A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Dessi Donkova, a mom of two and the Founder of Good For Kids, a socially responsible startup dedicated to creating products that are good for kids. She recently launched a Kickstarter campaign on May 8th that aims to inspire children to eat healthy through reading and […]
Apps and Toys
Milestone Tracker App
Do you have a child 5 or younger? Are you concerned that your child is not meeting their milestones? Check out this free and informative app titled the Milestone Tracker App. I learned about this free app in the most recent issue of the ASHA Leader, which is a wonderful resource of information for speech […]
Who Is? Who Was? Series
The Who Is? Who Was? and What was? Where is? Series by Penguin Random House is a series of books that can help teach your child about important people and events in history. The series includes both hundreds of titles to entice any child’s interest. Do you have a child that interested in music? Check […]
Games that Target Asking Questions
For many children with language delays and disabilities, asking questions can be a challenging. It seems natural to ask questions for children that present with typical speech and language development but for those who struggle, what types of activities can help elicit asking questions? This can be a tricky thing because asking questions usually comes […]
Sesame Street and Autism
As a speech language pathologist for over 15 years, I love finding resources for other children to learn about various disabilities. Since I was a graduate student, I always gravitated towards working with individuals with Autism. Learning about Autism has been a fascinating journey and that I continue with throughout my career. The learning never […]
A Day in the Market
A Day in the Market (Araw sa Palengke) by May Tobias-Papa is about a little girl’s very first trip to the market with her mother. The market is an exciting cultural adventure as she meets lively vendors, see a variety of foods and items and finds a special item that she wants to buy. To […]
Learning Language with Early Comprehension Story Wheels
As an educator, I love exploring different educational products that can be used both in my home and for therapy with my students. After visiting my local Lakeshore Learning Educational Store, I found this great product called Early Comprehension Story Wheels. I love these story wheels because it incorporates both pictures and text. The activity […]
Reducing Stress with Contimusic
A couple of months ago, I was contacted by Tom and Christine Conti, the founders of Emotion Transitional Music Therapy. As a speech language pathologist who works with children and adults with varying disabilities, I have seen first hand the positive and calming effect of music on my clients, specifically those with Autism. Although Contimusic is […]
Picture A Conversation
With the increase in technology, our face to face communication has decreased over time. We are communicating more and more via text messages, email and through social media than we are with face to face communication. As a result, our ability to converse with others and stay attentive to specific topics is becoming more challenging. At […]
How to Supplement Your Child’s Museum Trip
I am excited to present this guest post written by Joyce Wilson. Joyce is a retired teacher with decades of experience. Today, she is a proud grandmom and mentor to teachers in her local public school system. She and a fellow retired teacher created TeacherSpark.org to share creative ideas and practical resources for the classroom. […]
Roxy and the Ballerina Robot
Roxy and the Ballerina Robot by Slater Collins and Mo Moussa is the first book in the series of the Roxy Book App Series. This book includes 28 illustrated pages and can be read in English, Spanish and French. With the “tap to hear” feature, your child will be able to listen to this book in three […]
LaLa Lunchbox
With September approaching, it’s back to packing lunches again! Do you have a child with allergies? How about a picky eater? How about a child that wants to choose their own packed lunch? LaLa Lunchbox is a free, fun, functional and convenient app that can help you and your child decide what to pack for lunch […]
Social Thinking…product reviews plus a link to attend a conference…
As a speech language pathologist, I treat many children and adults with social cognitive learning challenges. Many individuals with varying diagnoses struggle with pragmatic language skills that impact their ability to build strong relationships with their peers and interact with others in their environment. Diagnoses such as Autism, genetic syndromes, ADHD, ODD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), Tourette […]
Bluebee Pals review plus Speech and Language Goals
Are you looking for a fun and creative way to encourage social language, expressive language and play? Check out one of my new favorite therapy tools, Bluebee Pals! What is a Bluebee Pal? A Bluebee Pal is a plush educational learning tool that can be connected to a tablet, phone or computer via bluetooth. Once […]
Increase Calm and Focus with MeMoves
Are you looking for a quick way to help your child increase their focus and calm their bodies? In the crazy and busy lives that we live, it’s hard to find the time to calm our bodies and focus on one task at a time. If it is hard for us as adults, it’s even […]
Do You Like Pie? Improving Speech through Music
