Meraki Speech Therapy

Meraki Speech Therapy Rooted in connection, creativity & love 💜

Meeting families where they are, at home, and in life. 🏡
In-home speech & language therapy across Orange County 💬
Play-based support, parent coaching, and everyday ideas that help communication grow naturally.

06/05/2026

One minute we’re building a castle for Buzz.

The next minute it’s “chicken bananas.”

Toddlers and preschoolers don’t always make sense, and that’s okay. When we follow their lead, join their pretend play, and build on their ideas, we create so many opportunities for communication.

While you’re playing, try modeling words like:

• build
• stack
• balance
• tall
• knock down
• push
• pull
• stick
• magnetic
• castle
• guard
• door
• tower
• inside
• on top
• uh oh! it fell!

You don’t need anything elaborate.

Just join the fun, and talk about what’s happening.

Ever wonder why your child says “Help you!” when they really mean “Help me”?Pronouns are some of the trickiest words tod...
06/03/2026

Ever wonder why your child says “Help you!” when they really mean “Help me”?

Pronouns are some of the trickiest words toddlers learn.

Unlike most words, pronouns change depending on who is talking.

For example, when you’re talking to your child, you naturally say:

“Do YOU want more?” “I can help YOU.” “Can YOU get it?”

But when your child talks, they need to switch those words and say:

“I want more.” “Help ME.” “I get it.”

That constant switching can be confusing for young children, which is why mixing up pronouns is often a normal part of development.

The good news? The more children hear pronouns used naturally during everyday conversations, the more they begin to figure them out.

Language develops over time, and pronouns are one of those skills that often take lots of practice.

What funny pronoun mix-ups has your child said lately? Share them below! ⬇️

05/30/2026

The cat sat on a mat. Sounds simple, right? Rhyming books do more than make story time fun. . When children hear rhyming words they start noticing that words are made up of similar sounds. This helps build phonological awareness, and early skill that supports reading later. . Rhyming also helps children recognize sound patterns in words. As they begin learning to read, those patterns make it easier to connect words that sound alike, such as cat, hat, bat, mat.

Between 13-18 months, communication is growing so much, and you may start hearing your toddler use single words.By aroun...
05/28/2026

Between 13-18 months, communication is growing so much, and you may start hearing your toddler use single words.

By around 18 months, some toddlers may have about 10 words in their vocabulary, while others are saying closer to 50.

Remember, words do not have to sound exactly the way an adult says them for them to count as words.

The range can vary a lot because every child develops at their own pace.

And communication includes so much more than spoken words.

Young toddlers are also beginning to:
• point to communicate
• use gestures
• make sounds intentionally
• follow simple directions
• understand familiar words and routines

Most toddlers understand much more than they can say at this age.

Tiny interactions throughout the day build language over time 💜

05/27/2026

I gave them an empty wrapping paper roll, and they came up with this game on their own. Sometimes the least exciting items turn into the best play.
“Ready, set, go” is one of my favorite early language phrases.
Plus, “GO” is a such a functional word for a toddler:
Let’s go!
Go outside
Go! (for toy vehicles)
Go away!
To begin teaching, start by modeling:
“Ready… set… GO!”
Do it a few times first.
Then try:
“Ready… set…” and pause.
Give them time to fill in the last word.
That pause matters.
A lot of children need extra processing time before jumping in.
Even if “go” doesn’t sound perfect yet, any attempt counts:
• “g”
• “doh”
• excited sounds
• gestures
• eye contact
It all counts as communication.
One thing that helps even more:
Hold onto the toy for a second, then release it after they attempt “go!”
That gives them a reason to communicate during play.
In this video, he’s saying the whole phrase independently now: “On your mark, get set, go!”

But it started with: “Ready… set…” 💜

05/23/2026

Sometimes you just want to snuggle and have your child in your lap while reading. 💜
But every once in a while, try turning the book outward and facing your child instead.

Get face-to-face. Get on their level.

When your child can see your mouth move, watch your facial expressions, and hear playful sounds up close, it creates opportunities for learning.

And remember… you do not have to read every word on the page.

Point. Make sounds. Pause. Repeat. Be silly. Follow their interest.

This little fish sound got his full attention 🐠

When it comes to language development, pronouns are tricky. I often hear from parents that their child is using “he” for...
05/22/2026

When it comes to language development, pronouns are tricky. I often hear from parents that their child is using “he” for “she” or “me” for “I”.

Words like:
I• me• you• he• she• they
take years to fully develop and use consistently.

Research shows children often begin using simple pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “you” around 18–24 months, while more complex pronouns continue developing through the preschool years.

Pronouns are actually a very complex language skill. Children are learning: • grammar • sentence structure •conversational roles. • perspective taking

That’s why pronoun mistakes can happen even when children are learning and making progress.

In Part 2, I’ll talk more about why children often mix up “me” and “you”. Follow to learn more.

Save this for later ✨

05/19/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that AAC stops verbal speech.

What I actually see?

Children using more communication overall.

Pointing. Gestures. Sounds. AAC. Words.

It all matters.

We were playing with the dolls, but then she wanted me to come with her somewhere else.

So we pivoted.

I followed her lead and modeled the language for what she was already trying to communicate.

She said: “I need come please”

So I modeled: “Come with me” on AAC.

And then she imitated the words verbally. Without pressure.

AAC does not stop speech. Communication builds communication. 💜

05/16/2026

Bright pictures, simple sounds, and repetition.

Animal sounds are often easier for young children to imitate than full words. “Moo,” “baa,” and “ooh ooh” can all help build early communication skills while keeping reading fun and playful.

I also love that this book gives opportunities for animal sounds we do not use as often, like a penguin or butterfly. New sounds and silly moments help keep kids engaged and participating during story time.

Books like this create chances to pause, wait, and let your child join in, even with sounds, gestures, or pointing 💜

What animal sound does your child love to make?? 🐕🐖🫏

Never thought I’d hand my toddler a plunger on purpose… But a plunger from the dollar store = toddler entertainment fo...
05/15/2026

Never thought I’d hand my toddler a plunger on purpose… But a plunger from the dollar store = toddler entertainment for way longer than I expected 😂

This is a simple, a bit messy and fun opportunity to practice language.

While your child paints, you can repeatedly model easy words and phrases:
“Down, up, down, up”
“Let’s do more!”
“Again?” “Dip”
“Wet paint!”
“Circle!”
“It’s purple!”

Little moments like this build connection, communication, and learning at the same time.

Would your toddler love this or hate the mess? 👇Tell me below!

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