The Toddler Talk Blog

Learn about toddler speech and language development from expert pediatric speech therapists and moms.

Toddler Talk Blog For At Home Speech Therapy
Dive into Language Learning with the Pout Pout Fish!
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Dive into Language Learning with the Pout Pout Fish!

Boost Your Toddler's Language Skills with the Pout Pout Fish Book! Discover three practical ways to support your child's language development at every stage. From mimicking sounds to forming sentences, find fun and educational tips for enhancing your toddler's communication skills.

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10 Toddler Talk Tips for 2024
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

10 Toddler Talk Tips for 2024

Dive into the New Year with these tips to encourage and promote communication skills at home. Plus, you’ll find a plethora of additional resources to help you with your at home practice in 2024!

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Winter Craft Activities for Toddlers
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Winter Craft Activities for Toddlers

Explore 3 fun speech and language boosting winter craft ideas you can enjoy with your little one. Plus, download our free winter coloring sheets for toddlers.

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Games to Play with Toddlers
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Games to Play with Toddlers

Discover engaging games to play with toddlers that are not only loads of fun but also boost speech and language development. I’m sharing 3 fun toddler games that I love to play in speech therapy. Perfect for parents seeking interactive ways to play and learn with their little ones.

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October Q+A
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

October Q+A

I love to put together some of the most common questions from Instagram and answer them here on the blog! So this month I picked 7 popular questions to answer for you. I’ve included links to additional resources in case you’re curious to learn more!

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Baby Sign Language Resources
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Baby Sign Language Resources

Explore my favorite baby sign language resources for parents. I share my favorite websites, books, and videos to help you utilize baby sign language with your little one at home.

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Play Sounds - the gateway to first words
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Play Sounds - the gateway to first words

Discover how sound imitation lays the foundation for your toddler's language skills. Explore playful noises, vehicle sounds, exclamatory words, and animal sounds as we delve into why sounds are essential in early speech development. Plus, find practical tips for nurturing your child's linguistic journey through the art of sound imitation.

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10 Favorite Wordless Picture Books for Toddlers
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

10 Favorite Wordless Picture Books for Toddlers

Discover how wordless picture books can be a fantastic tool for toddlers' language development. Explore the benefits, strategies for tailoring the experience, and a list of 10 popular titles to get you started.

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Building Back and Forth Interactions
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Building Back and Forth Interactions

Discover the magic of back-and-forth interactions in nurturing your toddler's language skills. Learn how turn-taking fosters language learning, expands vocabulary, and enhances social skills. Explore practical tips for engaging in responsive conversations and creating meaningful connections with your child.

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Receptive and Expressive Language
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Receptive and Expressive Language

Discover the key differences between receptive and expressive language in toddler development. Learn why toddlers may have an imbalance between these language skills and how parents can support receptive vs expressive language at home.

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Myth or Fact? Boys talk later than girls.
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Myth or Fact? Boys talk later than girls.

Do boys really start talking later than girls? Explore the differences between boys and girls' language development and learn how to support your child's communication journey.

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Does Birth Order Impact Language Development in Younger Siblings?
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Does Birth Order Impact Language Development in Younger Siblings?

Discover the truth about birth order and its impact on language development in younger siblings. Does being a second or third-born child result in late-talking? In this blog post, we debunk the myths, explore research findings, and provide insights for parents. Understand the unique language journeys of each child and find out what truly matters when it comes to supporting their language skills.

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Following Directions
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Following Directions

Discover practical speech therapy tips to help your toddler develop the essential skill of following directions. Learn about toddler milestones for following directions and enhance their receptive language abilities through practical strategies and engaging activities.

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Learning to Say Words With M
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Learning to Say Words With M

Discover effective strategies to help your toddler develop speech skills with M words. Explore ideas for at-home speech practice and find practical tips for teaching your child words with the M sound. Starting with M initial words, I'll show you how you can help your little one pronounce M.

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Toddler Talk Q+A: Your Guide to 2-Year-Old  Development
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Toddler Talk Q+A: Your Guide to 2-Year-Old Development

Discover essential insights on 2-year-old speech and language development in this comprehensive Q&A blog post. Learn about when toddlers start combining words, the impact of glue ear on speech, addressing pronunciation challenges, common toddler speech errors, and how to handle stuttering. Get expert advice and practical tips to support your child's communication skills.

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Answering Common Toddler Speech and Language Questions - 1-Year-Old Q+A
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Answering Common Toddler Speech and Language Questions - 1-Year-Old Q+A

Discover expert answers to frequently asked questions about toddler speech and language development. From first words to language regression and pronunciation errors, this Q+A blog post provides valuable insights and tips for moms navigating their child's communication journey. Written by a professional speech therapist, gain the knowledge you need to support your toddler's language skills.

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Is my child a late talker?
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Is my child a late talker?

Are you wondering, “Is my child a late talker?” As a speech therapist, I’ll explain the signs your child might be a late talker and what you can do specifically to support their language development at home.

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Early Sentences - an exciting milestone in language development
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Early Sentences - an exciting milestone in language development

Talking in early sentences is an exciting milestone for toddlers! Learn the precursor skills to early sentences, 3 tips to teach early sentences, and what you can work on after your little on has started talking in sentences. Speech therapists’s expert advice!

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Does tongue-tie affect speech?
Stephanie Keffer Stephanie Keffer

Does tongue-tie affect speech?

If you suspect your toddler may have a tongue tie causing speech errors, this post is designed to answer your biggest questions. We’ll cover how tongue-tie can affect speech development and things to consider when thinking about a tongue-tie release.

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