Stage 2 NLA

ByLondon Speech and Feeding February 23, 2024February 15, 2024

Last time we asked: is our child ready tp move to Stage 2 NLA (Natural Language Acquisition stage 2) and we looked at how we can know. Now we know: he/she is ready, they are mixing and matching those scripts quite liberally! Hurrah!

So for example we hear phrases like:

‘let’s go’+ ‘downstairs’
‘it’s’ + ‘downstairs’
‘I see it’ + ‘downstairs‘
‘I want to’ + ‘shoes downstairs’ (I want to put my shoes on downstairs)

To recap, it’s important to listen out to a variety of contexts because if we only hear the single version of a gestalt —this is so great, hurrah!— but that’s not yet Stage 2.

What we can now do on a daily basis to help and support at this time:

1. We need to offer more ‘mix and match’ phrases to help our child establish this new way of communicating.

Good phrases:

It’s … raining / cooking / eating / washing / brushing
That’s … great / cool / amazing / wow / so good
Let’s … see / look / go / run / chase
How’bout … some food / playing / I’ll chase / sleeping / we read a book
I see a … bird / large car / fire engine
I wanna … have a biscuit / have a book / have a snuggle
We’re … going out / going home / going in the car / going upstairs

Here in my video clip of train play I use:

Let’s go
It’s going up the hill
It’s coming down
Ooops it falls!
It’s stopping
Let’s put on another parcel
Ready steady go
Off we go
It’s come off!
Let’s fix it
I can do it
I don’t need help

You can offer these gestalts either with an AAC as you can see me do in the video clip or you can just verbally offer these.

2. Watch out for Pronoun confusion or reversal:

Gestalt kids repeat gestalts, so we don’t want to create ‘pronoun reversal’.

Instead model from a:

first person perspective: ‘I’ / ‘Our’ / ‘Us’
joint perspective: ‘We’ / ‘Let’s’ or a
neutral perspective: ‘It’

You can turn almost any sentence into a good language model once you get used to it. And you can avoid ‘you’ and ‘your’ at the same time!

So instead of saying, ‘Do you want to go to the park?’

You could say:

We wanna go to the park?
Let’s go out?
Shall we go out / to the park?

3. Start providing ‘variation’ in your language modelling:

Instead of just modelling something one way, start thinking about offering a pattern in a couple of other ways, in a couple of different situations, then several ways in several different situations.

Example: once you hear your child saying: ‘it’s raining’ and you know it’s a mitigation, because you don’t often say ‘it’s raining’, or haven’t said it in a while and you know your child says other ‘it’s’ phrases.

Repeat: ‘it’s raining!’

Then: ‘it’s’ + ‘raining hard’ / ‘it’s wet out there’ / ‘It’s’ + ‘raining lot’s’.

Then later think of other combinations for ‘it’s’ + ‘something’:

(rice) ‘It’s’ + ‘cooking’
(water/tap) ‘It’s’ + ‘running’
(radio) ‘It’s’ + ‘singing
(dog) ‘It’s’ + ‘peeing’ / ‘it’s’ + ‘running’ / ‘it’s’ + ‘jumping’

In my train video clip:

Let’s go
It’s going
Let’s make it go
Ready steady go
Oops its gone

4. Use natural intonation that shows you really mean what you’re saying.

You can be animated or try for musical if your child prefers that / doesn’t mind you singing —they might not like it if their hearing is pitch perfect and your singing is off key…—

‘I’m’ + ‘trying to find you!’ (animated, goofy face)
‘I’m’ +’ getting tired!’ (exaggerated stretch and yawn)
‘I’m’ + ‘catching up with you!’ (animated goofy)
‘I’m’ + ‘gonna get you!’ (animated goofy)
‘I’m’ + ‘sad right now’ (exaggerated face and tone of voice)

5. USE SILENCE!

Important, I might not have said this before but we need to hold back sometimes (hard I know) and not constantly offer models. Let our child sit in a bit of silence with us there just observing and waiting for their own offers. This is a very important point. Silence is golden sometimes. Try it out. I am not talking about the silence that comes with a person scrolling on their phone though, we do need to be present and receptive.

You will see this works wonders!

Do get in touch if you would like some in-person or on-line 1:1 support with this. It can be overwhelming to figure it all out alone.

You can also check my friend’s lovely handmade jewelry on her website.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

Your child’s communication journey

ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 7, 2026January 5, 2026

Understanding our neurodiversity-affirming, child-led approach

Welcome to a different kind of therapy!

