation with her when she was 4 and dismissed her as age-appropriate.

It’s fun to hear how these families are doing, some have added younger siblings, moved or started new schools. In any case, the kids are growing up and it’s fun to see them! Sometimes as therapists, we are so close to what we are doing and our desire to move a child forward in his goals that we miss all the progress. I was reminded of this growth when talking to my son today about his teacher conferences regarding his boys in preschool. He was enjoying the progression of self-portraits that his son had produced from basically a circle to a very happy one-legged boy! Is there anything better than a child’s drawing of himself? I need to keep my eyes open to the precious advancements each kid takes in my care.

Posted in Birth-3 year-olds, Preschool, Speech and Language Delay, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

More Preschool Speech Therapy Ideas

Posted on May 9, 2012 by sherry

Play-Doh speech therapy activitiesThis week, I blogged in response to a question I got from a fellow SLP asking for ideas to keep preschoolers engaged in a speech and language lesson. As I was working with a 2 1/2 year-old today, I was reminded that sometimes the child just drives the session!

I was playing with a little boy who loves Play-Doh so much that I could just keep varying how I use it for the whole lesson. Well, today he asked for the “shatata” (spatula) and the “K-K” (cookie form). We started to make our Play-Doh cookies and brought out our pretend oven. My little friend started to say, “thip” (flip) and stuck his spatula under the cookie and flipped it in the air! He laughed and laughed. That activity took up the rest of the session as I modeled 2-word phrases for him to repeat describing where the cookie sailed off to–”in jar, on table, under table, on phone, go down, get cookie, more flip” etc. Luckily Mom had left the kitchen to care for her other child because we were flipping everywhere.

It just goes to show you that anything can turn into a language learning activity.

Posted in Language, play, Preschool, Speech and Language Delay, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

Speech Therapy Ideas for Preschoolers

Posted on May 7, 2012 by sherry

lego cupcakesOne of the joys of having a blog is that I hear from people literally all around the world. Some are parents seeking advice for their children who have speech and language delays, some are students in grad school asking my opinion on a app they are developing or a grant they want to pursue, and some are fellow SLP’s who have great suggestions, questions or just need a little encouragement. I got the following note that falls in the last category. I asked the sender if I could excerpt her note and include it on my blog in hopes that it would help others who might have the same questions.

 ”Hi Sherry.  My name is__and I am an SLP.  I came across your blog a few weeks ago and have enjoyed following it very much. I just started working again in the schools, part time, after taking 10 years off having my own 3 children.  The needs and direction of services seem to have changed so much since then!  I am enjoying myself and the kids tremendously, but still feel trepidation as I enter the preschool classroom!!!!  I have five 3-4 years olds I’m providing services for, 3 of which are on the spectrum, and 2 others with rec/exp delays.  I go in for an hour at a time, and work with 2 kids at a time, 20 min each in a small corner of the room.  To be honest, I am beside myself with coming up with things to do and bring!!  I have one boy who is really difficult to engage, protests and yells “no” to everything in front of him basically.  Other than “no” he has very limited spontaneous language, but when engaged will imitate up to 3 words.  The others are pretty compliant. I guess I’m just wondering if you have suggestions for engaging 2-3 kids at a time with various levels of engagement and communication skills.  Are there toys, games, activities, etc that you have found to be successful, a bag of tricks perhaps?!   I havent worked much at all with this age group and population.”

Dear SLP Colleague,

I can relate since my first job as a speech pathologist was with preschool kids and I went full-circle to again end up with that age in an early learning center in our town before I started my private practice. I actually had to serve five 3 year-olds at time for up to 1 1/2 hours per session. Basically you need lots of activities to change things up to keep them engaged. On my website, I have listed my PAL Award winners which you can sort by year and age for toys, books and games to encourage language. Here are some of my favorites that I fill my therapy bag with:

