Laikko Laura - Talking with your toddler: 75 fun activities and interactive games that teach your child to talk

Text copyright 2016 Teresa Laikko and Laura Laikko. Concept and design copyright 2016 Ulysses Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication in whole or in part or dissemination of this edition by any means (including but not limited to photocopying, electronic devices, digital versions, and the Internet) will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Published in the United States by:

Ulysses Press

P.O. Box 3440

Berkeley, CA 94703

www.ulyssespress.com

ISBN13: 978-1-61243-589-3

Acquisitions Editor: Casie Vogel

Managing Editor: Claire Chun

Editor: Renee Rutledge

Proofreader: Lauren Harrison

Index: Sayre Van Young

Front cover and interior design: what!design @ whatweb.com

Cover artwork: Lorelyn Medina/shutterstock.com

Distributed by Publishers Group West

NOTE TO READERS: This book is independently authored and published and no sponsorship or endorsement of this book by, and no affiliation with, any trademarked brands or other products mentioned within is claimed or suggested. All trademarks that appear in ingredient lists and elsewhere in this book belong to their respective owners and are used here for informational purposes only. The authors and publishers encourage readers to patronize the quality brands mentioned in this book.

Table of Contents

Contents

Welcome to Talking with Your Toddler! We are two speech-language pathologists who have joined together to write a book filled with fun and exciting games and crafts designed to help improve your toddlers speech. Teresa Laikko is a certified speech-language pathologist who has worked for over thirty years in a variety of settings, including schools, homes, and hospitals. Her daughter, Laura Laikko, has recently received her masters degree in speech-language pathology and has provided services for toddlers, children, and adults.

Our book has been designed with toddlers in mind. While the activities are targeted at children who are two to five years of age, we believe that these activities and strategies can be used with all children, including typically developing and non-typically developing toddlers.

In picking up this book you have demonstrated an interest in your toddlers language development. This is awesome. Language is everything. Why? Language is essential to all kinds of communication. This can include requests, comments, expressing wants and needs, and interpersonal communication. We want toddlers to have a good foundation in language skills so that they can build to more complex skills. Language has a great impact on educational success as well.

The goal of our book is to present parents, professionals in child development, and family members with fun activities that encourage language development in toddlers. Providing multiple opportunities for children to practice their language skills and learn new vocabulary, these activities include games and crafts that are engaging and affordable, often using materials found around the house. The strategies can be incorporated into your daily life to encourage a childs language development.

An important note: This book is not a replacement for speech-language therapy or other services. This book cannot cure a child who needs services. This book can only provide strategies and activities to help children expand their language skills. It also contains resources regarding speech-language services, as well as information on identifying when a child may need to get evaluated. Additionally, this book covers developmental milestones and the approximate age when the average child reaches them.

Our book is designed to provide you with ways to expand your childs language through conversation and play. It is organized to be user-friendly to you, the busy parent. First, we talk about why language is so important. Then, we present several strategies that you can use when talking with your child in order to enhance their language development. We will refer to these strategies throughout the book, including ways to use them over the course of your day, during special occasions and holidays, and even in the midst of errands and outings.

We also have chapters dedicated to promoting literacy with your child, as well as helping them to express their emotions. Because many children at this age will attend preschool, we have also included information on ways to prepare your child for this big step. We will review techniques to expand your childs language using technology and strategies to help them improve their production of speech sounds so that you can understand them. Finally, youll find plenty of information about when to seek the help of a speech-language professional and how to find the best person for the job.