Do you have a child with apraxia? How about a speech and language delay? Check out this CD, titled Do You Like Pie? by Pam Marshalla, speech language pathologist. The CD includes 10 songs that help facilitate speech that can be used in the car, at home, in therapy or on the go. Each song has […]
Eeboo Story Cards
Do you want to help improve your child’s ability to sequence and tell a story? Putting pictures together and creating a story in a logical order is an important part of language development for a young child. We use our sequencing skills all day from our daily schedule to relaying a story to a friend. […]
MimiQ Card Game
Do you have a child with childhood apraxia or speech? Does your child have trouble imitating movements, sounds or facial expressions? Are you looking for a fun and simple game that will help your child work on imitation, following directions and turn taking? Try this game called MimiQ. I bought this game at a toy […]
Gravitybread presents Monica Wellington
Do you want to teach your child a different language? How about expose his or her to artwork in Paris with a fun and engaging app? I am excited to present children’s book writer and illustrator, Monica Wellington. Monica is a talented author and illustrator with over 40 books in print including Crêpes by Suzette and Colors […]
Crêpes by Suzette App
Do you want your child to learn new languages? How about exposing them to art and the city of Paris? Check out Crêpes by Suzette by Monica Wellington! I am excited to review this app created by Monica Wellington called Crêpes by Suzette. (currently priced at $1.99). About two years ago, I reviewed the book, Crêpes […]
Kimochis….Social and Emotional Learning
What are Kimochis? Kimochi means “feeling” in Japanese. I participated in a wonderful workshop given by a fellow speech language pathologist, Ellen Dodge regarding social emotional intelligence and competence. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took this conference for continuing education credit. Within ten minutes of being at the workshop, I was totally engaged in what […]
Sensory Activities at the Table
Do you have a child with Sensory Processing Disorder? Are you looking for some fun sensory activities the table with your child? According to the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation, “Sensory processing (sometimes called “sensory integration” or SI) is a term that refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns […]
Lego Crayons with Language Tips
Over the February break, my son and I had some time to do some crafts (there was a lot of snow outside). I bought Lego molds many months ago but never used it. I always wanted to try making my own crayons and I thought it would be even cooler if I could make Lego […]
Sid the Squid and the Search for the Perfect Job
Sid the Squid and the Search for the Perfect Job is an excellent picture book to introduce the topic of the “dream job”. Have you asked your child, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” My family and I recently visited the Monterey Aquarium, where I purchased this picture book. Sid the Squid and […]
Great Bike Giveaway: Enter To Win a Free Adaptive Bike!
Do you remember the freedom you felt, the confidence you gained, the pride you had when you received your first bike? The Great Bike Giveaway will help give children with special needs the same feeling you had when that shiny new bike arrived at your home. For the forth consecutive year Friendship Circle is holding the […]
Flip ‘N’ Check
Are you traveling over the vacation? Are you looking for a fun non electronic option for your child? Try Flip ‘N’ Check! A couple of weeks ago when I was doing an author event for The Monkey Balloon at Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington, I met Pam Chmiel, the co-founder of this fun and inventive dry […]
5 Ways to Facilitate Language with Holiday Cards
Are you receiving tons of holiday cards from families and friends? Most people receive holiday cards and post them on a nearby bulletin board or display them around their house. Holiday cards can be a great language activity because they are free, arrive spontaneously in the mail, are all different, are attractive, and have a connection […]
Gravitybread Presents Geraldine Moran
Have you ever wondered how to create your own app? How about your own therapy app? I asked Geraldine Moran, a fellow speech language pathologist some questions about how she created her app, Actions in Video and any plans for the future! To see my review of Actions in Video, click here. To check out […]
Building Language with Mr. and Ms. Food Plates
Do you struggle at mealtime with your children? As parents we have all had our challenging meals and want to make mealtime a fun and relaxing experience. On top of making it fun and relaxing, it’s even more ideal when we can facilitate language and help build our children’s skills when spending time together. I […]
Actions In Video
Do you have a child with special needs that struggles with language and building sentences for functional speech? Is your child minimally verbal or have problems with syntax? I wanted to share an excellent app that I have found to be very useful in therapy called Actions in Video. This app was created by speech therapist […]
Healthy Helpings A MyPlate Game
Do you want to teach your children the food groups? Try playing this game; Healthy Helpings, A MyPlate Game. When I was investigating some resources for training staff at my work about nutrition, I came across this game on Amazon. My close friend who is a registered dietitian, Allison Topilow recommended the site choosemyplate.gov for […]
Magical Book Reader, a review with language tips!