The start of a new year often brings fresh hope, and sometimes fresh worries, for parents supporting their child’s communication. I am always genuinely excited to begin a new journey with children and their families, and I know that, for many parents, this kind of therapy may look very different from what they were expecting.

Parents (and children!) are often surprised to discover that our sessions are playful, joyful, and intentionally low-pressure. You won’t see demands for eye contact, sitting still, or being told to ‘do it this way’ or ‘put the red square there’. Instead, you’ll see your child being met exactly where they are.

For families who have previously experienced more adult-led or behaviour-based approaches including Applied Behaviour Therapy, this difference can feel unfamiliar at first. Because of that, I want to take a moment to prepare you for what child-led, neurodiversity-affirming therapy looks like, so you can feel confident, comfortable, and reassured from day one.

Why doesn’t child-led therapy look like ‘traditional’ therapy?

Many people picture speech and language therapy as sitting at a table, using flashcards, or practising words through repetition. While those approaches can work well for some children, they are often not effective or appropriate for many neurodivergent children—including children with autistic profiles, ADHD, or demand-sensitive nervous systems.

Our approach is grounded in a simple and powerful truth:

Children learn best when they feel safe, motivated, and emotionally connected.

When a child’s nervous system feels calm and secure, learning becomes possible. When a child feels pressured or controlled, communication often shuts down, even if they can speak.

🎯 Our purpose: Communication through connection

Our goal is not simply to help your child say more words. Our goals go deeper and are built on strong foundations:

Trust and regulation: We focus on building a trusting relationship where your child feels safe, understood, and emotionally regulated. A calm nervous system is the starting point for all communication.
Motivation: We follow your child’s intrinsic motivation, the things they naturally enjoy to make communication meaningful, joyful, and purposeful.
Spontaneous communication: We create opportunities for your child to communicate because they want to, not because they are asked or instructed to.

🧸 What to expect in a session

Our sessions are intentionally child-led and often look very much like play.

Feature	What it looks like	Why we do this
Minimal toys	We usually offer just 3–4 carefully chosen activities (such as bubbles, blocks, or sensory play).	Less is more. Fewer choices reduce overwhelm and help children focus on what genuinely interests them.
Child chooses	Your child decides what to play with and how to engage.	This immediately establishes us as a safe, non-demanding partner and increases motivation.
The therapist’s role	We join your child’s play, observing closely and responding naturally.	We model language, share attention, and reflect your child’s experiences in a way that feels natural and supportive.
No pressure or demands	There are no ‘must-do’ tasks. If your child wants to spin, crash, line up toys, or repeat an activity, we follow.	Reducing demands lowers anxiety and supports communication, particularly for children with demand-sensitive profiles.

Is this really effective?

It’s completely natural to wonder, ‘Are they just playing?’ The answer is yes, and very intentionally so.

Our sessions are guided by nearly 30 years of speech and language therapy experience, alongside clear, achievable goals tailored to each individual child. Play is a child’s natural language and their most powerful learning tool.

Within play, we are constantly creating opportunities to:

Build joint attention (sharing focus and interest)
Model language at the right level
Encourage back-and-forth communication
Develop a deep, authentic connection

If your child has struggled to engage or communicate in more structured or demand-heavy settings, this child-led approach is often the key to unlocking their potential.

💛 What this might look like at home

You may notice that when pressure is reduced:

Your child begins communicating more during everyday routines
Language emerges through play, movement, or shared enjoyment
Communication feels more natural and less forced

Small moments could be a shared smile, a look, a sound, a gesture. All matter. These are the building blocks of meaningful communication.

📚 Resources for parents

If you’d like to explore these ideas further, you may find the following helpful:

Book: Uniquely Human by Dr Barry Prizant
Approaches: The Hanen Program and DIR/Floortime Model
Further reading: Searching ‘Neurodiversity-affirming speech therapy’ or ‘Child-led therapy’

I look forward to meeting you and your child. Please bring any questions, uncertainties, or curiosities to our first session, there is no such thing as a silly question. This is a journey we take together. Contact me via my contact form.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Toys

How do we play with our Gestalt Language Processors?
ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 17, 2024January 4, 2024

Image by Freepik

Child-led therapy

When working with Gestalt Language Processors, it is always advisable to use child-led therapy. What does that mean? Child led therapy involves following a child’s interests and allowing her/him to lead the play activity throughout the speech and language therapy session. In other words, instead of having my own ideas of what we might want to play with or what activities I might try and use, I provide a range of toys I know the child likes or has played well with before; then I wait for the child to pick what she/he enjoys doing.

