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Welcome to the parent portal

We believe in parent coaching and empowering you to build communication opportunities throughout the day. Learn simple tips and techniques that will help you at home.

Tips for Supporting Older Children (School-Age)

It’s common for young children to go through periods of disfluency as their language skills are developing. However, some patterns may indicate a need for additional support.

Read Together—Then Talk About It

Move beyond just reading accuracy and focus on having a discussion.
Ask questions like:

  • “Why do you think that happened?”
  • “What do you think will happen next?”
  • “How do you think the character felt?”

This builds vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills

Keep It Engaging (Without Feeling “Babyish”)

Use humor, storytelling, and real-life connections to keep older kids interested.
Encourage them to:

  • Retell stories in their own words
  • Create alternate endings
  • Act out scenes or explain events like a “teacher”
  • Create opportunities for back-and-forth conversation during meals, car rides, or downtime
  • Ask open-ended questions and give your child time to respond

Practice Social Communication

Talk through real-life situations:

  • “What could you say if that happens?”
  •  “How do you think your friend felt?”

This helps with perspective-taking and problem-solving.

Did You Know?

Children develop speech and language skills in amazing ways—and often learn best when they’re simply playing and having fun. Children with actively involved parents show higher academic achievement, stronger communication skills, and improved social development.
Creating natural, engaging moments throughout the day can make a powerful difference in your
child’s communication growth.

Here are some simple, enjoyable ways to support speech andlanguage at home:

Songs That Teach

• Wheels on the Bus — encourages imitation of actions, verbs, and everyday vocabulary

• Old MacDonald Had a Farm — teaches animal names, sounds, and early word combinations

• Baby Shark — supports imitation, labeling family members, and simple sequencing

• Five Little Ducks — introduces counting, repetition, and early storytelling

• Row, Row, Row Your Boat — builds rhythm, turn-taking, and shared interaction

• Who Took the Cookie? — encourages participation, questioning, and social language

• I’m a Little Teapot — pairs movement with language for better retention

• Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star — supports memory, rhythm, and early vocabulary

• Itsy Bitsy Spider — strengthens sequencing and fine motor + language connection

• London Bridge — promotes group play, anticipation, and interaction

• Pop Goes the Weasel — builds anticipation and cause-and-effect language

Toys That Teach

• Cars & Trains — model sounds like “vroom,” “beep,” and action words like “go,” “stop,” “fast”

• Dolls & Play Figures — encourage pretend play, conversation, and social language

• Blocks & Building Toys — introduce concepts like colors, sizes, counting, and problem-solving

• Puzzles — build vocabulary, labeling, and requesting (“help,” “more,” “turn”)

• Bubbles — great for turn-taking, requesting, and eye contact

• Cause-and-Effect Toys — help children understand actions and outcomes (“push,” “open,” “again”)

Daily Language Moments

• Narrate your day — talk through what you’re doing (“We’re washing hands,” “Let’s get your shoes”)

• Label objects — name items as your child interacts with them

• Offer choices — “Do you want apple or banana?” to encourage communication

• Read together — pause to ask questions, label pictures, and expand on ideas

• Sing throughout the day — repetition builds familiarity and confidence

• Play “echo games” — repeat sounds and words back and forth

• Pretend play — use toys, puppets, or dolls to model conversations

• Make pretend phone calls — practice greetings, turn-taking, and simple conversations

Want to Learn More?

We believe informed parents feel more confident supporting their child’s communication. Below
are trusted resources you can explore to learn more about speech and language development.

Trusted Resources for Parents

Developmental Milestones (Birth–5 Years)

From American Speech-Language-Hearing Association A comprehensive guide to what to expect as your child develops communication skills from birth through age 5.

➡️ https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones/

Breakdowns of communication skills by specific age ranges to help you track your child’s progress more closely.

➡️ https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones-birth-to1-year/

Learn more about articulation and speech sound development, including signs, causes, and
treatment options.

➡️ https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/speech-sound-disorders/

A user-friendly chart outlining typical developmental expectations across early childhood.
➡️ https://www.ldonline.org/ld-topics/speech-language/speech-and-language-milestone-chart

A research-based overview of speech and language development and when to seek help.

➡️ https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/speech-and-language

Practical tips and milestones to help parents support communication through everyday interactions.
➡️ https://identifythesigns.org/communicating-with-baby-toolkit/

Printable guides you can use to track development and better understand your child’s progress.
➡️ https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/handouts/

Learn what percentage of your child’s speech should be understood at different ages.
➡️ https://www.carolinapeds.com/knowledgebase/what-are-the-speech-and-languagemilestones-and-when-should-my-child-reach-them

A deeper dive into communication norms often used by speech-language pathologists.
➡️ https://www.asha.org/slp/schools/prof-consult/norms/

Still have questions?

We’re here to help you make sense of it all and guide you toward the right next step for your child.
Request an Initial Screening