Are you a speech language pathologist who is looking for a new therapy tool? Are you a parent who wants your child to become more excited about books? Try this Magical Book Reader! I was contacted by Magical Book Readers company a couple of weeks ago and was thrilled when I received it in the […]
iPrompts Pro, A Review
Do you have a child with special needs? Are you looking for an app to create social stories? Are you also looking for an app with visual supports and videos that can model appropriate social behavior? What is a social story? From my perspective, I would define a social story as a story or script […]
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is a free app created by Sesame Workshop that can help a young child (appropriate for ages 2 to 5) learn how to breathe, calm down and work through stressful everyday challenges. In one situation, Little Monster has trouble putting on his shoes. He is getting very frustrated. What should […]
Sneak a Snack
Has anyone ever stolen your snack and you didn’t know who it was? In my house if it isn’t my husband, it’s definitely my hound dog. Sneak A Snack HD ($2.99 for iPad version, $.99 cents for iPhone/iPod version) is an interactive story of a boy named Alexander who makes a super deluxe snack downstairs […]
Story Smart 2: Casey’s Big Day
Casey’s Big Day is another innovative app from Ruby Cube Inc. See my last review for Trudy Goes to the Beach. Casey has anxiety about his first day of 5th grade. As the player, your child will help get Casey successfully through the day. As your child chooses the correct responses, the visuals change to […]
Story Smart Book1: Trudy Goes to the Beach
Story Smart Books ($3.99) by Ruby Cube Inc has created wonderful story apps to help improve language skills, reading comprehension, social skills, narrative skills and literacy. They are targeted for children with autism, ADHD and other social challenges who are literate but can be also used for children who are typical as well. However, if […]
Kid in Story Book Maker
Do you want to help build your child’s narrative and sequencing skills? Try this app, “Kid In Story” ($6.99). It is a great app to help build your child’s ability to create and retell stories. This app is super easy to create stories and is very child friendly (and parent friendly)! The next time you […]
In-Sync Activity Cards
Does your child have trouble sitting down at meals? Does your child also have sensory processing issues? If so, check out these In-Sync Activity Cards that are made for children with sensory processing issues. I think many parents struggle to have their child sit down at a meal especially those who have hyperactive children with […]
Cute Food – Cooking App for Kids
Cute Food – Cooking App for Kids ($1.99) is a fun app that can help children explore different fruits and vegetables in a creative and artistic way. With this app, your kids can be a little chef and make their own little creations with 200 + choices of pieces of various fruits and vegetables. Your […]
i.. Get Cooking Vocabulary….
i…Get..Cooking Vocabulary and Create Recipe Photo Sequencing Books App ($4.99) is an educational app that can help improve life skills within the kitchen. The vocabulary photo books include; cooking supplies, cooking actions and kitchen appliances which offer many teaching opportunities for speech and language development. It also comes with a photo book on how to […]
Making Sequences
Does your child need help with her or his sequencing skills? Making Sequences ($4.99) is a simple educational app to use for practicing sequencing and narrative skills. I also use this app for assessment and therapy with both children and young adults. I love this app because it is super easy to modify and add […]
Eating Safely
I discovered this app, Eating Safely a couple of weeks ago when searching for a functional app to help teach safety in the kitchen. This life skills app helps guide children through step by step instructions in preparing meals and using appliances in the kitchen safely. Since my little one loves to “help” with the […]
I See-quence…The Grocery Store
Do you ever have difficulty bringing your child to the supermarket? I See-quence….The Grocery Story ($2.99) by igetitapp.com is a functional and educational app that can help children and adolescents understand the process of visiting the grocery store while making it an enriching and productive experience. Most children go to the grocery store on […]
Tiny Dentist
Does your child like to go to the dentist? Tiny Dentist ($1.99 but was free for a limited time when I downloaded) is an app that gives your child control of cleaning teeth with all of the fun duties of being a dentist. Your child can pick a character, decorate their teeth, remove their teeth, […]
VisualList
