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SpeakJoy Center for Development

Serving children. Coaching parents. Training professionals.

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Questions? Need some help? We'll get back to you shortly. We look forward to hearing from you!

Email

hello@speakjoycenter.com

Phone

209.809.1200

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Welcome

Serving Children | Coaching Parents | Training Professionals

At SpeakJoy Center for Development, we have a vision of a world where all parents confidently and joyfully connect with their children.

We’re glad you’re here!

Recent Posts

INSTAGRAM @speakjoycenter

So, you want your baby or toddler to start using w

So, you want your baby or toddler to start using words. You are already talking to your child all the time. What else can you do?

✨Model FUN WORDS or words that have EXCITING SOUNDS!✨

This is a category of words that we sometimes don't think about but these are frequently among the first words that children use.

Find opportunities to use these words when you are playing with your child or in your daily routines:
✨Uh oh!
✨Wheee!
✨Vroom!
✨Wow!

Are you looking for more simple ideas that can help you to support your child's language development? Download our {FREE} e-book! #linkinbio

What are your favorite FUN or EXCITING words you model for your child?

Loose parts play TRIAD for children 3 and older: W

Loose parts play TRIAD for children 3 and older: WOODEN TRAY, TOY ANIMALS, BLOCKS.

A loose parts play triad is a group of three simple things that can be set out as a play invitation.

Let's talk for a minute about the benefits of a wooden tray in play.
✨A wooden tray can contain a child's play. It can help keep loose parts gathered together during play.
✨A wooden tray can help define a space for play. It can help a child set up a play scene.
✨A wooden tray can become part of a child's play. The walls of the tray can become walls of a fort in one play scene or the base of the tray can become lava in another play scene.
✨A wooden tray can help support individual creativity in play if you have more than one child playing side by side.

Where can you find wooden trays? Here are a few ideas for minimal to no cost.
✨Thrift stores
✨Garage sales
✨The back of a forgotten closet in your parents'/aunt's/friend's house 😉

For a little more money, we have also seen some great ones at
✨HomeGoods
✨Target
✨Etsy

Have you found a wooden tray that you love? Please share!

You probably know that is good to talk to your bab

You probably know that is good to talk to your baby or toddler. But what types of things should you say?

Research has shown that infants and toddlers under age two benefit from exposure to lots of words where older toddlers between 2 and 3 benefit from hearing a variety of different words that may be more complex or sophisticated.

Let’s break that down.

✨BABIES: Need to hear you talking to them all the time.
Describe what you are doing when you dress your baby. [“I have your pants. Pants. Let’s put on your pants.”]
Describe what you are doing when you bathe your baby. [“Arm. Dirty arm. Wash your arm.”]
Describe what your baby is doing when picks up food on her highchair tray. [“Cheerios. Yummy Cheerios. You are eating Cheerios.”]
✨TODDLERS: Need to hear you use lots of different words when you speak to them including words that are synonyms for words they may already know.
Talk about the dog you see on your neighborhood walk. [“I see a big dog. That dog is huge.”]
Talk about the water when swimming in the pool. [“This water is cold. It is freezing!”]
Talk about your child’s play dough creations. [“You made little pancakes. Those pancakes are so tiny.”]

Reference to the study:
Rowe, M. (2012). A Longitudinal Investigation of the Role of Quantity and Quality of Child-Directed Speech in Vocabulary Development. Child Development: 83(5), 1762-1774.

Would you like more helpful language tips? Click the link in our bio and download our FREE e-book full of simple things you can do to support your child’s language development.

Tag a friend to spread the word!

We are all a little new around here so I thought I

We are all a little new around here so I thought I would introduce myself and tell you why I do what I do.

My name is Jennifer and I am the founder and CEO of SpeakJoy Center for Development. I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist, a parent coach, and a champion of the underdog.

I believe in change and growth and live centered in hope and possibility.

For over 20 years, I have worked with children, parents, and other adults as a certified speech-language pathologist in private practice and public education.

My decision to become a speech-language pathologist started when I was in high school.

In an effort to figure out what I wanted to study in college, I spent a year working in an elementary school classroom as part of my high school curriculum to see if I wanted to be a teacher. I quickly discovered I did not like being in charge of all 28 students (props to all the teachers out there!) but I loved working with specific students or groups of students who were struggling.

At the same time, I volunteered as a candy striper at our local hospital one day a week after school to see if I wanted to become a nurse or a doctor. I loved helping the patients but knew nursing wasn't for me and the education needed to become a doctor seemed so daunting at the time.

Someone suggested that I look into the field of speech-language pathology. The field is halfway between education and medicine. It was a perfect fit!

The last several years, I have specialized in working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents. Working with families brings me so much joy. I love helping parents understand the development of their little ones and connect with them in meaningful ways.

Your turn! Tell me about you!

Should I read to my baby? Yes! Yes! Yes! You can

Should I read to my baby? Yes! Yes! Yes!

You can start reading to your baby starting on Day 1.

Once your baby is able to sit in your lap when you are reading, you may encounter a new obstacle.

Her desire to turn the pages.

Hurray! Go with it!

What if she turns three pages at once?

Great!

What is she turns the pages backwards?

Great!

What if she gets bored and moves on before we finish?

Great!

And you DON'T have to read every page.

It doesn't really matter, as long as you are having a fun, enjoyable experience together.

What's your best tip for reading with your baby?

It was late in the fall semester of my first year

It was late in the fall semester of my first year of grad school. I would soon start seeing clients as a student speech-language pathologist. When I was given a small stipend from my university to buy therapy materials, I had a tough choice to make. Out of all of the possible therapeutic materials I could purchase, what should I use these few dollars to buy?

