The Language of Play - Kids that Listen, Speech Therapy, Language Development, Early Intervention

Hey Friends,  We want our kids to be able to tell, explain, and discuss the have things that happen to them.  It might be about the holidays, spilling soup, or a dream.  It might be simple or complex, traumatic or benign.  We want our kids to be able to tell what happened in their lives and from their perspective.   Today's show helps parents whose kids are not yet telling about their past experie...

Hey Friends, Did your very young child, a toddler perhaps, get labeled with ADHD?  Maybe it was a friend and maybe it was a doctor's diagnosis.  Today, we are talking about when a toddler gets diagnosed with ADHD and why YOU do not need to fret.  I know it is scary to get a label, but sometimes, we must follow our gut.  If your "mommy gut" doesn't agree, still don't fret.  Time will tell.  Here's...

Hey Friends, Join me today for a tremendous interview with Nellie Harden, as we discuss the 6,570 days that your children have until “launch.”  She discusses the importance to ground your children in their worth, self-esteem, and confidence.   This is order to teach our children to have solid connections, good communication, and have clarity in their life. Nellie shares today fabulous strategies t...

Hey Friends,  HAPPY THANKSGIVING from The Language of Play!  There are so many holiday stories available to read to our children!  They all have a different focus.  Some silly, some academic, some religious...  any focus you can think of!  When My kids were small, I wanted a story that helped them understand gratitude in the presence of struggle.  I wanted a Christian book that showed God’s goodne...

Hey Friends, Do you have a PICKY EATER?  Are you wondering HOW TO HANDLE THANKSGIVING with relatives that won’t understand? Do you need ideas? Be encouraged and get ideas from my guest and friend, Kristi, who shares here story of continued Success-In-Progress Story with her now, 15 year-old boy.  Kristi is an everyday parent that is doing a fabulous job with her picky eater, helping him expand his...

Hey Friends, With the Holidays approaching, we all have extra things to do!  How can we incorporate help from our little ones?  We can, if we can identify what they do independently, naturally, when they don't yet have many skills - Listen to this 2 year old example! We also talk about how to identify when your child feels confident in a job and a strategy that shows your child exactly HOW YOU WAN...

Hey Friends, Did you know that one way to increase the joy factor in a home is to learn to express gratitude?  When your child says, "Thank you, Mommy," or "Thank you, Daddy," your heart is encouraged!  You can find a new reserve of patience and source of joy!  So let's teach them to say it!!  Furthermore, when a child says "thank you" they begin to realize what others do for them and their joy gr...

Hey Friends, Is Your child fearful, often, and you are wondering how you will handle Halloween?  You want your child to enjoy the fun parts, but don't want them to fall apart?   Todays topic will give you a strategy for navigating in situations when your child's fears have them frozen or frantic.  Acknowledge and label the feelings.  Do not get rattled. Hold & reassure.  Don't add to the fear....

Hey Friends,  We have PASSED 10,000 DOWNLOADS!  Yay!!  Thank you for listening and taking the time to grow in your communication and connection skills.  I believe that our world’s future is embedded in our skills with our children and families. The family is the foundation of every community and nation.  Thank you for loving and investing in yourself.   Thank you for being patient with announcemen...

Hey Friends,  This episode is a continuation of Episode 88, on imaginary play. One type of imaginary play is to play dress up.  Halloween is soon here.  What is the benefit of play dress up?  Can you utilize costumes to teach your children life skills?  You can!  Listen in to find out how!   Always cheering you on!  Dinalynn CONTACT DINALYNN: hello@thelanguageofplay.com Resources:  Let's meet on a...

Hey Friends, Have you ever considered that IMPROV helps us to be better listeners?  How about that we parent better?  What if IMPROV  gives parents the space to think and interact differently with their kids?  It's true.  Improv improves listening skills for parents and kids!  This is a practical application to all communication. Improv isn’t just for laughter.  It’s not just for comedy.  Improve...

Hey Friends, These days, parents have MANY options for educating our children! Have you been wondering what school option is the best for your child?  Today, Kimberly Gawne converses on this topic, sharing her insights about the differences between children.  Let this be a stimulus for these thoughts.  You will enjoy this show that encourages connection and communication.   Get yourself some coffe...

