At Valued Voices, we strongly believe that when we focus on a child’s strengths and interests, this is where all the magic happens! Rather than going into our sessions the way we think it should be, we fully embrace the child’s world of play and let the child lead!
Children always gravitate towards what they enjoy and learn best when they are interested and when we navigate our sessions in this way, it keeps them motivated and makes it meaningful for the child. The best part is that this allows us to connect most authentically with our kiddos and build a relationship on trust, connection and acceptance, which are the foundations for all things in this world!
First thing I always advise, which may sound scary to some, is…don’t go into the session with a set plan. The more flexible you are, the better your session will go. When it comes to child-led therapy, there really is no planning. You will still have a purpose for the session and guide it, just without having it all planned out. Whether you are a parent or professional reading this, this style requires more thinking on your feet, I recommend starting out slow and keep the environment stimulation free. What do I mean by this? I mean don’t have to many things out at once, so if you are in a therapy room or playroom, make sure you structure it in a way that is not distracting or too overwhelming for your child. I typically recommend having no more than 3-4 options of toys/activities available, I would always make sure that within these objects, at least half or more are preferred, familiar toys/activities, and one or two others are novel toys/activities (see this is where the planning comes in but in a very intentional, child-centered way: you are still planning the toys/activities, just not the step-by-step on what you want your child to do with it). Let go of all expectations during child-led play: don’t worry about how your child is playing or interacting, just go with their flow! Sometimes, it could be difficult to find out what a child will be interested or engaged in, so you can consider some sensory-motor play activities.
Child-Led Therapy & Safety
There is a big misconception that child-led therapy means we do whatever a child wants, and it becomes a free for all; this is absolutely not the case. First and foremost, safety is the most important thing that should be considered not only in sessions, but across all settings. If your child is doing something that is not safe, we absolutely need to set boundaries to keep them safe.
If your child is doing something that is unsafe, it is important to consider if they may be dysregulated. For example, a child may be jumping off furniture because they are seeking proprioceptive input. Click here learn more about dysregulation and sensory needs.
Child-led therapy simply means that the adult is not planning or directing the sessions, instead the child is. There are no expectations on what or how your child will do or play with, we are simply just honoring their interests, preferences and following their lead.
Advocating for a Child-Centered Approach
In the past, traditional therapy techniques have often been compliance based, so moving to a child-led therapy approach requires a big mindset shift. It is important to educate parents and professionals about the importance, functionality and meaningfulness that comes through a child-centered approach.
We know that children learn best through play and are best supported through natural, meaningful contexts; this is why when we adopt and nurture a child-centered approach, it allows us to model language and other skills, that are motivating and meaningful for the child.
A child-centered approach nurtures and grows trust, acceptance, connection and much more fun! I encourage you all to give it a try!
Want to learn more about a child-centered approach?
Sholeh Shahinfar is the Founder of Valued Voices, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Child Communication Specialist and Certified Oral Motor Therapist. She is passionate about uplifting children’s voices in the world and inspiring self-expression. In her free time, Sholeh embraces a vegan lifestyle, loves going to the ocean, exploring nature with her pup Kobe, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
KAELYN GREEN
Kaelyn Green is a licensed occupational therapist at Valued Voices. She is certified by the University of Southern California in Sensory Integration and is an advocate for addressing underlying sensory functioning in order to improve occupational performance. She is passionate about meeting children and families where they are at and seeks to tailor interventions to the unique needs of her clients. When she is not working, you will find Kaelyn taking care of her two goldendoodles, working in her garden, or taking trips to the Central Coast.
What are the stages of gestalt language development?
If you are curious to learn more about the six stages of gestalt language development, please click the button below.
One of the main components of sensory integration and pediatric occupational therapy is the idea that the activities are “child led”. It is my job as your child’s therapist to take whatever they are interested in (cars, superheroes, Bluey, etc) and turn that into a functional activity that addresses both their sensory needs and works toward their goals. I could plan the most amazing activity, but if your child walks in the door and does not want to play that game or participate in that activity, it is my job to be flexible and adjust my plan accordingly. It can be harder than it sounds!
From my experience, this is the most important skill we have in our toolbox as therapists. We want the child to be invested in their own intervention, and in order to do that, we can’t force them to participate in activities that aren’t fun! I tell families in every screening, “Our sessions should look like we are playing games the whole time. Your child should want to come back next week. That is my goal”. But why is this so important? Children learn best when they are not stressed, and have opportunities to explore. They will gain more skills and knowledge if they are having fun and given a chance to try new and exciting things, and also if they are given opportunities to problem solve within a supportive environment.
