WE ARE OPEN TUESDAY, JANUARY 27

We are open tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27 and ready for a full day of sessions. We look forward to seeing our families and supporting our kiddos!

We are close Monday, January 26!

❄️ Weather Closure Notice ❄️

Due to the snowstorm and for the safety of our patients and staff, the clinic will be closed Monday, January 26th. We will reopen Tuesday.

Please stay safe and warm!

Supporting Early Language at Your Local Library

If you’re looking for a fun, low-pressure way to support your child’s speech and language development, your local library’s story time is a wonderful place to start! Storytime with Marissa, offered year-round at Norwell Public Library on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10:30 - 11:00 am, is designed for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers—and it’s packed with communication-building opportunities.

Storytime helps build early speech and language skills in ways that feel natural and playful. Listening to stories helps build vocabulary and comprehension, while songs and fingerplays encourage imitation, joint attention, and early expressive language. Even if your child isn’t talking yet, watching, listening, and participating in their own way are all important steps in communication development.

Group story time also gives children the chance to be around other kids and practice important social skills like turn taking, listening, and following simple routines—all skills that support both communication and social development. Caregivers can pick up helpful ideas too, such as using gestures, silly voices, or repeating favorite phrases, which are simple strategies that can be used during reading and play at home!

Whether your child is already receiving speech or occupational therapy, or you’re just looking for a fun activity to add to your week, library story time is a wonderful way to support learning through play. Best of all, it’s free, engaging, and something the whole family can enjoy together.

AAC Apps on Sale for AAC Awareness Month!

AssistiveWare is offering 50% off 5 of their most popular apps in celebration of AAC Awareness Month! Mark your calendars - the sale runs October 8th - 15th!

PRC Saltillo is also offering 50% off their apps: TouchChat®, LAMP Words for Life®, and Dialogue® AAC apps! Their sale runs October 15th - 28th!

Vote for SLP Center for Family Favorites of 2025!

We are thrilled to be nominated for Boston Parents Family Favorite award for speech therapy at Speech Language Pathology Center, recognizing our dedication to empowering communication!

See the link HERE to vote.

Simply click "Health" then "Speech Language Therapy" and click our practice name to vote. We appreciate you taking a minute out of your day to help spread the word about our commitment to families in need of speech therapy services!

AAC Apps on Sale for April 2025!

AssistiveWare and PRC-Saltillo are offering 50% off some of their most popular apps in celebration of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month! These companies are committed to expanding access to AAC options for individuals with autism and other communication difficulties. Check out the sale links below. Inquire with your speech therapist with any questions regarding the sales!

AssitiveWare’s Sale runs April 2-9, 2025. The following apps are included in the sale: Proloquo, Proloquo2Go, Proloquo4Text, Pictello, and Keeble. Find the website and information here!

PRC-Saltillo’s Sale runs April 24-May 7, 2025. The following apps are included in the sale: TouchChat, LAMP Words for Life, and Dialogue AAC. Find the website and information here!

World Down Syndrome Day 2025: Improve Our Support Systems

Everyone needs support sometimes.

People with Down syndrome need support to live and be included in the community, like everyone else. Families also need support, as they are often supporting their family member with Down syndrome. Support is a key human right that helps make other rights possible. The support that we need is different for each person. We have the right to support that meets our needs and gives us choice, control and dignity.

What needs to improve?

Many people with Down syndrome around the world don’t get the support they need. Many countries do not have support systems that meet the needs of people with disabilities and their families. Or the support systems they have do not respect the human rights of people with disabilities. Governments must make sure there is a support system, so people with disabilities are included in the community. Click the link below to read more about what a good support system should include. Together we will create a single global voice advocating for the rights, inclusion and well being of people with Down syndrome.

#WorldDownSyndromeDay #ImproveOurSupportSystems #LotsOfSocks

Preliteracy Activities to Boost Your Child’s Language and Reading Skills

One of the most important ways we can support our children’s early development is by laying the groundwork for literacy. Before children begin to read and write, they need to develop foundational skills in language and communication. These preliteracy skills help them understand the sounds, structure, and meaning of language, which are essential building blocks for reading and writing.

The great news is many everyday activities can easily be transformed into opportunities to encourage language development, listening skills, and an interest in reading and writing. Below, we’ll explore simple and fun preliteracy activities that you can incorporate into your daily routine.

Read Together

Reading is one of the most important preliteracy activities for young children. It not only helps expand vocabulary but also builds an understanding of story structure, letters, and sounds.

How to do it:

• Choose age-appropriate books: Select books that have colorful pictures, simple text, and rhythmic language. Books with repetitive phrases or rhymes are especially helpful as they encourage children to anticipate and repeat words.

• Interactive reading: Ask questions about the pictures (“What do you think will happen next?”) or encourage your child to predict the storyline. Point to the words as you read to connect spoken words with written text.

• Rhyme and rhythm: Choose books with rhyming words or repetitive patterns to expose your child to the rhythm of language. Encourage them to join in or finish the rhymes with you.

Reading aloud to your child is a powerful way to increase language comprehension and foster a love of books, both of which are essential to later literacy skills.