Hey Friends, Imaginary play can become tiresome when your dishes and other chores are calling you!  How much do you involve yourself in imaginary play?  What benefit is there in imaginary play?  Can YOU use imaginary play to achieve what you actually want?  ...which means, enter their world, and steer it, just a bit.  Listen to part one today on imaginary play and learn what is going on, why it ma...

Hey Friends,  October is Dyslexia Awareness Month!  Today's episode highlights language-based learning challenges, with Lynn Greenberg.  This episode will be especially interesting to you if you know anyone with a struggle literacy, reading, language learning, processing language, or listening comprehension. Please share this episode with those you know with this concern.  CELEBRATION TIME...  The...

He Friends,  We hear a lot about giving our children choices.  But how do you give them choices that empower YOU, too?  How do you stop feeling like the little one is in control?  The answer is what I call Empowered Choices.   Join today for an introduction on how you change a power struggle or control situation into a WIN - WIN that preserves the relationship.  I hope today you leave with an idea...

Hey Friends,  Have you ever wondered how much is too much, especially when it comes to screen time and devices?   Have you ever wondered how and when to introduce a phone?  And, How do you moderate what your child is exposed to?  Today, Bill Brady from Troomi helps us understand some of the procedures he uses. It is not that there is "an answer."  But rather he has ideas.   And from those ideas, w...

Hey Friends, Did you know that vocabulary knowledge is a leading indicator of student success?  Armed with this knowledge, How will you make sure your kiddo learns A LOT of words?  Do you know when they understand how those words change with the context?   Join in today as we take an apple, using the words from this common item, let's explore how to expand your child's vocabulary, in a very natura...

Hey Friends!  Are you wondering if your child is developing language at the normal pace?  Do you wonder how you can help them enjoy books and reading?  Are you concerned that your kiddos will struggle to read?   Join today for this joyful conversation with Aly Young from Learning Lab as we discuss the early and growing blocks of Reading and Language, what to watch for, and when to seek help.  You...

Hey Friends,  Do you have a child that is fearful during a storm?  Today, you will learn how to alleviate child fears with 2 main ideas:  Exposure and Imagination.  Join today to unpack those 2 ideas so that you can be ready for the next big fear, and help your kiddo feel better.  You will learn what part is in your control and how to use your parent power for creating the confident, happy child y...

Hey Friends,  Today we will talk about our words, and how our kids understand and misunderstand, all the while, we expect they got it! English is full of words that have multiple meanings!  Come along for this conversation of how words change their meaning in different contexts and what your kids may be thinking.  Today, you will get a little homework of NOTICING!  I hope you will have a clear und...

Hey Friends, When we tell our kids to do things, we know what we expect they do. It is natural for us to think they understand the whole picture when they have demonstrated in the past, they can do it.  However, their behavior tells you what your child does not yet FULLY understand.  Their behavior - or lack thereof - is a window into what you still need to TEACH.  So, today's topic is the differe...

Hey Friends,  I know that Back to School means that you are now doing morning routines!  How do you get those morning routines to become automatic for your kids?  Today's Episode will give you one really effective strategy!  Of course it means YOU need to do it at the start, but if you do it right, the routines will be done - the way you want them done - and if you set it up well, those routines c...

Hey Friends,  Happy Grandparent's Day to you!  If you have a Grandparent, or your kids have Grandparents, I hope you find time to celebrate them today!  How will you do that?  Why do we do that?  That is today's topic!  If you come to this episode, AFTER Grandparents Day, No worries!  This episode is pertinent on every day of the year!    Remember, I'm always cheering you on!   Dinalynn   For Coac...

Hey Friends,  Happy Labor Day to my United States listeners!  It's Back-to-School time.  Have you wondered how to create back to school routines that work?  I believe that when we understand HOW and WHAT our children think, we can use that knowledge to build a routine that works effectively!  It works more quickly.  Furthermore, you and your child will FEEL successful.  All this means... Home is h...

Hey Friends, Have you ever wondered, "What IS my child THINKING!?"  Yes, you and so many other parents wonder the same!    Today, we will go deeper into a strategy to learn what you child is thinking.  This episode adds onto the learning in Episode 75.  So if you did not hear that one, go back and listen.   Learning how to see what is in their drawing is really helpful to know what is behind their...