THE EI SLP

therapy bundle
THANK YOU!
Thank you for downloading the EI SLP Therapy Bundle. This is a collection
of all my favorite resources for children under four. These handouts were
created to educate parents and professionals on evidence-based strategies
for supporting early communication skills. Therapy approaches should
always be individualized based on the unique strengths and support needs
of each child.

TERMS OF USE
You may print these resources and share them with parents and other
professionals on your team to support therapy objectives. You may not
share the digital bundle file with others. Please direct others to maintain
their own copy of the bundle when relevant. You are not permitted to
repost this file without written consent.
Copyright Early & Bright 2023. All rights reserved.

LET'S CONNECT!
Hi! I'm Laura Brown- a pediatric SLP, mom of two, and
early intervention specialist. One of my favorite things
is connecting with other professionals who share my
passion for early communication skills and child
development. As a member of the Early & Bright
community, you will have access to one free digital
resource each month. I look forward to continuing
this conversation about early language development!

Facebook: Early & Bright

Instagram: @earlyandbrightlsp
Email: laura@earlyandbrightslp.com
 The Four
Therapy with prelinguistic children should focus on
developing skills in these four key areas.
INTERACTION
Socially interested in others
Turns toward someone speaking
to them
Demonstrates joint engagement
and/or joint attention
Engages in simple play routines
Takes turns vocalizing or takes
turns in simple play routines
Uses objects functionally (ex:
putting a hat on their head)
Displays functional and symbolic
play skills
INPUT
Anticipates what will happen
next in a routine
Understands common words
and phrases in context
(ex: bye-bye, peek-a-boo)
Looks at an object or person
when named
Identifies common vocabulary
Follows routine directions with
cues
Follows simple one-step
directions
EARLY & BRIGHT
s
INTENT
Communicates with triadic
eye gaze
Communicates with contact
and/or distal gestures
Communicates with
representational gestures
and/or signs
Pairs vocalizations with eye
gaze and/or gestures to
communicate
Communicates for a variety of
pragmatic functions
IMITATION
Participates in back and forth
vocalizations or play (ex:
blowing and popping bubbles)
Imitates gross motor
movements (ex: dancing)
Imitates functional actions in
play (ex: hitting a drum)
Imitates simple sounds (ex:
fake cough, mmm for yummy)
Imitates play sounds (ex:
whoa!, moo)
Imitates simple words (ex: uh-
oh, mama, ball)
 COMMUNICATION ESSENTIALS
USE LESS PRESSURE AND MORE MODELING TO SET
YOUR CHILD UP FOR COMMUNICATION SUCCESS

1. INSTEAD OF QUIZZING
EX: "WHAT'S THIS?",

SAY "ITS A CAR!"

2. INSTEAD OF SAYING
"USE YOUR WORDS",

MODEL THE WORDS YOU THINK THEY WANT TO SAY, EX: "I NEED HELP!"

3. INSTEAD OF ASKING THEM TO IMITATE YOU

OVER AND OVER,

TRY TWICE AND MOVE ON

4. INSTEAD OF WITHHOLDING THE

ITEM THEY WANT,

MODEL THE WORD, GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO IMITATE, & GIVE THEM THE ITEM

5. INSTEAD OF SAYING "DO IT NOW" OR

ISSUING A THREAT,

SAY, "LET'S DO IT TOGETHER!"

EARLY & BRIGHT

COMMUNICATION STARTS WITH CONNECTION
Five therapeutic practices that support connection and engagement.

CO-REGULATION CHILD-LED INTERACTIONS

Co-regulation means offering support
and modeling to help children achieve
their just-right state where they are
ready to be engaged and learn.
Regulation strategies will vary
depending on the unique sensory
needs of a child, but may include
swinging, heavy work, squeezes, and
modifying the environment.*
Children need to be interested in
order to learn. Follow their lead- wait
and watch to see how they choose to
play before joining in. Respond to
their cues and notice what catches
their attention. This creates reciprocal
interactions that are meaningful and
motivating for the child.