All this to say, that child led sensory motor play doesn’t have to stay in the clinic! This type of play can be implemented at home, and boost your child’s development in all areas.
Here are my top 3 favorite child-led sensory activities for home:
1. Making a Sensory Bin
This activity can be adapted in so many ways! Oftentimes, families tell me they are worried about having a sensory bin at home due to mess or mouthing. I love the idea of a “taste safe” bin using household ingredients for the younger children or for those prone to put toys and materials in their mouths. And as for the mess, moving the bin outside is my top recommendation. Make a base (ie. taste safe kinetic sand, jello, pudding, etc.) and add in washable toys, cars, coins, etc. The goal of this is to provide opportunities for your child to explore and find new ways to play!
2. Arts and Crafts
This may seem simple but painting, coloring, and building with clay are some of the best child-led fine motor activities around! Start with an idea (“let’s draw a race track for your cars!”) and see where the activity leads!
3. Building a fort:
Building a fort is such a fun way to add in proprioceptive input and motor planning to your child’s day! I recommend helping with the set up and materials, and letting your child figure out how to assemble and build the fort together. This is always a fun launch point for pretend play and games!
Ultimately, the activities that will fit your child and their skills best, are the ones that you discover together! It can be hard to do, but try letting your child take charge of the playtime and see where it leads you!
If you have concerns about your child’s development or their play skills, contact us for a complimentary consultation!
Sholeh Shahinfar is the Founder of Valued Voices, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Child Communication Specialist and Certified Oral Motor Therapist. She is passionate about uplifting children’s voices in the world and inspiring self-expression. In her free time, Sholeh embraces a vegan lifestyle, loves going to the ocean, exploring nature with her pup Kobe, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
KAELYN GREEN
Kaelyn Green is a licensed occupational therapist at Valued Voices. She is certified by the University of Southern California in Sensory Integration and is an advocate for addressing underlying sensory functioning in order to improve occupational performance. She is passionate about meeting children and families where they are at and seeks to tailor interventions to the unique needs of her clients. When she is not working, you will find Kaelyn taking care of her two goldendoodles, working in her garden, or taking trips to the Central Coast.
What are the stages of gestalt language development?
If you are curious to learn more about the six stages of gestalt language development, please click the button below.
Introducing Our Favorite Toy Reviews for Speech, Language, Motor & Sensory Development
Welcome to our blog dedicated to unraveling the magic of toys in fostering speech, language, and motor development in children. At the heart of our mission lies a passion for helping children reach their full potential through play-based learning experiences and to shed light on how play can become a powerful tool for enriching a child’s development.
Why Toys Matter: The Power of Play in Development
Toys are not just objects for entertainment; they serve as powerful tools in our speech and occupational therapy sessions. Through carefully selected toys, therapists can create engaging and interactive environments that facilitate language development, motor skills enhancement, sensory exploration, and social interaction in children.
Play is a fundamental aspect of childhood that serves as a gateway to learning and growth. When carefully selected, toys can stimulate language acquisition, encourage expressive communication, and enhance fine and gross motor skills in all children.
Our Commitment to Quality Toy Reviews
In this blog series, we delve into the world of toy reviews specifically tailored to support speech, language, and motor development. Each review will highlight how a particular toy can support speech development, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, sensory processing, and cognitive abilities in children.
Empowering Therapists, Parents & Caregivers
Our goal is to empower therapists, parents, and caregivers with valuable insights into selecting toys that align with supporting and empowering our children. By providing reviews and practical recommendations, we aspire to make the process of choosing toys more accessible and enjoyable for everyone involved in a child’s developmental journey.
Get Ready for Fun and Informative Content
Get ready to embark on a journey filled with informative toy reviews, expert insights, and practical tips on incorporating play-based therapy techniques into everyday routines. Whether you’re a therapist looking to expand your toy repertoire or a parent seeking guidance on enriching your child’s play experience, our blog is here to inspire and inform.
Join us as we uncover the immense potential of toys in nurturing speech, language, and motor skills development in children. Together, let’s make learning through play an enriching and rewarding experience for every child in need of extra support and encouragement.
Below are our favorite toy reviews for this month that promise to spark joy, creativity, and growth in every child’s therapy journey. Let’s play, learn, and grow together!
This fun, sensory activity is great for working on tactile processing, scooping with utensils, fine motor strengthening, and visual motor skills. You can also target speech sounds and provide tons of language modeling with this activity too!