  • Play-Doh–an essential. You can keep kids interested by having a set of cookie cutters (there are great tubs by theme available such as Play-Doh Picnic Bucket), add a roller and put them in a closed container so kids have to ask for them to get one. Even opening the Play-Doh lid requires “help me” or “I do” or “open” to get a response by you. The Play-Doh EZ 2 Do Zoo is like a Mr. Potato Head with animal pieces that you stick into a ball of Play-doh. Kids love this!
  • Duplo, Lego sets that again involve you holding on to the box of pieces as they request one, either a bear, water, fish, man or car in the Zoo Set or try the farm and supermarket themes. Kids love these because they are familiar vocabulary and they can add-on and build a little bridge, pond or step for their figures. Here is my blog about best Duplo lego sets for building language.
  • Fisher Price Little People sets are great for generating language and conversations, working on pretend play as you model talking with one of the figures and kids respond. Boys really like the cars and trucks, gas station and car wash. Camping, motorhome and eating themes are popular too.
  • I often read short books, modeling 1-3 word phrases and pausing for the kids to repeat, and then do an activity related to the story whether it is a song, or simple craft. If we make something, then they can take it home and it becomes an opportunity to share with the parents what they did, bridging the language lesson to home. Help kids to see the joy of reading a book early. I even get my kids to repeat with me, “We LOVE books!” (especially if they are a little resistant, it seems to get them fired up.)
  • Play food and a kitchen are always popular with the kids and a great way to build language. You don’t need a huge kitchen. Step2 makes a Sizzlin’ Shapes Kitchen table top version for portability and HaPe has several smaller sets of wooden food to throw in your therapy bag for an activity.
  • Puzzles are another preschool therapy activity. You can model a word or phrase and reward a child by giving them a piece to the puzzle. Puzzles by Lauri and Rubbabu provide a sensory experience with their rubber pieces. Also I might use a bigger puzzle like  “The Pirate Ship” from Ravensburger because I describe the scene on a piece before putting it in the puzzle.
  • Pretend Play scenarios are fun whether it has to do with buying or eating ice pops or creating cupcakes in the add-on Duplo lego set, “Creative Cakes.” or Alex Toys’ stand for making ice pops.
  • Crafts involving glue, glitter and paint seem  to excite preschoolers. I have been through many tubes of glitter glue, decorating frogs or people. “Dot a Dot” paints are simple tubes of paint with a stamp at the end. Kids are excited to ask for the tubes by color, “more,” “on,” etc.

These are just a few of my favorite materials to use with preschoolers in speech and language therapy.  I invite my fellow SLP’s to add on their favorites to this list. I know when I was working in the schools we had very limited budgets for materials so I bought a lot of my toys at tag sales (garage sales) and got many things donated by parents of elementary aged kids who were more than happy to have me take their outgrown toys when they were cleaning out their play room. That being said, I started to buy a few good quality toys and games each year and many are still with me. 

Disclosure: The PAL Award winners were provided for review by their companies. The opinions expressed in my reviews are solely my own.

 

 

Posted in Apraxia, Autism, Language, play, Preschool, Speech and Language Delay, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

Toy Companies Caring About Kids With Special Needs

Posted on April 29, 2012 by sherry

I am going to be blogging periodically about companies that are listening to the special needs community of parents, educators and kids, to develop and adapt products to benefit ALL kids and listen to their needs. Today I want to highlight three companies:

ThinkFun is known for it’s depth in developing games with an educational value while being terrifically fun. They are intentional about reaching out to teachers, therapists and special educators to tap their expertise and apply their ideas. Just check out their blog, SmartPlay, that is full of practical applications of their products in the educational realm. Recently they developed a Skills Matrix for Differently Abled Kids, showing what skills were reinforced in each of their games. Play a game of  ”Snack Attack” and you’ll be using fine motor, focus and attention, speech and language, social play and visual skills. Parents of children with special needs and retailers can use this information when they walk into a store with ThinkFun products and inquire about a game to strengthen their child’s skills.

MadPax sent me their latest rockin’ back pack designed for kids and adults, the Bubble. Besides the fact that it is so sturdy, well-made and a show stopper, this back pack is fun to touch. Tina Huber, Mad Scientist at MadPax, told me that they have had feedback that kids on the autism spectrum enjoy feeling the bumpy rocks on the pack. Who would have thought that this lively fashion statement would be a calming sensory experience for some kids? The BUBBLE is available in the halfpack for little people under 4 and the new insulated nibbler lunchbox. Can I have that in the adult size too for lunches on the go?

Plan Toys introduced “Build-a-Robot last year, a toy designed specifically for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Their designer, Ms. Laura Urquiaga, formed a team of experts in ASD, observed children who could benefit, and designed an appropriate educational toy for this population of kids. “Many children with ASD have difficulty identifying emotions, so that became a primary goal of Build-a-Robot. I also wanted to address sensory issues that are common to children with ASD. A range of textures from bumpy to soft were included in the design as well as a surprise element of sound, which was incorporated into changeable,  geometric-shaped heads that feature the emotions of happiness, sadness, anger and surprise,” Ms Urquiaga said. What a great tool to help kids express themselves.

If you know a company that is intentional about serving the special needs community, let me know so I can spread the word!