SUPPORTED JOINT ENGAGEMENT

When a child focuses on an item or other point of interest and
an adult joins in. They may provide contingent language input,
model play, or show a child how something works.
Ex: The child looks at an airplane in the sky and the adult says,
"Wow! An airplane! It's flying."
Ex: The child dumps out a basket of magnatiles and the adult
sits beside them and starts to build.

CONTINGENT IMITATION
A strategy in which the adult
intentionally imitates a child's body
movements, actions with objects,
gestures, and vocalizations in view of
the child. This creates an opportunity
for reciprocal interactions and
increases social engagement.
HONOR ALL
COMMUNICATION
Acknowledge all communicative
behaviors and respond accordingly. Try
to determine what the intended
message is and model language to
match. Allow children to protest,
respect their cues, and teach them that
they have the right to say no.

*Collaborate with an OT to identify sensory support strategies that are individualized for each child.

EARLY & BRIGHT

 CHILD-LED
INTERACTIONS
THE BENEFITS OF CHILD-LED INTERACTIONS
Child-led interactions allow the child to guide the activity. The adult honors their
interests while ensuring safety and providing boundaries as necessary. When
we follow a child's lead, we prioritize connection over compliance. Child-led
interactions lead to increased engagement and create more opportunities for
social reciprocity. Social engagement and reciprocity create the foundation for
all other communication skills to develop.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOLLOW THEIR LEAD

Notice when your child wants to
explore an item (even if it's not
something you would consider a
toy) and allow them to play with
THE CHILD WAIT AND COMMENT ON items (as is appropriate and safe).
PICKS HOW NOTICE BEFORE WHAT CATCHES
TO PLAY JOINING THEIR ATTENTION Copy what your child does with
items and toys or add on to what
they are doing.

Place several books on the floor

and let them choose by seeing
RESPOND TO BE FLEXIBLE HONOR ALL which one they pick up.
THEIR CUES WITH THE PLAN COMMUNICTION
In a space where they can move
freely, see how they decide to
THE RESEARCH move or where they go and follow
them.
Interactive caregivers using responsiveness
strategies were essential in developing joint Notice when a sound in the
attention in infants ages 13 and 17 months environment catches their
attention and talk about what
(Loy et al., 2018).
they heard.

There is a positive relationship between Set up a water table, sensory bin,

following the child's interest (to support or sandbox, and watch and wait to
coordinated attention) and later see how they enjoy playing before
vocabulary size (Abney et al., 2020). joining.

EARLY & BRIGHT

 TOYS AND PLAY
A SIMPLE GUIDE FOR SUPPORTING EARLY
DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PLAY

Think outside of the box: seek out and encourage play

experiences that involve more than just play with toys.

PLAY IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN TOYS!

Play is about joy and connection. There are so many ways to experience play that don't
involve playing with toys. Before children are able to play with toys in a conventional way,
they may prefer body movement activities, people games (ex: peek-a-boo and tickles), singing
and dancing, or exploring their environment with their sense of touch, sound, and sight. Play
helps us connect with children and enter their world. This engagement and connection is
integral in forming a foundation for communication skills to develop (Su 2020).

WAYS TO PLAY
THE RESEARCH ON PLAY
Having fewer toys available increases attention and
engagement and improves the quality of interactions
between the child and caregiver. Select 3-5 toys and
BODY PEOPLE EXPLORATORY keep the rest put away (Koskulu 2021).
MOVEMENT GAMES PLAY
Playing with simple toys is more beneficial than
playing with smart toys. Consider traditional choices
like balls, blocks, dolls, trucks, and books. Parents talk
more and model more specific vocabulary when
playing with simple toys (O'Neill, 2019).
SINGING & CREATIVE PLAY WITH
DANCING PLAY TOYS
Kids learn language through playful, socially-
contingent interactions. These are those back and
TIPS FOR PLAYING forth interactions with a partner who is responding in
real time. This is one of the primary reasons that
GET ON THE FLOOR & SIT FACE-TO-FACE.
young children are not able to learn from videos and
TV (Roseberry 2014).
HAVE JUST A FEW TOYS OUT.

