Author: KristinaHope22

LET’S EAT BABY!

When is it time to begin to feed your baby first foods? Most experts say around 4-6 months your baby will be ready for baby cereals and purees. This is an important step not only for them to reach feeding milestones and continue to grow, but will give baby more awareness and movement of oral structures they use for successful eating and speech.  When you first spoon feed your baby, beginning with rice cereal or oatmeal, it is important to place the spoon so that the tongue and roof of the mouth can work together to move the food back in order for baby to swallow. Also, baby’s lips should have the opportunity to clear the bowl of the spoon. The first few bites, or even the first few times your baby eats, you will most likely see them push the food out instead of a complete and/or successful swallow(tongue thrust). This is completely typical, however, if your baby doesn’t begin to successfully swallow more quantity each time they practice, you may want to seek additional advice or help.  Having good communication with your pediatrician who can refer you to your local early intervention program is important if you begin to have concerns. In addition, I have included an additional resource in the resources tab for information from an occupational therapist who specializes in feeding. Once your baby is more proficient with a variety of purees and is beginning to teeth(chewing on everything, excessive drooling, more irritability, etc)you can begin trying some teething biscuits so baby will learn a more mature chew, then bite action. You can also begin transitioning them through the next stages of baby foods so they can be efficient and successful with table foods.  Whether you are using store bought or homemade baby foods, let your baby explore the foods they eat.  Let them get messy and learn how to become confident with self-feeding while progressing through the stages.  Remember, all of the exploration and movement they are learning through feeding, also helps baby learn awareness and movement to begin speech. Talk to your baby during feeding times to teach them names of all the foods they are trying and what they need to eat them. Most importantly, be patient and have fun watching your baby learn and grow!

Words/sounds to include: eat, yum/yummy, mmmm-mmmm, names of foods, spoon, bowl, bite, chew, scoop, dip, mouth, tongue, teeth, lips, more, all done, etc.

*Please refer to the resources tab for additional information regarding feeding milestones.

WATER PLAY

Summer is synonymous with water. The pool, the beach, the sprinkler in the yard. Many opportunities for fun and learning while having fun! Not only can babies and toddlers learn a variety of sounds and words during water play, but they will have sensory experiences that will teach them to tolerate how things sound, taste, look, feel, and even smell. Teach your baby about the different temperatures as they splash around in the cold water from a sprinkler or a hose vs water in the pool that is heated or has sat in the sun.  Model “Brrrr” for your child to imitate when it’s cold or “Ahhhh nice and warm” when the water is a warmer temperature. Teach them hot vs cold during these hot summer days, as well as concepts wet vs dry.  Use water toys to play and splash with while naming them for your child to either find or pick up or to imitate the name of.  Sing songs such as “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”, “Five Little Ducks”, or “Splish Splash”.  Teach actions such as “scoop” or “dump”.  Make bubbles and help them pop them while modeling “Pop!”.  When they are old enough, teach them to blow bubbles in the water.  Whether you are at home or away, water play is a fun way to teach your child and a fun way for them to learn!

Words/sounds to include: Water, splash, wet, dry, hot, cold, plop, pop, bubble, boat, duck, fish, frog, bucket, shovel, cup, scoop, dump, swim, kick

STORY TIME

As parents, we learn very early on that reading is great for the development of young brains. It’s also a great bonding experience between parents/caregivers and children! Even babies can sit with their parents/caregivers and look at picture books for short(or long) periods of time. It’s a great way to set a routine with babies at night before they go to bed so they can begin to wind down. It’s also a great way throughout their day to help them learn to transition their body and mind from active learning to more passive learning. When they are small, going through very short, simple books with just pictures or short sentences that tell a story gets them ready to both understand and begin to use words. You can point to pictures as you label them and eventually, when they are able to touch/point, label the pictures so they can show you they understand the word is associated with a picture. Once they begin to talk, ask your child “What’s/Who’s this?” as you point so they begin to practice saying the words themselves. This is also a great opportunity for them to ASK to look at a book with you. When your child brings a book to you ask him/her “Do you want to read a book?”. Then, cue them by saying “Tell me” and model “book” for them to imitate. You can also utilize the sign if needed(found in resources tab). For older children, expand when they ask “book” by modeling “Read book” or “Book please” so they imitate word combinations to make requests. Books with repetition or onomatopoeia of a sound/word/phrase are great for children to fill in when you pause. This will demonstrate both their growing memory and anticipation, as well as, build their confidence to use sounds/words.