This fun scooter board is great for vestibular processing, bilateral coordination postural control, and proprioceptive processing. Your little one will have tons of fun exploring their environment on this board!
These fun, buildable cars are wonderful for fine motor coordination, visual motor coordination, and can be used for obstacle courses and gross motor activities. You can also narrate a ton of language, target a variety of language concepts, and work on turn taking!
This spinning toy is not only fun and engaging, but also an excellent learning tool for little ones. This cause-effect toy helps develop joint attention, color recognition, vocabulary, eye-hand coordination, and fine motor skills.
This toy track encourages development of eye-hand coordination, attention, turn taking, and communication skills. Your little one will learn through repetition as they are having fun!
This fun and portable ball tower helps your little one learn cause-and-effect. It also develops fine motor skills, encouraging sensory stimulation and tactile exploration, as well as supports language growth!
Sholeh Shahinfar is the Founder of Valued Voices, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Child Communication Specialist and Certified Oral Motor Therapist. She is passionate about uplifting children’s voices in the world and inspiring self-expression. In her free time, Sholeh embraces a vegan lifestyle, loves going to the ocean, exploring nature with her pup Kobe, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
KAELYN GREEN
Kaelyn Green is a licensed occupational therapist at Valued Voices. She is certified by the University of Southern California in Sensory Integration and is an advocate for addressing underlying sensory functioning in order to improve occupational performance. She is passionate about meeting children and families where they are at and seeks to tailor interventions to the unique needs of her clients. When she is not working, you will find Kaelyn taking care of her two goldendoodles, working in her garden, or taking trips to the Central Coast.
What are the stages of gestalt language development?
If you are curious to learn more about the six stages of gestalt language development, please click the button below.
Oftentimes parents ask me, “Why would my child need OT in a clinic setting, if they receive OT as part of their IEP?”. This is such a great question! Occupational therapy is such a wide-reaching profession, that it sometimes seems like all settings are the same. In actuality, there is a big difference in the scope of practice depending on the setting. Let’s break down the difference below!
Sessions typically occur in a specialized clinic setting with swings, slides, climbing equipment, and games. Parents are invited into the sessions to learn ways to work on skills outside of the session. The frequency and duration of sessions are based on recommendations from the therapist at the start of intervention, but can be adjusted to a child’s schedule as needed. Therapists can also perform occasional classroom observations to support the child if needed. Typical frequency/duration is 30-60 minutes per week of direct services (i.e. one therapist working with one child for that length of time).
Skills Addressed:
Dressing: putting on and taking off clothes, tolerating clothing textures, fastening buttons and zippers, tying shoelaces
Hygiene Routines: Toileting, teeth brushing, showering and bathing, hand washing, flossing, hair washing, etc.
Feeding: using a spoon, using a fork, using a knife, tolerating food textures, trying new foods
Play Skills: Cooperative playing with others, frustration tolerance, following group instructions, playing in a variety of settings (i.e. sand, grass, play structures, etc.)
Fine Motor Skills: Handwriting, pre-writing shapes, scissor skills, coloring, opening food packages, pencil grasp, etc.
Sensory Processing: Being able to handle all aspects of a child’s daily routine (all the tasks- and more- listed above) without becoming overwhelmed or upset. Being able to sit and attend to daily tasks without needing to get up and move, and being able to tolerate change in routines.
What a Session Looks Like?
At Valued Voices, our sessions are designed to meet the needs of the child and their family. Parents are invited to participate in the sessions, but if this is not possible, a detailed report is provided after each session. The activities are all child-friendly, encourage movement, and are adaptable to your child. They take place in both the clinic gym, and the fine motor room, and can include obstacle courses, fort building, swings, board games, crafts, and more!
Funding:
Typically outpatient services are funded by medical insurance or private pay.
School-based occupational therapy:
Place:
Sessions can occur in your child’s classroom or in an occupational therapy office. Sessions can also take place in a group format or individual format (one therapist to one child). Therapists are a part of the IEP or 504 team, and are mandated to fulfill the service requirements outlined in the IEP/504 plan. The frequency and duration of services remains the same until the next meeting with the team. The duration/frequency typically ranges from consultation (i.e. the therapist meets only with your child’s academic team and no direct service is provided), to 15-60 minutes per week. This can vary, though, depending on the child’s needs.
Skills Addressed:
Fine Motor Skills: Handwriting, pre-writing shapes, scissor skills, coloring, opening food packages, pencil grasp, etc.