WAIT AND WATCH; FOLLOW THEIR LEAD.
RESPOND TO WHAT THEY DO AND WAIT.
GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO RESPOND IN
TURN AND TRY TO KEEP IT GOING BACK
AND FORTH.
Open-ended toys (ex: blocks, art supplies, figures)
promote increased creativity, problem-solving, and
independent play when compared to close-ended
toys like electronic toys and puzzles (Trawick-Smith,
2014).

EARLY & BRIGHT

TEACH YOUR
CHILD TO: follow directions
Help your child learn to follow one-step directions by showing them
what to do, doing these actions together, or helping them as needed.

WAKING UP GIVE ME YOUR PACIFIER, GET YOUR DIAPER,

FIND A SHIRT/PANTS/SOCKS/SHOES

INDOOR PLAY FIND YOUR (CAR), STACK BLOCKS, HIT THE DRUM,
PUT TOYS AWAY (IN A BIN OR BASKET)

OUTDOOR GET YOUR SHOES, PUT ON YOUR HAT, GO UP THE

PLAY STAIRS, COME DOWN THE SLIDE, COME WITH ME

GIVE ME A BITE, WIPE YOUR FACE, THROW AWAY

MEALTIMES
YOUR NAPKIN, PUT YOUR CUP IN THE SINK

THROW THE BALL, PET THE DOG, GIVE THE

PLAY WITH A PET
DOG A TREAT, GET THE LEASH

WIPE THE TABLE, PICK UP TOYS, WATER THE

CHORES
FLOWERS, PUT CLOTHES IN THE HAMPER

BATH TAKE OFF YOUR SOCKS, GET YOUR TOWEL, GET IN THE
BATH, SIT DOWN, WASH YOUR HEAD/BELLY/TOES

NIGHT TIME BRUSH YOUR TEETH, PICK A BOOK, TURN THE

ROUTINE PAGE, HUG YOUR TEDDY, GIVE ME A KISS

EARLY & BRIGHT

 LINGUISTIC MAPPING
Use your child's nonverbal communication
cues and model gestures and words that match.

1. Grabbing at the counter and vocalizing to get

(crackers).

You point to the crackers and say "crackers", "I'm hungry", "I want a snack".

2. Grabbing at your clothes and whining for you

to pick them up.

You model holding your hands up and say "up", "up mommy", "pick me up".

3. Taking your hand and pulling you over to an item or activity they
want you to see.

You model come here hands and say, "come on", "let's go mommy"

4. Bringing you a toy that requires

help.

You hold up the toy and say, "help", "I need help", "open it please"

5. Diving out of your arms when you are holding them

to get down.

You point down and say "down", "put me down", "I want down".

EARLY & BRIGHT

EARLY VOCABULARY TARGETS
Focus on functional vocabulary first: words that can be
used to request, protest, and comment on the environment

core words descriptors

more, help, all done, little, big, happy, sad,
on, off, in, out, up, hungry, clean, dirty,
down, go, stop, mine fast, slow, hot, cold

nouns verbs
people, toys, foods, eat, drink, play, give,
animals, body parts, open, wash, run,
clothing items read, sleep

Core words: common words that can be used across multiple contexts

SAVE FOR LATER: COLORS,

NUMBERS, LETTERS, SHAPES

EARLY & BRIGHT

EARLY IMITATION SKILLS
Practice sound imitation by modeling
simple sounds paired with actions in play

PET A DRIVE A SAY HUHUHU

STUFFIE AND CAR AND BLOW AND WAVE HAND
SAY AWW RASPBERRIES TO COOL OFF

RUB YOUR FAKE STICK OUT

BELLY AND LAUGH, COUGH, YOUR TONGUE
SAY MMM OR SNEEZE AND SAY EH!