Sing Songs and Nursery Rhymes

Songs and nursery rhymes are an enjoyable way to introduce children to the sounds of language. They support phonemic awareness, which is the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken words, an essential skill for reading.

How to do it:

• Sing familiar songs: Incorporate popular songs and nursery rhymes into your day, such as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” or “Itsy Bitsy Spider.” As you sing, emphasize the rhyming words and repeat phrases to help children become familiar with patterns in language.

• Create new songs: Try making up your own songs about everyday routines or events. For example, you could sing about getting dressed or cleaning up toys. This encourages creativity and language production.

• Clap out syllables: While singing or saying rhymes, clap along to the rhythm or syllables. This helps children break down words into smaller parts, which is key for later reading and spelling.

Play with Letter Recognition

Introducing letters and their sounds in a playful way can help your child build early literacy skills. Even if they’re not ready to write yet, recognizing letters is an important preliteracy milestone.

How to do it:

• Letter puzzles: Use puzzles with large, colorful letters to encourage recognition. As you play, say the letter names and the sounds they make. For example, “This is the letter B. B says /b/ like ‘ball.’”

• Letter matching: Write or print large letters on pieces of paper, and ask your child to match them to corresponding items around the house. For example, “Can you find something that starts with the letter T?”

• Write with your child: Encourage your child to practice writing letters, even if it’s just scribbling. You can write letters together, saying the letter’s name and sound as you form it. This helps connect writing with phonemic awareness.

Engaging in letter-focused activities in a playful way can make learning fun while reinforcing the connection between sounds and letters.

Practice Rhyming and Sound Play

Rhyming and sound play are essential skills for early literacy, as they help children develop phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate sounds within words.

How to do it:

• Rhyme games: Start by saying a simple word, like “cat,” and ask your child to think of other words that rhyme with it, such as “hat,” “bat,” or “mat.” You can also try this with rhyming books or songs to reinforce the concept.

• Sound exploration: Play sound-focused games like “I spy with my little eye something that starts with the /s/ sound,” or “Can you find something that rhymes with ‘dog’?” This helps children connect spoken sounds with their written forms.

• Alliteration fun: Create silly sentences or rhymes using alliteration (words that start with the same sound). For example, “Sammy the snake slithered slowly.”

By incorporating sound play into your day, you help your child develop the skills needed to understand the sounds of language, an important precursor to reading.

Preliteracy activities are essential for helping children develop the skills they need to become successful readers and writers in the future. By incorporating simple, everyday activities—like reading together, singing songs, playing with letters, and engaging in pretend play—you can create a language-rich environment that supports your child’s literacy development in a fun and interactive way. Remember, it’s not about pushing children to read or write too early; it’s about fostering a love for language and learning through playful experiences.

By embedding these simple preliteracy activities into your daily routine, you’re providing your child with the foundation they need for a lifetime of learning.

Note: Presidents' Day CLOSED & Remainder of Vacation Week OPEN!

In observation of Presidents’ Day, the SLP Center will be closed on Monday, February 17th. We will be OPEN for the remainder of the week (February vacation week for schools). Please call the office at 781-792-2700 should you need any adjustments to you schedule. Thank you!

Generalization Activities - Fun Ways to Practice Speech at Home!

Let’s dive into fun and effective activities that can enhance practice and make working on speech goals at home more natural and enjoyable.

SOUND SORTING GAME

• Materials: Pictures or flashcards with words that contain your child’s target sound (e.g., “thumb,” “think,” “bat,” “clothes”).

• How to Play: Lay out cards with pictures or words and ask the student to sort them into two categories: words with target sound and non-target sound words. Then, encourage the student to practice their target words out loud.

TREASURE HUNT

• Materials: Small objects or pictures related to target sound

• How to Play: Hide these objects around the room and have the child go on a "treasure hunt." Each time they find an object, they must say the corresponding word.

SOUND BINGO

• Materials: Bingo cards with pictures or words containing their speech sound.

• How to Play: As you call out words or show images, the student marks them on their bingo card. Make it more engaging by having them say the words aloud each time they mark a square.

OBSTACLE COURSE

• Materials: Everyday objects around the house

• How to Play: Create a small obstacle course where each station requires the child to say a word with their target sound before moving to the next step. This can be particularly useful for kinesthetic learners who benefit from movement.

STORY TIME

• Materials: Simple picture books or stories.

• How to Play: Read a book together that emphasizes your child’s target sounds. Encourage the student to repeat the words as you read or ask them to pick out and point to those words while reading.

January is National Mentoring Month!

Mentorship plays a crucial role in shaping the future of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Here at the SLP Center, we value the importance of guiding the next generation of SLPs and are so grateful for the opportunity to have graduate student clinicians and clinical fellows join our practice. Mentorship in speech therapy fosters confidence, enhances clinical skills, and bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world application.

Students benefit from the wisdom and experience of seasoned professionals, while mentors gain fresh perspectives and the fulfillment of shaping future SLPs. Please help us in welcoming this semester’s graduate student, Gemma, who is joining us from Bridgewater State University!

Book Recommendations - Imitation Book and Action Book!