Posted in 10 and up, 12 years and up, 3-6 year-olds, 6-8 year-olds, Autism, Elementary School Age, Preschool, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

Move! Sing! Play Along and Sing! CD’s for Therapists and Parents

Posted on April 26, 2012 by sherry

I learned about this wonderful set of CD’s created by music therapist and educator, Margie La Bella, when she submitted them and won a PAL Award.  According to her website, “Her CD series Move! Sing! Play Along and Learn! is a collection of original participation-based songs and dances designed to spark the imagination, playfulness, and language learning (expressive, receptive, and auditory/listening) of children. It is available to parents, grandparents, teachers, special education centers, therapists, music/dance/gym instructors and all those who are young at heart.” Margie loves music for the joy it gave her growing up and has a passion to share that with every child, with and without learning challenges. She has intentionally written and performed songs, rhythms and sounds to build specific skills for language learning. Here is my review of her PAL Award winning CD’s:

The “Move! Sing! Play Along and Learn!” CD series is a treat for parent and child or teacher and class.   Margie La Bella’s pleasant, soothing voice is easy to understand as she gently encourages kids to listen and learn through music.  As a music therapist and special educator, she has written and produced lively entertaining songs for all kids introducing them to pop, jazz, folk, rap, swing, reggae and world music styles. The first CD in the series, “Move!” focuses on building receptive language skills as kids follow directions to “rub your tummy until the music stops,” follow the “Multi-Step Blues,” or learn concepts in the “Opposite Jam.” Move on to “Sing!” and enjoy vocal play and expressive language as kids learn to follow fun syllables that lead to a song about Mister Monkey or the Leeway Train with related actions to match the rhythm. The “Play!” CD builds auditory discrimination and processing as kids move to the sounds of rhythm instruments and their homemade band–imitating and learning soft/loud, slow/fast, matching movements to representative musical patterns and instruments. Raise your arms up and down to the slide whistle, or  stamp your feet to the drum as sounds and directions are combined to build memory. Finally, “Mixing it Up!” combines the lessons learned and gets kids moving, singing and playing  because now “I’ve Got the Music In Me.” “Body Rap” is one of my favorites as, “I saw my hands and they started to clap, I thought of my nose and my face started humming, my whole body started to move and my shoulders got in the groove” as movements are added while matched to a body part and rhythmic phrase. So gather the kids around to move to the music and maybe in the middle of all the fun, we’ll produce some good little listeners.

**** Note: If you are a speech language pathologist, OT, PT, or special educator and would like to use one of Margie’s CD’s with your students to share a review on your blog, contact Margie at her website below.

Available at musictherapytunes.com

 

The CD’s were provided for review by Mustictherapytunes.com 

Posted in 3-6 year-olds, Autism, Birth-3 year-olds, Elementary School Age, music, Preschool, Preschool Class, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

New Playmobil Sets for Language Learning

Posted on April 23, 2012 by sherry

I just awarded two new Playmobil sets with the PAL Award because they generate such rich pretend play and language for learning.

“My First 1.2.3 Knight’s Castle” is right in the toddler’s sweet spot. The chunks of castle turret easily snap together so a young child can change the building like a meaningful stacking toy. The princess, prince and horse can approach and enter the castle but really the kids liked to have them peer out the windows of the turrets. Here is my review:

Toddlers can start their knight and princess play early with Playmobil’s 1.2.3′s newest theme set. Knight’s Castle provides chunky turret pieces to stack, interlock and rearrange as they tower over the gate leading inside. Kids loved taking the prince for a ride on his horse to visit the princess in her castle. She invited him in through the double doors and they peeked out several windows to survey their land. Playmobil’s 1.2.3 sets provide a first pretend play experience for toddlers that is just at their level–only a few figures so parent and child can each take one to talk, and flexible props to construct in several ways to change the story. Pieces are easy for little hands to manipulate to start their story. (Ages 1 1/2 and up)

“My Take Along Pet Clinic” for ages 4 and up comes in a house shaped case that locks up the 100  props from tables and computers to hamsters and x-ray machines. The play can go in many directions as the “house” is divided into 4 rooms with themed illustrations on all the walls. Here is my review:

Kids love caring for animals and playing doctor so what a perfect combination in Playmobil’s newest “My Take Along Pet Clinic.” Creative play starts with setting up the rooms, grouping the furniture and accessories according to the space’s purpose. Where should we wait for the doctor or arrange the examination room? Now let’s add the computer, x-ray machine, table, scale and medicine to our scenarios. Vets and technicians wear vests and aprons as they examine hamsters, rabbits, dogs, cats, and birds, providing medicine, shots and casts for injured pets. This transportable vet clinic holds 100 props that allow for pretend play to take many directions–coming to the clinic, diagnosis, treatment, check-ups or caring for an injured pet. Children learn the language around a theme as they mirror life’s experiences in their play.

The above is solely the opinion of the author. The products were provided for review by Playmobil.

Posted in 3-6 year-olds, Birth-3 year-olds, Language, Preschool, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment

Take Rollors Outside for some SpeechTherapy Fun

Posted on April 16, 2012 by sherry

I know it’s only April but it was 80 degrees here in Connecticut today and it was definitely a play outside day! Here is my latest PAL Award winner, the “Rollors” game, to take outdoors and have a fresh air speech therapy session. We are always looking for a new twist on therapy to keep it fun for kids and this simple game of skill and chance is a great game for social interaction as teams line up to see who can roll their disk closest to the goal or use it as a reinforcer as kids practice sounds or language and get to take a turn.