Play can be very repetitive and we can often see our child cycling back to the same one or two toys throughout the session. But this is what she/he needs to do at that time and it means that we have focused attention and engagement. This in turn is very helpful for the therapeutic process, which is to offer great scripts and phrases/words alongside what she/he is playing with.

Monotropic minds

Often the mind of autistic children is more strongly pulled towards a smaller number of interests or hobbies as I like to call them. Dr Dinah Murray, Dr Winn Lawson and Mike Lesser have found in 2005 that autistic people have ‘monotropic’ minds. They explain that autistic children focus their energy on a narrow range of activities as the energy required to switch between several toys is much higher than we would see in the neuro-typical population.

Gestalt Language Processors are often also Gestalt Cognitive Processors. This is when experiences are retained as episodic events and memories. An event is remembered by specific parts of the same event. And, therefore, these specific parts should always be part of that event, when the event is repeated.

Should any of the specifics be changed or are missing, then this can cause great upset to Gestalt Cognitive Processors. So, for example, if the last two times in speech therapy we had the train set out and this was played with happily, then this becomes a specific part of the whole session. If, I then don’t offer the train set the third time a child comes to see me, this could be very upsetting.

This is why I tend to try this out and see what happens. Usually in the 3^rd or 4^th session: I might not bring out the car run that has hitherto been super successful to see if we are able to transition well to other toys. If yes, then we can have new experiences but if not then I will re-offer the car run/or whatever toy pretty quickly so as not to cause complete dysregulation.

A few pointers below which help with child-led play:

Introduce a few new toys and see what happens

Parents are encouraged to bring some familiar toys their child likes to the session. We can then introduce a couple of different toys to see how we go. Try offering a new toy alongside the familiar one; try offering new toys without the familiar one present, but be prepared to re-offer the “old” toy should our child get upset.

Rotate toys and don’t offer out too many toys

I find that children can get overwhelmed and overstimulated by too many items out all at once. I always talk to parents about toy rotation at home and I encourage storage and ‘tidy up’ of toys so that we can increase attention focus, and also maintain freshness and new interest in older toys.

Some children are not yet ready to play with toys

Here I suggest people games: these are games where the adult becomes part of a more motor-based activity. Some call it ‘rough and tumble play’ but it can be nursery rhymes such as sleeping bunnies/row row the boat or peek-a-boo for the younger ones.

Copy/Imitation is so important – try getting two identical or similar play items

When we are copying our child, it is often not desirable to ‘take turns’ with their toys/blogs/cars etc as our child may not be ready to let us take a turn. Instead, if we have the exact same toy that our child is having then we can play alongside our child and copy them perfectly without interrupting their play.

References:

Murray, D., Lesser, M., & Lawson, W. (2005). Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Autism, 9(2), 139-156.

If you need help with your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

The joy of container play: Exploring play development and understanding of how things work
ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 15, 2025January 8, 2025
Designed by Freepik

Have you heard the term ‘Container play’? I use this very often with children in my sessions as it is so versatile and an enjoyable activity that can be done in parallel with a child or together. Container play is a powerful tool for fostering development in young children, especially those with developmental delays. This seemingly mundane activity provides a rich environment for sensory exploration, motor skill development, and cognitive growth.

What is container play?

Container play involves children interacting with various containers—boxes, buckets, bowls, cups, various bags, etc.—and filling, emptying, and transferring objects within and between them. Objects can include literally anything: small beads, bead chains, table tennis balls, wooden pegs, dinosaurs or any other little person toy, blocks of varying sizes, sand, water, or any other safe material. Larger containers obviously take larger items: socks, stuffed animals, bigger balls, bigger blocks etc really the choices are endless.

Benefits for children with developmental delays:

Sensory exploration:
- Touch: Children explore different textures and temperatures of containers and objects.
- Sight: They observe how objects look inside and outside the containers, how light reflects off them, and how colours change.
- Sound: They listen to the sounds of objects clinking, rattling, and splashing.
- Proprioception: Filling and emptying containers helps develop body awareness and spatial awareness.
For neurodivergent children who might have sensory regulation difficulties, consider the following adaptions to accommodate your child’s sensory needs:
- Over-stimulation: For children who are easily overstimulated, start with simple setups using a limited number of containers and objects. Gradually increase the complexity as they tolerate it.
- Under-stimulation: For children who seek sensory input, provide a variety of textures and materials, such as sand, water, slime, or beans.
- Temperature: Offer a variety of temperature options. Some children may enjoy warm water or cool sand.
- Lighting: Adjust the lighting to create a calming or stimulating environment.
- Focus on one sense at a time: Initially, focus on one sensory aspect, such as the feel of sand or the sound of water.
- Weighted containers: Use heavy containers filled with rice or beans to provide deep pressure input.
- Fidget toys: Incorporate fidget toys into the activity to provide sensory input and help with self-regulation.
- Tactile exploration: Encourage exploration of different textures using objects with varying surfaces.
Fine motor skill development:
- Hand-eye coordination: Scooping, pouring, and transferring objects require precise hand-eye coordination.
- Pincer grasp: Picking up small objects helps develop fine motor skills like the pincer grasp.
- Strength and dexterity: Manipulating containers and objects strengthens hand muscles and improves dexterity. Opening and closing containers can be a huge area of interest; how does the top screw back on, or off?
Cognitive development:
- Cause and effect: Children learn that their actions (e.g., pouring water or sand) have consequences (e.g., the water spills).
- Spatial awareness: They develop an understanding of concepts like inside, outside, full, empty, and over/under; also how big is the vessel and how much goes in before it’s full or spills over. How small is the vessel opening and what do I need to do to get the beads into the container.
- Problem-solving: Children learn to solve problems, such as how to get an object out of a narrow container or how to transfer water without spilling.
Social and emotional development:
- Communication: Container play can encourage communication as children interact with others, sharing toys and commenting on their actions. Asking for help to open and close a container is often a great opportunity to practise ‘help me’ or ‘open it’
- Turn-taking: Sharing containers and materials helps children learn to take turns and cooperate.
- Sensory regulation: For children with sensory sensitivities, container play can be a calming and self-regulating activity.
Tips for engaging children in container play:
- Create a safe and inviting environment. A shower curtain on the floor makes things easier for tidy up afterwards. And it allows for spillages.
- Provide a variety of containers: Use different sizes, shapes, and materials. Use containers that are visually interesting and pleasing, perhaps a festive biscuit tin, or a tin that looks like train engine. Use see-through containers at first which make the filling and emptying more obvious. This is important for children who have no previous experience with this type of play and need to ‘warm up’ to it. Once a child loves and is used to container play you can go wild with all types of containers.
- Offer a variety of objects: Include balls, blocks, sand, water, and other age-appropriate materials.
- Join in the fun! Start off the process, show your child what the joy of the activity is for yourself, how fun it is to fill and empty containers, provide enough containers for your child to start playing alongside you, and comment on their actions.
- Follow your child’s lead: Allow them to explore and experiment at their own pace.
- Adapt activities: Adjust the level of challenge based on your child’s abilities and interests.
Container play is a simple yet powerful tool that can support the overall development of young children, especially those with developmental delays. By providing a rich and engaging sensory experience, container play can help children build essential skills in motor, cognitive, social, and emotional domains.

If you have any questions or would like to have more in-depths demonstration of this or other play styles for your child please contact me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Speech and Language Therapy

Tele-Speechtherapy: Online, connected, and highly effective
ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 19, 2026January 15, 2026
When parents first enquire about speech and language therapy, many assume it will happen face-to-face, in a clinic room, with a therapist sitting across from their child.

So when therapy is offered online, it’s natural for questions to arise:

Can this really work? Will my child engage? Will progress be slower?

This short video offers a glimpse into what online therapy can look like: calm, interactive, relationship-based, and surprisingly effective.

Online therapy is not ‘less than’ in the right circumstances

Teletherapy is not suitable for every child in every situation. However, for many school-aged children, particularly those who enjoy conversation, technology, and shared activities, online therapy can be an excellent fit.

The child you see in this video is around eight years old and was supported for a persistent lisp. Sessions were primarily online, with the occasional in-person appointment when helpful.

What made the difference was not the screen. It was the combination of engagement, support, and consistency.

Parent involvement changes everything

One of the greatest strengths of online therapy is the way it naturally invites parents in.

In this case, parents regularly joined the video sessions:
- Listening in
- Taking part when appropriate
- Learning how to support practice gently between sessions
This meant that therapy didn’t stay ‘on the screen’. Strategies carried over into everyday conversation, making progress faster and more meaningful.

Speech sound therapy, including support for lisps, relies heavily on awareness, feedback, and confidence, all of which can be supported very effectively at home with the right guidance.

Therapy through a screen can still be deeply relational

A common concern is whether connection can truly be built online.

In reality, many children feel more relaxed in their own home environment. They are often more willing to talk, experiment with sounds, and reflect on their speech when they feel comfortable and supported.