Words/sounds to include: book, more, all done, read, open, label the pictures or actions on the pages, use any sounds the pictures in the book may make(vroom, beep, moo, quack, etc.)

TRANSITIONING YOUR BABY TO CUP DRINKING

Transitioning your baby from a bottle to cup can be a rewarding accomplishment as a parent and scary at the same time!  Around the time babies are ready to be introduced to cereals and other purees, you should begin to explore cups.  Somewhere between 9-12 months, it is typically safe to begin introducing an open cup. Not only does this help progress them through the stages of feeding, it aids in speech development as well!  Small cups with small amounts of liquid is best to start with.  Look for some disposable ones that have a thicker rim. This helps when you are positioning it to fit to the corners of their tiny mouths and teaches them to keep their tongues in and down to rest on the bottom jaw.  Starting this process early on will help with difficulty transitioning when they are older, more aware and potentially anxious, and attachment to the bottle is stronger.  If your child is over a year old and you haven’t yet taken this leap, not to worry! Make it a fun activity while they are in the bathtub, having fun outside(in the warmer months of course), or playing with favorite dolls/stuffed animals having a picnic or tea party. When they are in the tub, you won’t have to worry about them spilling! Nesting cups are a great way to practice during bath time. The rim around the top is large and this way they also practice motor skills of dumping, filling, and pouring.  Remember, as they are learning, they will tip it too much and sometimes cough, just like we do when we take too big of a drink.  Coughing is good, that means the liquid has not reached the lungs. Always monitor when they are first learning and practicing.  Also available now at most stores and online are 360 cups that are closed like a sippy cup and will help them learn to tip it up while controlling the liquids(saves parents/caregivers from cleaning up spills). If you suspect your child is having more difficulty using an open cup than you expected and something doesn’t feel or look right, contact your pediatrician.  You may want to ask them about further evaluations or your local Early Intervention program.

Words/sounds to include: cup, drink, water, milk, juice, wet, cold, pour, yum, ahhhh(after taking a sip).

MEAL TIME

Meal times are a great way for children to learn, as well as, use language with others. It also teaches them to engage in turn taking behaviors while expressing wants/needs and beginning social/conversational language with parents or caregivers.  Food and drink are usually a huge motivator for children, and we are meeting their basic needs while teaching them! Providing some choices for your child(ren) can help them use words/gestures to tell you what they want to eat or drink. It takes some of the pressure off to produce the word spontaneously when they may not be able to. For example, ask “Do you want milk or juice?” while showing them either the containers or if you use certain cups for the liquids and they understand that.  You can use choices for snacks, drinks, and even parts of meals. All of this is within reason of course. If you, as the parent/caregiver, are not comfortable with choices, there are additional strategies to use to encourage language. You can limit the amount of food or drink that you provide. If you are working on them asking for “more”, place the object in sight but out of reach. Your child(if motivated) will inevitably try to get more on their own. Ask him/her, “Do you want more?”. If they indicate they do(follow the body language) cue them by saying “Tell me more”. You can use the sign if your child doesn’t imitate “more”. If they indicate they don’t want more, end the snack or meal by stating “All done!”(model the sign when necessary). Maybe they aren’t motivated that much by food/drink. Try giving choices of favorite/preferred cups/bowls/utensils at meal or snack times. Also, naming the food/drink your child is enjoying, and telling them what they are doing(eating, drinking, chew, bite, etc) helps build vocabulary. Make sounds like “Mmmmm”, “yum”, or “ahhh”(after they take a drink) so they imitate. They can participate in sharing and turn taking as well! Meals are a great way to help your child learn and engage with them while they explore tastes and textures with your company. You can find a helpful website for baby sign language in the resources tab.