Two books we always find ourselves reaching for at the Speech Language Pathology Center are the Imitation Book and the Action Book. Both written by speech-language pathologist, Stephanie Anderson, M.S., CCC-SLP, these books contain pages of ideas and ways to engage with your child while reading. The Imitation Book is full of interactive pages that pair with everyday environmental sounds and exclamations. The Action Book is full of familiar actions to help build your child’s receptive and expressive vocabulary. Take all these fun ideas and incorporate them in all the books you read!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from the SLP Center!

May your holiday season be merry and bright! We hope the New Year brings you and your family good health and happiness! Thank you to all the families that made 2024 so special for our clinicians and staff!

Winter Break Ideas - Open Skate!

Looking for something fun to do with your child this winter break? Try an open skate! The south shore has a few rinks that offer open skate times to the public. Grab some skates and get on the ice! Websites for each rink are attached!

Connell Ice Rink – Weymouth, MA

• M-F 10 am – 1:50 pm

• Saturdays 2:50 pm – 3:50 pm

• Sundays 3 pm- 4:50 pm

Plymouth Skating Rink – Plymouth, MA

• M-F 12 pm – 1:50 pm

• Varying hours on weekends

Rockland Ice Rink – Rockland, MA

• Tuesdays & Thursdays, varying hours

"Hey Sam" - Mental Health Texting Resource for Teens and Young Adults!

The holiday season is a time for celebration, but it can also bring a great deal of stress. Help our youth get through this holiday season and every day by providing them with resources to discuss their mental health in a judgement free space with peers who will understand. Hey Sam does just that. They are a peer-to-peer text line for youth and young adults in Massachusetts to reach out to. The lines are staffed by trained high school and college-aged volunteers who can relate to our youth more than adults. Visit their website to learn more about all that they do to support healthy discussions about mental health with our youth and young adults.

To reach the Hey Sam helpline text 439-726

DIY Gift Idea - Holiday Simmering Potpourri!

If you’re looking for an easy, inexpensive, but special DIY holiday gift - this potpourri is it! It was recommended to us by a teacher who got it as a gift last year! It would make a great gift for a friend, teacher, colleague, or neighbor! A simmering potpourri is the perfect way to fill your home with the warm, inviting scents of the holiday season. Made with a blend of natural ingredients like citrus slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cranberries - a simmer pot creates a cozy, nostalgic aroma reminiscent of Christmas gatherings, fresh-baked treats, and festive cheer. We love the following recipe, but you can get creative and use different spices, citrus fruits, etc. to make it your own! You can package this dried potpourri in a glass jar or cellophane bag with a holiday note and instructions on how to simmer!

Ingredients: 2-3 navel oranges, 2-3 apples of your choice, 2-3 cinnamon sticks, a few handfuls of cranberries, fresh rosemary twigs, and dried cloves

Slice your oranges and apples into thin slices — the thinner they are the faster they will dry! Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake all of the ingredients in a single layer at 250 degrees. Flip all the slices after 1.5-2 hours and continue cooking another 1-2 hours until they are completely dried! Let cool and package to your liking! To simmer, add the dried mix to 3-4 cups of water and boil! Then it can simmer for as long as you’d like, adding more water as needed! Happy gifting!

Autism Eats - Brunch with Santa!

A little bit about Autism Eats:

“Going to a family restaurant should be an enjoyable experience. A time to relax, enjoy good food and spend time with your family. Let someone else do the cooking and cleaning. Unfortunately, for those of us who have a child with autism dining out can be anxiety provoking and stressful. As parents, we may feel that "all eyes are on us" when our kids exhibit certain behaviors, have outbursts or refuse to sit still. Other diners may be disturbed and the well intentioned wait staff doesn't really know the best way to help out. Many of us decide it is just not worth the effort and that is unfortunate.

We created Autism Eats to bring the fun back to eating out. Our dinner parties are held in private rooms of restaurants or function facilities. Food is served buffet or family style so there is no waiting. Music and lighting are adjusted to accommodate those with sensory sensitivity. These are family dinners and all attending have a loved one on the spectrum so there is no need to apologize, explain or feel uncomfortable. It is an opportunity to enjoy a night out and socialize with others who have many of the same joys and challenges in common.

Autism Eats provides autism-friendly non-judgmental environments for family dining, socializing and connecting with others who share similar joys and challenges.”

Winter Scavenger Hunt

Winter is a magical season, perfect for bundling up and heading outside to explore. Whether it’s a snowy wonderland or a crisp, frosty day, a scavenger hunt is a fun way to get kids moving, learning, and discovering the beauty of winter. From spotting unique animal tracks to finding pinecones or icicles, this activity is perfect for engaging little adventurers while enjoying quality time together.

“The Printables Fairy” put together a cute check list to get you started! So grab your warm coats, mittens, and a sense of wonder—it’s time to uncover the treasures of winter!

Holiday Gift Guide... If Santa Was a Pediatric Speech or Occupational Therapist!

Shopping for the holidays can be so stressful! Our therapists helped create this gift guide by age to give you some ideas. We use these toys and games in therapy daily because they encourage communication and motor learning while still being fun! Drop a comment below with your favorite toys! Happy December!🎄🎅🏼