Online sessions allow:
- Shared focus and conversation
- Clear visual feedback
- Real-life practice in a familiar setting
- Immediate parent support
For some children, this actually enhances engagement rather than limits it.

Real progress, real outcomes

Over the course of approximately 12 online sessions, alongside a small number of in-person appointments, this child achieved resolution of their lisp.

Progress was steady, positive, and confidence-building. Importantly, the child remained motivated and proud of their achievements throughout the process.

While every child’s journey is different, this example highlights what is possible when:
- The child is ready
- Parents are involved
- Therapy is tailored and collaborative
If you’re considering online therapy

If you’re unsure whether teletherapy could work for your child, it’s worth remembering that effective speech and language therapy is less about the room you’re in, and more about:
- Relationship
- Understanding
- Consistency
- Carryover into daily life
For many families, online therapy offers flexibility, accessibility, and excellent outcomes especially when parents are active partners in the process.

If you’re at the start of your child’s speech journey and wondering whether online therapy could be the right fit, I’m always happy to talk it through. Sometimes clarity begins with simply understanding what therapy can look like

Teletherapy: Frequently Asked Questions

Is online speech and language therapy really effective?

Yes. For many children, particularly school-aged children, online therapy can be highly effective. Progress depends far more on engagement, consistency, and support than on physical location.

What age does online therapy work best for?

Teletherapy often works well for children from around six years and up, especially those who can attend to a screen, enjoy conversation, and follow simple instructions. That said, suitability is always considered individually and often a supportive adult is needed to help guide the child through the activities.

Can speech sound work (such as a lisp) really be done online?

Absolutely. Speech sound therapy relies on clear visual feedback, listening skills, and practice all of which can be supported very effectively online. Many children respond particularly well when practising in their own home environment.

Do parents need to be involved in sessions?

Parental involvement is strongly encouraged. Parents may sit in, join parts of the session, or support practice between appointments. This involvement often leads to quicker progress and better carryover into everyday speech.

Will my child still build a relationship with the therapist?

Yes. Strong therapeutic relationships can and do develop online. Many children feel more relaxed and confident communicating from home, which can actually enhance connection and learning.

Is online therapy suitable for every child?

Not in my experience. Some children benefit more from in-person support, or a combination of online and face-to-face sessions. A discussion and initial assessment help determine the best approach for each child.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Speech and Language Therapy

Let’s relax about making EYE CONTACT already…
ByLondon Speech and Feeding April 19, 2023April 11, 2023
There’s been a long tradition with teaching staff and with Speech and Language Therapists working in schools that eye contact should be a goal. It is well known that Autistic individuals (whether that be children or adults) mostly avoid eye contact. Whilst it’s part of the way we communicate, it shouldn’t be used as a necessity for an individual who feels that it is uncomfortable. Whilst it does show that you’re listening and showing an interest, it’s not a fair expectation for neurodiverse children.

Autistic children can find making and maintaining eye contact physically and emotionally uncomfortable as well as unnatural. It adds an extra layer of stress and has been reported to increase distractions rather than reduce them. Children who engage in conversations in their own way (i.e., with reduced eye contact) are not shown to suffer with schooling, work, or social interaction.

By having fun through meaningful activities, I often experience that ‘BINGO’ moment (a phrase coined by Alex @meaningfulspeech) where the child is enjoying themselves and naturally makes eye contact. There is no demand on them, they are in a fun, engaging environment which suit their strengths and supports their needs.

Following this, I often reflect on this question ‘Should we make eye contact as a goal?’

It very much depends on the situation. If it places more demands on the child and becomes stressful. Then no. There are many strategies we can use which gain eye contact without placing extra demands on the child. We need to be mindful to adapt the environment and not place neurotypical expectations to meet the needs of neurodiverse children.

How can you encourage eye contact without demand?
- If you’re using toys, try holding them up to your eye level.
- You can adjust your position, try sitting face to face during play.
- Always get down to your child’s level. This might mean that you lay on the floor if your child is positioned in this way.
- During play, waiting is extremely powerful. Before a key part of the activity, wait and see if your child looks at you. Remember silence is golden!
- The best way I find is: do something unusual during play. It might be that you spray shaving foam with the lid still on. Or you bring out a wow toy and make it spin/light up or make a noise. A balloon can be good – see video clip. Use the excitement of the activity, and wait to see if you achieve that ‘BINGO’ moment.
- Create opportunities when there are no toys involved such as during ‘tickles’ or ‘hide and seek’. Autistic children find it difficult to shift their attention between a toy and an adult. So by removing one option, you’re setting them up to succeed.
Remember, it takes practice and time for you to develop these skills. Try one at a time and experiment, see which works best for your child. If you need speech, language or communication support or advice, I am always here to help.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips · Toys

How can we support babbling and early speech development? SLT tricks and tips
ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 3, 2024May 3, 2024
My baby isn’t babbling and developing speech – what can I do to support?