Here is my review:

What a  delightful surprise to unzip the Rollers case to find this simple yet challenging, well-constructed game that kids and adults can enjoy together outdoors. My little play partner expressed his endorsement after we had played several times and he said again, “Just one more round!” Set up is easy as you place the two wooden pyramid goals several feet apart, depending on the size of your players. Divide into teams and take turns rolling the disks to see who can get closet to the goal. The disk that lands closest to the goal wins the round and scores points according to its position–a flat disk receives the number of points on the top surface, one touching the goal doubles the number revealed, and if you are lucky enough to have your disk remain upright, you add the numbers on both sides for your winner. Part of the charm of this game is its ability for inter-generational play, eliciting memories of classic games like bocce, bowling, horseshoes or shuffleboard. Everyone is active, learning and problem-solving while having fun in the fresh air. Rollors was invented by Air Force major Matt Butler while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

New App Helps Cognitively Impaired Make Phone Calls

Posted on April 16, 2012 by sherry

Today’s guest blogger is Ashley Alliano, a  speech language pathology graduate student at Seton Hall University, who has developed the app, Unus Tactus, designed to help cognitively impaired individuals easily use cell phones. Although I don’t work with a population to test out this app, I thought it was important to share it with my readers.

UNUS TACTUS: There are several applications on the market that allow cognitively intact individuals to make calls utilizing a speed dial feature. These applications consist of features such as calling, texting, starting a video chat, and much more. Although they are easy to use for a normally functioning individual, they are far too difficult for someone with cognitive deficits. A 2011 report put out by the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that there are 5.4 million people in the United States who suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease. These citizens often get lost and need help, but do not have the functional language to express themselves to an unfamiliar listener. However, there is currently not a market for Alzheimer friendly cell phones that are easy enough to operate for these individuals.

Apple Products such as the iPhone and iPad have changed the lives of many typically and nontypically developing people all around the United States. Although complex picture speed dialing currently exists, I felt it was time to develop an application that suits the needs of people around the world with cognitive deficits. That is why I invented Unus Tactus. Unus Tactus is a fabulous new app intended to help individuals with cognitive and motor deficits by giving them an easy to use cell phone. It is a one-touch photo dialing app with GPS features including a geofence feature, which will alert an emergency contact if the user wanders outside of their designated area. In addition, once a photo is touched and a call is placed, an emergency contact is notified via e-mail. This optional feature allows the emergency contact to view the exact location in which the phone call was placed by providing a google maps link in the notification e-mail. This app is easy to use and set up and can be used by individuals who have cognitive, motor, or vision deficits. It has been reviewed by many bloggers and even recommended by assistive technology companies.

Features Include:

~ Unlimited number of contacts can be stored

~ 4×4 grid for easy to see and touch pictures

~ Picture and name display for every contact

~ Geofence with a radius of 1-15 miles

~ HELP button on every page

~ Customizable emergency contact

~ Optional e-mail alerts for every call made

~ Import new or existing contacts

~ Easy setup and editing

These features would allow cognitively impaired persons to safely travel and maintain independence for as long as possible, without their families having to worry about them.

If you would like to know more information about Unus Tactus you can read about us on our website, www.unustactus.com, facebook, www.facebook.com/pages/Unus-Tactus-The-App-with-TLC-Touch-Locate-Call/323648804336736, or twitter, @unustactus.

I hope that you know someone who can benefit from Unus Tactus!

Posted in 6-8 year-olds, 8 years and up, Apps | Leave a comment

Dogs Helping Out In Speech Therapy

Posted on April 15, 2012 by sherry

Some days I am a tasty treat of smells when I come home to my golden retriever, Duke. He sniffs me and my bag with delight because I have seen so many dogs in a day!
Thankfully all of them are friendly and have gotten quite used to me but one of my favorites is Roscoe. He jumps with delight when I come to the door (often requiring his owner to put him in his crate for a while) but usually he settles down near my feet as I work with his little owner.

Last week I brought the new lego Duplo “Creative Cakes” to play with a 5 year-old girl working on /s/. She made many wonderful treats, chocolates, birthday cakes with candles and swirly frosted cupcakes. After each creation she was so proud that she ran off to find Roscoe and show him her treats. I had to take a picture because Roscoe looked just as happy with the plastic bakery items as she was! He was the best reinforcement she could have after she worked on her sound and cupcakes.

Creative Cupcakes was provided for review by lego.

 

Posted in 3-6 year-olds, Strategies to Encourange Language Development | Leave a comment