How can we help?
The EIRG is committed to supporting families during their child’s first years of life. During this time, babies learn to roll, crawl, sit, stand, walk, talk, and sing. But not all children develop in the same way. During this period of incredible growth, it is important to maximize early learning opportunities based on your child’s own pace.
We have compiled resources and tips to help families in supporting their child’s early development. Use the Categories and Tags lists on this page to find posts of interest. You can subscribe using your email at the bottom of the page to be notified whenever a new post is added to the Resources section.
What could be simpler than grabbing some cups when you need a quick and easy toy for your tot? Styrofoam, Dixie, plastic, paper: all will work! You can use the example words and sentences in italics to add rich and diverse language to your play. Remember to balance...
** Our research group has not accepted any monetary incentives for our recommendations. Magnet tiles takes playing with blocks to a whole new level! The magnets allow younger players or those with less developed fine motor skills to play successfully with blocks,...
** Our research group has not accepted any monetary incentives for our recommendations This safari truck is a fun and flexible toy for your animal-loving child! It also has a lot of different animals to talk about. Below are some ideas of how to play with the toy...
** Our research group has not accepted any monetary incentives for our recommendations Who doesn’t love cake? Here are a variety of play ideas we have done with this wooden cake toy. Suggestions for words and phrases you can say while playing are in italics. Please...
** Our research group has not accepted any monetary incentives for our recommendations Sometimes the best toys are everyday objects in your home. Who knew toddlers could find an empty laundry bin so exciting? Simple play: Drop toys into the bin. Hint: This activity...
As early intervention therapists we spend a lot of time down on the floor playing with young children, and we frequently get asked for toy recommendations. Here are some general tips for choosing the right toys and how to play with them. We have also compiled a list...
The EIRG is dedicated to supporting early intervention providers as they strive to implement evidence-based practices and work effectively with families in natural settings. We support professionals in this amazing endeavor by: Offering continuing education and...
The EIRG is committed to supporting families during their child’s first years of life. During this time, babies learn to roll, crawl, sit, stand, walk, talk, and sing. But not all children develop in the same way. During this period of incredible growth, it is...
Why is this topic important? Over half of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual. In the United States, 20% of the population speaks more than one language. This number has continued to increase over the past few decades. Parents may wonder whether it’s...
What’s Featured This Week? This week, continue to support your child’s language development with our Household Routine of the Week: Getting Dressed! Get creative with this routine by using some of our play ideas below. Remember to pay attention to and go along with...
What’s Featured This Week? This week, continue to support your child’s language development with fun activities that will keep you both engaged. Playing with toys is an activity that many children enjoy, and often the best toys are objects already in your home. One...
What’s Featured This Week? Did you know you can support your child’s language development during almost any daily activity or routine? If you’re looking for a new and creative way to keep your quarantine full of fun, try out our Household Routine of the Week: Washing...
What’s Featured This Week? Looking to get creative during this time? Most household items can be turned into a playful activity with your kiddos. Below, we’re highlighting how you can keep language-learning full of fun with our Household Toy of the Week: Toilet Paper...
What’s Featured This Week? Household items can make great tools for language-learning. Below, we’ve listed a few new ways that you can make language-learning fun between you and your child while interacting with our favorite Household Toy of the Week: Cups! You can...
How to Set-Up the Conversation Discussing concerns you have about autism with families is important. You can support families in recognizing the signs by using the following process. First, point out signs of autism using “I wonder” statements. “I wonder why he stays...
What traits are seen in children with autism? Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is called a spectrum because there is wide variability between individuals. For example, some children with ASD speak in sentences while others communicate without words. Some children with...
Where did the idea come from? In the 1990’s, Andrew Wakefield and colleagues published a paper linking the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine to autism. However, the study only looked at 12 children. Additionally, after it was published, other researchers...
Why do we partner with parents? As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. You are also an expert on your child and spend a lot of time together. Therefore, you are in the best position to support your child’s learning. Children learn language through...
Choose traditional toys over electronic ones Traditional non-electronic toys are better than fancy electronic toys for supporting play and engagement. The best toys are the ones that do nothing on their own because they need you in order to come alive. “Smart” toys...
Remove distractions An organized, distraction-free play area can go a long way in helping children stay focused and interested in play. You can help your child focus by turning off distractions such as TVs, noisy toys, and music in the background. If toys become...
Choose books your child likes No matter how “good” a book is, if your child is not interested in it or excited by it, then reading it together won’t be enjoyable. When it’s not enjoyable, your child won’t be interested in talking about it. Try letting your child...