Access to the academic curriculum: This basically means making sure your child can participate in the school day to a functional degree. This may include adapted seating, accommodations for breaks and regulation strategies, or extra time for test taking. School based occupational therapists can suggest tailored accommodations to make the school day functional for your child.
What a Session Looks Like?
The therapist arrives at your child’s classroom and will conduct the session during the school day. The sessions focus mainly on the goals included in the IEP/504 plan. Activities include specific games, movement activities, writing tasks, typing, and crafts geared towards boosting skills in a fun way.
Funding:
School based occupational therapy services are financed through the state, and are free for students in public schools if they qualify.
Ultimately, both school based and clinic based occupational therapists are dedicated to adapting your child’s environment to their skills, while fostering growth and independence. Oftentimes, children receive both types of services to make progress in both the school setting and the home/community settings. If your child is in need of support, it’s important to determine where they are having trouble (i.e. school only, or school, home, community) and where the challenges arise (i.e. daily routines, during the school day, outings with family, etc.) to best determine which type of occupational therapy to pursue. If clinic based occupational therapy seems to meet the needs of your child, reach out to us for a complimentary consultation!
Sholeh Shahinfar is the Founder of Valued Voices, a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Child Communication Specialist and Certified Oral Motor Therapist. She is passionate about uplifting children’s voices in the world and inspiring self-expression. In her free time, Sholeh embraces a vegan lifestyle, loves going to the ocean, exploring nature with her pup Kobe, practicing yoga, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones.
KAELYN GREEN
Kaelyn Green is a licensed occupational therapist at Valued Voices. She is certified by the University of Southern California in Sensory Integration and is an advocate for addressing underlying sensory functioning in order to improve occupational performance. She is passionate about meeting children and families where they are at and seeks to tailor interventions to the unique needs of her clients. When she is not working, you will find Kaelyn taking care of her two goldendoodles, working in her garden, or taking trips to the Central Coast.
What are the stages of gestalt language development?
If you are curious to learn more about the six stages of gestalt language development, please click the button below.
Learning language is a process that starts during your baby’s development in the womb. And from the moment your baby is born, they begin expressing themselves. First through cries and smiles, then with coos and gestures, which leads into babbling. You long for that day for those babbles to turn into first words. While we cannot rush our little one’s on their journey of self-expression, we can certainly encourage their language development and provide an environment that empowers their expression.
Here I will share with you 10 simple strategies to help boost your baby’s language development. The best part is, these tips can be used in every day life and situations that are happening all the time! So, no need to stress yourself out and feel like you are adding something to your already busy to-do list. Just give yourself the daily reminder that language opportunities are happening all the time.
1. Connect with your baby.
This is one of my best tips! Now read carefully, because there are a few layers here. In order for your baby to listen, they must be paying attention, and in order for them to be paying attention, they must be engaged and where does this all begin? CONNECTION. Babies communicate with us almost instantly after birth when they give us eye contact. Eye contact is one of the foundational ways in which most children learn about the world around them. Connect with your baby and get them engaged and motivated to learn. This is the foundation of speech and language development, and everything to follow!
2. Talk with your baby.
This is a very easy and connected way to help your baby’s language development. Babies learn language by hearing it first. Using simplified language and familiar words to help your baby hone in on the key words is great and so is using the full sentence, I like to use a combo approach. Bonus tip: repetition is key! Talk to your baby all day long! Remember, use simple sentences and vocal intonation to keep your kiddo engaged and make things fun. Healthy speech development starts with a few words and just goes up from there.
3. Narrate to your baby.
Talk to your baby about the day. Talk about what your baby is doing and talk about what you are doing. Bonus tip: using daily routines is great because it allows your baby to hear the same words over and over again. This is a great way to build neural connections and increase your baby’s language development. Most young children, around their first birthday, begin to use their first words. The more language they hear, the more inclined they are to repeat and that is why narrating in early childhood is such an important tool in supporting your child’s speech and language developmental milestones!
4. Give your baby feedback.
Giving your baby feedback is a wonderful way for your baby to learn language. You may be thinking “how is my baby going to understand when I tell them good job?” Well, it is all in the way we are celebrating our little loves. Celebrate the successes, and this includes acknowledging all the attempts and efforts. When young babies are learning to talk, they will not say words perfectly, for example, “water” may be “wa” or “wawa” and this is perfectly okay! Clap your hands, do a happy dance, sing songs, give a high-five or a hug, whatever fun way you want to show it, just celebrate it!
