Pop! Pop! Pop! Bubbles! BUBBLES are a GREAT TOOL to encourage development!
by Michelle Yuen, PT Every kid loves to pop bubbles, go ahead have lots of bubble popping fun – here are some activities ideas to help improve your child’s development! Catch bubbles. You can catch big bubbles with wet hands! So immerse your hands in the bubble mixture and catch and play with bubbles in your hands. This […]
PLAY Project as a treatment for Autism….What Does the Research Say?
When you have concerns about your child, you want the best possible help for them, especially in the early years when intervention is so key. Here’s some information about the research behind PLAY Project as well as a comparison chart comparing PLAY Project techniques/goals to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) techniques/goals. Is there evidence that the […]
PLAY Project- Information for Parents
In summer 2021, Shine added the PLAY Project to our list of offerings, hiring PLAY Project consultant Brenna Thompson! We are so excited to welcome her to Central Illinois! We have had LOTS of questions about PLAY Project, so here’s a quick Q & A about the program: What is the PLAY Project? The PLAY […]
“Why are you just playing when I want my child to talk?”
By PLAY Project Consultant, Brenna …. But I want my child to talk!!! This is what I hear from families very very very often. As a parent, I understand how helpful this is! If our kiddos could just TELL us what they need, life would be SO MUCH easier, right!? While I completely understand the […]
Making It Fit- Helping Your Child Figure Out a Shape Sorter. ~ by Shine SLPs Rachel and Sarah
A popular toy for toddlers is a shape sorter! It teaches cause and effect, problem solving, using fine motor skills and turn taking. As therapists, when we use a shape sorter with our kiddos we use it as an activity for social interaction and making connections. If the kiddo isn’t interested or is wanting the […]
Thinking “Outside the Toy Box” – Improving Developmental Skills with Household Items ~ By Allie, Shine SLP
Is your child “getting into everything” as they learn to walk and navigate their environment? Is there a voice saying, if we get ‘x’ toy, then they will be ready for kindergarten? Do your kids play with the flashy toy for a couple of weeks and then it sits neglected with the rest? These are […]
Top 5 Things I Learned as a New Early Intervention Therapist ~ by Haley, Shine DT
Shine Developmental Therapist (DT) Haley wrote this list 2 months after joining us. Early Intervention in Illinois is a State run program, and as such can be cumbersome and confusing to navigate at first. However, there are so many positives to the family-based team approach! Let’s read about Haley’s Top 5 as a new therapist […]
Stopping the “stimming”….a developmental therapist’s view.
How it feels to a kiddo when we stop them from “stimming”….Is it harmful when someone forces them to stop or suppress their “stimming?” You bet it is! Speak to someone on the autism spectrum about how it feels. They describe it as very uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. It causes their nervous system to […]
4 Tips (with video examples!) for Reading to an Infant/Toddler/Preschooler
Wondering how to make the most of storytime for your toddler? Whether they are not yet talking, just starting to say words or talking in phrases, here are some ways to make storytime more INTERACTIVE and PRODUCTIVE for your child. As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, i recommend the following: Overexaggerate mouth movements & use gestures […]
10 Books for Children with Speech Delays With Pro Tips from a Pediatric SLP!
Books have been an essential part of our therapy sessions for years! Young children’s books often have a rhyme or rhythm like a song that catches their attention. It is only when we catch our little one’s attention that learning takes place! Some of these books are repetitious with predictable phrases, making it easier to […]