I quickly knew the answer . . . BLOCKS!

A simple set of blocks is one of the most universal and best known of all open-ended toys.

Blocks are flexible, adapting to many different play scenarios.

Blocks have endless possibilities.

Blocks can address many areas of development: fine motor skills, social skills, language skills.

Blocks as a play tool can grow and change with children as they grow and develop.

Blocks, in summary, are magical!

We have shared some of our FAVORITE accounts featuring blocks in stories today and in our FAVORITES highlight.

What are your favorite kind of blocks?

Toolbox

Play Matters
The Book Nook
Together We Talk

@speakjoycenter

So, you want your baby or toddler to start using w

So, you want your baby or toddler to start using words. You are already talking to your child all the time. What else can you do?

✨Model FUN WORDS or words that have EXCITING SOUNDS!✨

This is a category of words that we sometimes don't think about but these are frequently among the first words that children use.

Find opportunities to use these words when you are playing with your child or in your daily routines:
✨Uh oh!
✨Wheee!
✨Vroom!
✨Wow!

Are you looking for more simple ideas that can help you to support your child's language development? Download our {FREE} e-book! #linkinbio

What are your favorite FUN or EXCITING words you model for your child?

Loose parts play TRIAD for children 3 and older: W

Loose parts play TRIAD for children 3 and older: WOODEN TRAY, TOY ANIMALS, BLOCKS.

A loose parts play triad is a group of three simple things that can be set out as a play invitation.

Let's talk for a minute about the benefits of a wooden tray in play.
✨A wooden tray can contain a child's play. It can help keep loose parts gathered together during play.
✨A wooden tray can help define a space for play. It can help a child set up a play scene.
✨A wooden tray can become part of a child's play. The walls of the tray can become walls of a fort in one play scene or the base of the tray can become lava in another play scene.
✨A wooden tray can help support individual creativity in play if you have more than one child playing side by side.

Where can you find wooden trays? Here are a few ideas for minimal to no cost.
✨Thrift stores
✨Garage sales
✨The back of a forgotten closet in your parents'/aunt's/friend's house 😉

For a little more money, we have also seen some great ones at
✨HomeGoods
✨Target
✨Etsy

Have you found a wooden tray that you love? Please share!

You probably know that is good to talk to your bab

You probably know that is good to talk to your baby or toddler. But what types of things should you say?

Research has shown that infants and toddlers under age two benefit from exposure to lots of words where older toddlers between 2 and 3 benefit from hearing a variety of different words that may be more complex or sophisticated.

Let’s break that down.

✨BABIES: Need to hear you talking to them all the time.
Describe what you are doing when you dress your baby. [“I have your pants. Pants. Let’s put on your pants.”]
Describe what you are doing when you bathe your baby. [“Arm. Dirty arm. Wash your arm.”]
Describe what your baby is doing when picks up food on her highchair tray. [“Cheerios. Yummy Cheerios. You are eating Cheerios.”]
✨TODDLERS: Need to hear you use lots of different words when you speak to them including words that are synonyms for words they may already know.
Talk about the dog you see on your neighborhood walk. [“I see a big dog. That dog is huge.”]
Talk about the water when swimming in the pool. [“This water is cold. It is freezing!”]
Talk about your child’s play dough creations. [“You made little pancakes. Those pancakes are so tiny.”]

Reference to the study:
Rowe, M. (2012). A Longitudinal Investigation of the Role of Quantity and Quality of Child-Directed Speech in Vocabulary Development. Child Development: 83(5), 1762-1774.

Would you like more helpful language tips? Click the link in our bio and download our FREE e-book full of simple things you can do to support your child’s language development.

Tag a friend to spread the word!

We are all a little new around here so I thought I

We are all a little new around here so I thought I would introduce myself and tell you why I do what I do.

My name is Jennifer and I am the founder and CEO of SpeakJoy Center for Development. I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist, a parent coach, and a champion of the underdog.

I believe in change and growth and live centered in hope and possibility.

For over 20 years, I have worked with children, parents, and other adults as a certified speech-language pathologist in private practice and public education.

My decision to become a speech-language pathologist started when I was in high school.

In an effort to figure out what I wanted to study in college, I spent a year working in an elementary school classroom as part of my high school curriculum to see if I wanted to be a teacher. I quickly discovered I did not like being in charge of all 28 students (props to all the teachers out there!) but I loved working with specific students or groups of students who were struggling.

At the same time, I volunteered as a candy striper at our local hospital one day a week after school to see if I wanted to become a nurse or a doctor. I loved helping the patients but knew nursing wasn't for me and the education needed to become a doctor seemed so daunting at the time.

Someone suggested that I look into the field of speech-language pathology. The field is halfway between education and medicine. It was a perfect fit!

The last several years, I have specialized in working with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and their parents. Working with families brings me so much joy. I love helping parents understand the development of their little ones and connect with them in meaningful ways.

Your turn! Tell me about you!

Should I read to my baby? Yes! Yes! Yes! You can

Should I read to my baby? Yes! Yes! Yes!

You can start reading to your baby starting on Day 1.

Once your baby is able to sit in your lap when you are reading, you may encounter a new obstacle.

Her desire to turn the pages.

Hurray! Go with it!

What if she turns three pages at once?

Great!

What is she turns the pages backwards?

Great!

What if she gets bored and moves on before we finish?

Great!

And you DON'T have to read every page.

It doesn't really matter, as long as you are having a fun, enjoyable experience together.

What's your best tip for reading with your baby?

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