Serve and return is one of the simplest—and most powerful—ways you can support your baby’s early language development. By noticing and responding to your baby’s sounds, looks, and gestures, you’re building the foundation for communication and connection.

Many parents assume flashcards are the best way to help their baby or toddler start talking, but using flashcards in a “traditional” way is not the best way to use them to use them to teach your baby new words. Learn how to make flashcard time engaging, playful, and meaningful—with real strategies to support early communication skills in a developmentally appropriate way.

Before babies say their first words, they’re already communicating—through gestures. From waving and pointing to clapping and reaching, these tiny movements are powerful tools that lay the foundation for language and learning. In this post, we break down the “16 by 16” milestone, explain why gestures matter, and share how you can support your child’s development of gesture.

Bubbles aren’t just fun—they’re a simple yet powerful tool for encouraging speech and language in babies and toddlers. In this post, you’ll learn how simple bubble play can support early communication skills through joint attention, turn-taking, and playful verbal routines. Discover practical tips, vocabulary ideas, and easy ways to make every “pop!” count in your child’s language development journey.

Turn “Old MacDonald” into an exciting learning adventure with tips from a pediatric speech-language pathologist! Engage your baby with interactive choices, fun pauses, and enthusiastic singing that enhance communication skills and keeps them entertained during every rendition.

The words “up” and “down” are both functional words for babies to learn, because it gives them the ability to communicate specific wants and needs, such as to be picked up or to get down from somewhere. Learn the steps to teach your baby to say, “up” and “down.”

The word “go” is a functional and motivating word for babies to learn, because it gives them the ability to request something they want, usually within a play routine.  Learn the steps to teach your baby to say “go.”

The word “done” or phrase “all done” is functional for babies to learn, because it helps reduce frustration by giving them the ability to tell you they do not want something anymore, whether it’s food or an activity. Learn how to teach your baby to communicate, “all done.”

The word “help” is an extremely functional and helpful word for babies to learn, because it gives them the ability to ask for help and reduce frustration. Learn the steps to teach your baby how to use the word, “help.”

The word “more” is an extremely functional and motivating word for babies to learn, because it gives them the ability to request more of something they want, whether it’s food, a toy, or an action. Learn the steps to teach your baby to say “more.”

Here are my 2023 recommendations, as a speech-language pathologist, of my favorite toys that are great gifts for the holidays, and tips on how to use the toys to help develop different areas of your child’s language skills.

Parents may start to wonder if they should already be teaching their babies letters and numbers when they first start learning to talk. Learn why speech-language pathologists recommend focusing on functional language first.

Figuring out your baby’s wants and needs before they are able to talk can be frustrating for you and your child. Teaching your baby sign language can bridge the communication gap while your baby’s verbal language is still developing.

Two crucial aspects that develop during early childhood are speech and language skills. While often used interchangeably, speech and language are distinct yet interrelated skills that make up a child's ability to express themselves. Learn about the differences here.

Parents are often told “read to your baby,” but aren’t told how to do this to best benefit their language development. There are several easy strategies you can use to ensure that your baby is getting the most out of story time.

Learn how to narrate your daily activities to your baby with self-talk and parallel-talk to enhance their language development.

Learn these 5 quick tips to help your baby learn to say "dada." Happy Father’s Day!

Here are my top tips and strategies, as a speech-language pathologist, for parents to use to help their baby work towards saying their first words.

Discover the power of parentese, the research-backed technique for early language development. Learn how infant-directed speech can help your baby say their first words.

Before children are able to use words expressively, children must first understand those words receptively. The receptive task of identifying is a building block for expressive tasks like labeling. Learn how to encourage both of these skills.