Words/sounds to include: names of foods or drinks, actions-bite, chew, munch, crunch, taste, sip, swallow, yum, mmmm, sipping/munching sounds, fork, spoon, cup, bowl, plate, cut eat, drink, colors, more, all done, all gone

BRUSHING TEETH

Brushing teeth. When it comes to your baby, it’s easier said than done sometimes. The first question is, “When do I start?”. It is recommended to start when they begin to get teeth in. However, some children experience more pain with this process than others. How can we make this a pleasant, non-stressful experience for them(and for us!)?  The earlier you begin, the less stress and anxiety they will feel. This can be a great opportunity to sing some songs with them. It can be a song they like or one you make up about brushing teeth. Also, you can narrate the steps to the process. For example, “Let’s brush our teeth!”. “We get our toothbrush.” “Put on some toothpaste, SQUEEZE!”, “Turn on the water!” “Open up and brush, brush, brush!” Maybe show your child how you do it if they are anxious about what is happening. Try making some sounds along with the oral actions, such as “Ahhhh” when mouth is open wide, or “eeee” when smiling to brush fronts of teeth. Then you can describe the process of cleaning up as well. When they are old enough, this is a great time to practice using a dixie cup to take small sips from. This can be a fun way to incorporate sounds and words, as well as, a distraction for them if they are having difficulty tolerating the toothbrush. As they first begin to get teeth in, start with a finger toothbrush so they can get used to the feeling of it. It will also provide some stimulation to their gums and tongue. Then you can move to a toddler toothbrush when ready. You can find a set of each step in most stores that sell baby items. Remember, babies are supposed to be putting objects in their mouths as teeth are coming in(as long as it is appropriate).  Provide them with teethers or safe toys to mouth during this time. This not only gets them ready for foods, but also for speech!

Words/sounds to include: toothbrush, toothpaste, water, on, off, wet, brush, teeth, tongue, all clean/all done, wipe, squeeze, “eeee”, “ahhhhh”

COOKING WITH KIDS

Cooking/baking with kids is a great way for them to follow directions, learn many concepts, and maybe even try new tastes and textures. While getting all the material you need in order to make the recipe, ask your child(ren) to find things they are familiar with, whether it’s an ingredient or object you will need. Label what you need and what you are doing while you are cooking/baking. When possible, help them to touch/feel some of the ingredients, as well as, taste them. Many children are more motivated to taste things they are involved in making. When it’s finished, ask if they remember what they helped make. Remember, have fun, get messy, and praise your kiddos for helping out!

Words/sounds to include: bowl, cup, spoon, fork, knife, pot, pan, stir, mix, pour, dump, scoop, wet, dry, hot, cold, plop, roll, messy, wash, label numbers, label ingredients, oven, stove, refrigerator

OUTSIDE PLAY

Playing outside is the perfect opportunity to teach a variety of language concepts, as well as, the social aspects of language. Your children will be having so much fun, they won’t even realize how much they are learning! Teaching them the names of objects you see or telling them to find certain objects is a great way to build their vocabulary both receptively(understanding labels of objects) and expressively(names/labels of objects). While they are playing on playground equipment, playing in the sand or water, or playing ball, you can teach your children about action words as well. Be sure to have fun being a kid with your child and incorporate turn taking games or simply making silly sounds as you play.

Words/sounds to include: outside, tree, sky, cloud, sun, flowers, ball, slide, sandbox, uh-oh, boom, up, down, in, out, throw, catch, kick, splash, water, wet, scoop, dump, run, jump, Ready, Set, Go!, My turn, etc.