While every baby develops at their own pace, if your child isn’t babbling by nine months, it’s worth seeking help from an Early Intervention Health Professional, such as a doctor and a speech therapist. Don’t panic! There are many reasons for delayed babbling, and early intervention is key.

In the meantime, it is highly recommended that we talk, sing, and read to our baby often. Exaggerate sounds and expressions, and respond to their coos and smiles. This playful interaction helps stimulate their communication skills.

Below are some tips and tricks from my experience of working with babies and toddlers who need a little bit of help and support to develop.

The benefits of imitating your baby

Copying your baby’s sounds and gestures isn’t just silly fun, it’s a powerful learning tool! By mimicking their babbles and actions, you activate “mirror neurons” in their brain that help them connect sounds with meaning. This playful back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for conversation. Plus, it encourages them to copy you, building their own language skills and social interaction abilities.

Image by freepik

This is a nice clip on youtube showing how copying/imitating your baby looks like:

Here are some fun ways to imitate your baby:
- Matchmaker: Grab two of the same, or two similar toys your child loves, like rainmakers or shakers. Give one to your baby and keep the other for yourself. When your child plays with his/her toy, mirror his/her actions with yours! This creates a fun, interactive game.
- Face Time: Get down to your baby’s level, sitting opposite him/her on the floor or kneeling. This makes eye contact easy and encourages him/her to look at you during your playful imitation.
- Be the Funniest You: Go all out with silly faces, exaggerated sounds, and big gestures. The goal is to capture your baby’s attention and make you irresistible to watch. This playful energy encourages him/her to interact and potentially imitate you back!
By incorporating these tips, you can turn imitation into a fun and engaging way to boost your baby’s communication skills. I have seen this happen numerous times over the past decades. It is very powerful, go ahead and try it! You cannot be silly and goofy enough!

Great toy ideas:

Steel Tongue Drum

Baby Rainbow Rattle toys

Organza Veil Fabric good for hide and seek

Light up magic ball toy wand

The Glowhouse flashing swivel fan

Mini portable hand held body massager

Hape Beaded Raindrops

Bubbles – always handy keep in every room

Montessori Mirror

Antic Duck Peekaboo Knob Puzzle Suction Cup Spinner toys

Did you know that speech and language development starts with how we talk to our babies?

Adults naturally use a special way of speaking called motherese. It involves a higher pitch, slower pace, and exaggerated sounds compared to regular conversation. Sentences are simpler, with shorter words and repetition. This grabs babies’ attention, helps them distinguish sounds, and reinforces word meaning.

Imitation is a key part of motherese. We wait for our baby to make a sound or gesture, then playfully imitate it with exaggeration. Babies notice this right away and often respond with more vocalisations, creating a mini conversation. This back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for future conversations.

By responding warmly and engaging in these playful interactions, we encourage our babies to keep exploring the world of communication. Talking, singing, reading and, of course, imitating, these simple actions can have a big impact on a baby’s language development.

Once your conversation is underway then try and keep it going for as long as possible. It’s a beautiful dance of turn-taking, even without words!

A last word on oxytocin

There’s evidence suggesting early non-verbal communication with your baby can increase a mother’s oxytocin levels, often called the ‘love hormone’. This hormone plays a key role in bonding and social connection. Positive interactions, touch, and stress reduction all contribute to oxytocin release, strengthening the mother–baby bond.

For parents of babies with extra needs

The stress of caring for a child with medical needs or developmental delays can be difficult. Stress can lower oxytocin levels, creating a cycle of sadness for both parent and child.

Breaking the cycle:
1. Knowledge is Power: Understanding the importance of communication can empower parents.
2. Seek Support: Speech therapists and other healthcare professionals can provide valuable guidance on communication strategies.
3. Start Small, Celebrate Big: Even small interactions can boost oxytocin. Focus on playful imitation and positive reinforcement. Remember, friends, family and healthcare professionals are there to encourage you.
This approach can help reverse the negative cycle and create a more positive and connected relationship between parent and child.

I hope this is helpful! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Kind regards

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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