5. Use a different pitch.
Parentese is the sing-song way we speak to our babies. Parentese is used across many cultures and has so many benefits for language development and learning. Research has shown that parantese increases blood flow activity to your baby’s frontal cortex of the brain, sustains and grabs your baby’s attention, and helps your baby engage in prelinguistic skills such as joint attention (just to name a few). Bonus tip: speak slowly and clearly, use exaggerated speech sounds, and repeat, repeat, repeat!
6. Read to your baby.
Book reading is important at every age and there is no such thing as starting too early! Research has shown that book reading helps increase your child’s development in so many areas! Maybe your little one doesn’t understand all the words yet, but that’s okay! Secret tip: you actually don’t have to even read all the words! Make book reading fun! Get animated, use facial expressions, act out the story, make noises that may go with the story, and label objects and things happening the picture! Storytime is a wonderful way to connect and bond with your baby. Read more here.
7. Play with your baby.
Play is one of the most important ways we learn. We learn through experience, so get down on the floor, get outside, get creative and PLAY! This is another great way to boost you child’s development across so many areas! There are so many benefits to play, some of which include: increased imagination and creativity, increased social-emotional development, increased physical and cognitive development and a way to interact with the world that allows for exploration through the senses. Play is great because it incorporates so many modalities of learning, including motor movements, visual skills, social-emotional skills, problem solving and of course so many opportunities for language learning! Learn more about the connection between play and language development here!
8. Let your baby lead.
Following your baby’s lead is a great way to understand their likes and dislikes. It gives you an opportunity to see how your baby interacts with the world around them and gives your baby the opportunity to grow! When you are out for a walk and your baby points up to the airplane in the sky, follow your baby’s verbal and visual cues by labeling and expanding “Airplane. Fast airplane.” Letting your baby lead means really staying present and connected to what your baby is doing in all moments, and chances are, all these precious moments are filled with language boosting opportunities!
9. Give your baby choices.
This is such an important tip, but sometimes the hardest for parents to follow. As a parent, you know exactly what your baby wants and needs and so when you see your little one is getting a little worked up, you give them exactly what they need to feel comfort and calm. Although this is absolutely incredible, it sometimes also becomes a missed opportunity for language. Before your little one gets into a distressed state, give them a choice: “do you want apples or banana”-it would be ideal if you can hold up each object as you name it too! When your child is presented with a choice, they are more likely to communicate their wants and needs because they need to indicate to you their choice! Remember, there are many forms of communication, if you baby looks at the object, points to it, or tries to label it those are all great ways to communicate. When giving your little one choices, first make sure that your baby understands the vocabulary. Also, get creative! Communication comes in so many forms and is not just talking. I love to use both verbal and visual cues to help support a child in their speech sounds and language development. Bonus tip: if your baby points to the apples, hold the apple close to your mouth and say “A-PO” and really exaggerate your mouth movements. Try 1-3 times and see if your kiddo imitates, if they don’t, give them a little piece of the apple and try again! This simple snack activity turns into a teachable moment where you are taking each apple slice (maybe up to 10 slices or 20 chunks of apple) to target the sound “a”, the word “apple” or maybe even the phrase “more apple” with your little one! Another example: if your little one wants milk, rather than giving your baby a bottle when they cry, ask them if the would like “more milk” and then encourage their participation in choosing it. This takes a bit of practice and rewiring, but once you get it down, you will see how great it is in encouraging your little one’s speech and language skills.
10. Expand your baby’s language.
Language expansion is a great tool to help your little one develop their expressive language skills. Expansion is when you take what your little one is saying and then add more language to it. When your little one is talking using 1-2 words to communicate, you can imitate what they say and then expand it. For example, if your little one says “car,” you can expand by saying “yes, that’s a green car.” If your little one says “more juice,” you can say “want more juice, okay-here you go!” Putting emphasis on certain words and using parantese (see tip number 5), helps draw your little one’s attention to new words and keeps them engaged!
Language opportunities are happening around you and your kiddo all the time. Now that you have become more aware of these natural moments, you will be more present to when they are happening. Remember, your little one’s speech and language develops in its own time, so just be patient and trust the process. Plus, you now have 10 wonderful ways to boost your kiddo’s language in any given moment! So, print these tips out, put them on the fridge and have so much fun connecting with your kiddo!
Sholeh Shahinfar is the founder of Valued Voices, and a licensed Speech Language Pathologist, Child Communication Specialist and Certified Oral Motor Therapist. She is passionate about uplifting children’s voices in the world and inspiring self-expression. In her free time, she loves going to the ocean, exploring nature with her pup Kobe, and spending time with her family and friends!
