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Exploring Traverse City with Kids
Located on Lake Michigan, Traverse City is the “Cherry Capital of the World” and a wonderful place for a weekend trip in the fall for any family. We had heard so many wonderful things about Northern Michigan that we decided to hit the road to check it out for ourselves. In one weekend, we fell in love with the city and it’s residents! The people were refreshingly friendly, the scenery was breathtaking and we never had to search far for a good meal. Read on to see how we spent a fall weekend exploring Traverse City, Michigan, with our 14-month-old daughter. Where to Stay The Sugar Beach Resort Hotel – Located…
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Goldfish Swim School Promotes Language Development
We have been attending swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School for a little over a month. With each class, I can see my daughter becoming more comfortable in the water. With each passing lesson, she becomes more relaxed when floating on her back and when she “catches her bubble” when dipping underwater. Not only is she learning the basics of swimming and water safety, but I watch her vocabulary and her ability to follow directions increase with each swim lesson. Below I have listed five ways Goldfish Swim School will promote your child’s language development. 1. Action Words: Each swim class focuses on actions. Your child will be kicking, reaching, climbing, jumping etc.…
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All About Apples
The beginning of fall means that apple season is here! I am excited to take baby girl apple picking and then play, taste and cook with all of the apples. Read on for all of the ways I promoted language development with all things apple. Visit an Apple Orchard: A trip to the apple orchard provides opportunities for language development in a natural setting. Below I have listed 5 simple ways to promote language development while picking apples. Reach Up: Use the spatial direction, up, to talk about the location of the apples in the tree. Give the verbal direction, reach up, to direct your child where to pick the apple. Put In: After picking the apple,…
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5 Ways to Promote Language Through Cooking
My one-year-old is with me all the time in the kitchen. She is either begging to be picked up to see what I am doing or begging for tastes of what I’m cooking. She is so interested in food and cooking that I have decided to include her in the process. Not only is exposing your child to cooking a great way to expand her palate, but the process provides a great way for her to build her language skills. Below I have listed 5 simple ways you can include your child in the cooking process to promote her language development. Wash: Wash hands, wash food, or wash the dishes.…
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Baby’s first swim lesson at Goldfish… What to expect!
What should I expect with baby’s first swim lesson at Goldfish Swim School? This was a question I was asking myself before arriving for our first swim lesson at Goldfish. To be honest, I was unsure about signing my one-year-old up for swimming lessons. I had been exposing her to water for some time and she seemed fairly comfortable, I wasn’t sure how she would do in a structured swimming class. I just couldn’t envision how a swimming class for a one-year-old could go smoothly. It took only one swimming lesson at Goldfish Swim School, for me to realize that all of my concerns were for naught. From arrivals to goodbyes, Goldfish does baby swimming…
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Language Fun at the Playground
The playground is an excellent place to get your child moving and working on their gross motor skills. It is also a great place to promote your child’s language development. Recently, my daughter has become interested in moving and is very excited when it comes time for a trip to the playground. She loves all of the opportunities for movement and social interactions. Below I have listed ways to provide additional opportunities for speech and language development at the playground. Make Friends: The playground is a wonderful place to interact socially with other children. Practice using greetings by encouraging your child to wave and say “hi/bye.” You can also encourage…
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Engaging the Senses at the Farmers Market
Children experience their world through their senses: smell, sight, hear, taste, and touch. A trip to the local farmers market is a multi-sensorial experience, which can further result in increasing your child’s language development. Smell: The farmers market is full of smells. Take them all in as you visit each stall. Let your child pick out something to smell, such as, an herb or flower. Talk with your child about what she is smelling and use adjectives to describe the scent. Sight: Your child will have the opportunity to see different shapes, colors, movements, and textures while wandering around the farmers market. Compare and contrast the different colors of fruit, vegetables, and…
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Library Finds
The Columbus Metropolitan Library – Main Branch is now open to the public! We spent time in the new children’s section looking through the new collection. We chose a variety of books to add to our weekly library haul. Below I have shared some of the ways to search for books the next time you are at the library. Let your child take the lead by choosing books to add to your library haul. When your child is given the opportunity to choose a book, she will be more motivated to read and attentive when being read to. These bookshelves found at the New Main library give even the smallest reader the…
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Language Fun at the Beach
We just returned from a week long getaway at the beach. Baby girl had so much fun! The week consisted of many “firsts” for her, including seeing the ocean, meeting all the creatures that live around the beach, and experiencing sand (only a small amount was eaten!). Everyday she had a new experience and each experience was described to her in detail. A trip to the beach can elicit so much language. Below I have listed a few ways you can promote your child’s language while simply playing at the beach. Seashells: Take a walk along the beach. You can take two buckets with you and have a competition to see…
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Having the Child “Take the Lead”
I am honored to be a guest blogger on Say-N-Play Columbus! Like Signe, I am a Speech-Language Pathologist living in the Columbus area. I work in the clinical and school setting and love following this blog to get ideas for my kids and to pass on to my parents! In addition, I adore that this blog’s main focus is about PLAY! Especially, in the best city ever… Columbus, Ohio! Being a Speech-Language Pathologist, I am constantly reading articles that discuss how play is such an important skill that helps develop language and social skills; which in turn, aids in academic success and performance. Academic success is ultimately what we want…