VisualList (free or upgrade to 99 cents) is a very useful and excellent app to have on your iPhone, iTouch or iPad. It can be used in many different ways and for a variety of functions. I set up a grocery list with pictures of the items that I needed (you can either get the […]
Grandma’s Garden
Grandma’s Garden (99 cents) is a fun and educational app that will entertain both you and your children. With this app, you have the ability to work on the following concepts: counting, matching, expanding vocabulary, colors, literacy, shapes, following directives, memory recall, and problem solving. This app is wonderful to introduce and/or reinforce what foods […]
Yum Yum Crafty Fun
Yum Yum Crafty Fun is a fun and creative toy that is appropriate for a child ages 3 and up. This toy comes with crafts to create a pie, cookies, ice cream cone, cake, pizza and much more (contains 12 activities). I love that each project is wrapped separately (anything to help organize me is […]
ABC Food
ABC Food ($2.99) is a educational and fun app that is ideal for children ages four and up. Learning concepts include exploring vocabulary, extending vocabulary, improving phonemic awareness and learning various actions associated with various foods. The app also includes more than 100 videos and over 70 interactive scenes. I was playing this app with […]
Make a Meal Sticker Pad
I found Make a Meal Sticker Pad (ages 3 and up) by Melissa and Doug the other day at the pharmacy and immediately bought it. This toy is very versatile because it is gender friendly and can be used with a variety of ages. When using this sticker pad, I had each of my children […]
More Thanksgiving!
Need some help in the kitchen on Thanksgiving??? Have your child help prepare thanksgiving with this app from Maverick Software LLC. I really like the apps from Maverick because the concrete pictures of the food and the accurate sequencing of how to make specific foods. With this app, your child can make their own main […]
Lunch Box Game
The Lunch Box Game (3-7 years old) is a fun and educational game that can easily be played during snack time or after a meal. With this game, your child can help build pragmatic language skills (e.g. turn taking, maintaining topic) and improve visual awareness (by finding the particular item in their lunchbox). With this game, […]
Dr. Panda’s Restaurant
Dr. Panda’s Restaurant ($1.99) is a fun and functional app that will keep your little one busy in the kitchen without making a mess. It’s fun, simple and not overstimulating like some other apps that I seen. It teaches your child how to clean dishes, prepare specific dishes (such as scrambled eggs, sauteed vegetables, pizza) […]
Cupcake Game
Cupcake Game (5 years and up) by Eeboo is a fun and interactive game that both you and your child will enjoy in a variety of ways. The object of the game is to collect all of your ingredients first before anyone else. This game naturally focuses primarily on categorization (dry ingredients, wet ingredients, etc) […]
Creativity Fun: Kitchen
Creativity Fun: Kitchen will keep you and your child busy for hours. This book is full of fun activities to do with your child including coloring, cutting, gluing and lots of stickers. Creativity Fun Kitchen is geared towards food and cooking in the kitchen. I have been working on this book with my daughter every […]
Preschool EduKitchen
Preschool EduKitchen is a fun and entertaining educational app to play with your child ages 3-5 (priced at $1.99). It incorporates many learning concepts to teach your child including categorization, matching, expanding vocabulary, following directions, counting, arranging food from large to small (or vice versa) and many others. There are 18 games in total and […]
Crazy Faces
Crazy Faces (ages 5 and up) by Eeboo is great game to play during mealtime or any other play time. You can play it as instructed (Crazy 8’s) or you can play it many other ways. The first way that I played it was to show the cards during mealtime and my kids would have […]
Easy Bake Treats
Easy Bake Treats app is free! First great thing. Memories of easy bake oven growing up, second great thing! Great for ages 3 and up. When I saw this app I was excited because I loved the graphics. They were simple and the photographs were so realistic. My son even tried to eat the cupcake […]
Color Monster – Learn the Colors
Color Monster – Learn the Colors (ages 2 +) ($2.99) is an educational and fun app that helps your child learn colors, matching and following directions. When the color monster starts, the monster says “Let me try something (names color) and the child has to feed the monster that particular color fruit. The monster also […]
Step by Story: Happy Family in the Kitchen
Happy Family in the Kitchen is a fun and educational app that I recently downloaded from the app store. I love apps that encourage a child to create and tell stories in a fun and playful manner. This app is ideal for a child ages 2.5-5. The app begins with three sections, “Play”, “Make” and […]