SAY KHHH
PANT LIKE LION
WHILE YOU PLAY
A DOG BREATH
BLAST OFF

SAY UGH!
SMACK YOUR
TAKE A DRINK AND PRETEND
LIPS WHILE
AND SAY AHH SOMETHING IS
EATING
HEAVY

EARLY & BRIGHT

 COMMUNICATION TEMPTATIONS
TRY THESE IDEAS TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR YOUR CHILD TO COMMUNICATE AND SAY WORDS!

MAKE ITEMS CREATE A

INACCESIBLE
EX: PUT FAVORITE ITEMS HIGH
ON A SHELF WHERE THEY CAN'T
REACH OR PUT THEM IN A
CONTAINER THEY CAN'T OPEN
SILLY PROBLEM
EX: GIVE YOUR CHILD
YOGURT, BUT NO SPOON OR
PUT THEM IN THE BATH TUB
WITH NO WATER

DO SOMETHING OFFER TWO

UNEXPECTED
EX: PUT YOUR CHILD'S HAT ON
YOUR HEAD, DRINK FROM
THEIR CUP, OR PAUSE IN THE
MIDDLE OF A SINGING A SONG
CHOICES
EX: GIVE THEM A CHOICE FOR
WHAT TO EAT, WHICH
PAJAMAS TO WEAR, OR WHICH
BOOK TO READ

EARLY & BRIGHT

 TIPS & GUIDANCE
FIRST WORDS
CHECKLIST
CV (consonant + vowel) and CVCV words will be the easiest first words for your child;
these words are in the first column
Try words with sounds your child is already producing (in babbling or spoken words)
First words are almost always approximations and it is very common for children to
substitute one sound for another or leave the ending sounds off their words; speech
sounds become more accurate between ages 2-4

mama up milk baby

dada uh-oh mine where

papa eat moon water

bubble on more wash

choo choo off down night night

puppy out dog nose

boo boo ouch duck bird

hi apple dig stop

bye open pop teeth

go again push toe

ball all done hug cup

me bath hat cookie

no book hot cat

yeah bus home car

shoe bear help fish

whoa big hop cheese

OTHER FIRST WORDS:

*First words will vary according to a child's interests, family values, and culture.
Always teach words that are motivating and meaningful to your child.
EARLY & BRIGHT
 PARENT-IMPLEMENTED
INTERVENTIONS

THE DREAM TEAM: THERAPISTS AND CAREGIVERS

Early intervention works best when therapists and caregivers collaborate. As the
expert on their child, caregivers can provide important information about their child's
strengths and preferences that will make therapy more meaningful and motivating.
This includes selecting goals that are important to the individual child and family.
As experts on early language development, therapists can introduce intervention
strategies based on a child's strengths and areas of need. When parents are
educated on how to implement these interventions outside of therapy sessions,
children are able to receive more intervention, which leads to better outcomes.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

THE RESEARCH
TIME A meta-analysis of interventions for autistic
SPENT WITH children indicated that parent and teacher
CAREGIVERS
involvement in the intervention was one of
the most important factors in predicting
intervention success.
(Berjarano-Martin et al., 2021)

Children ages 12-24 months who received

One hour of therapy per week accounts for just 1% of a
child's waking hours. Parent-implemented interventions
allow for skills to be practiced every day which
increases the effectiveness of the intervention.
IDEAS FOR HOME PRACTICE
parent-implemented language therapy
added significantly more spoken words and
demonstrated higher skills on language
assessments when compared to a control
group with no intervention.
(Roberts and Kaiser, 2012)

FOCUS ON ONE STRATEGY A WEEK. REFER TO A meta-analysis of parent-implemented

A HANDOUT OR WRITTEN SUMMARY FROM THE
THERAPIST DESCRIBING WHAT TO WORK ON.
CREATE A JOINT PLAN AND BRAINSTORM
WAYS TO PRACTICE AT HOME.
PICK ONE ROUTINE TO FOCUS ON.
interventions for children with language
disorders concluded that these interventions
have a significant, positive effect on
receptive and expressive language abilities.
(Roberts and Kaiser, 2011)

EARLY & BRIGHT