Tuesday Tidbit: Sing! The HOW-TO and Benefits of Creating VERBAL ROUTINES for your Child through Song
Authored by Elise Weinstein, M.S., CCC-SLP, Speech Therapist at The Village Therapy Place
Want to help your baby learn language faster?
Want your preschooler to get have an easier time with transitions?
Today’s Tidbit: Create Verbal Routines
What are verbal routines? Verbal routines are words that are used consistently at a specific time. Verbal routines are repetitive and predictable, so children learn what to expect when they hear the routine. Hence the benefit for both language development and easing transitions.
I’m a big fan of verbal routines for my children. When my oldest was a baby, I came up with verbal routines for bath-time to help her learn her body parts and even made up a song for diaper changes (she started singing along as she got bigger 😂). I have found that singing songs during challenging emotional times helps my preschoolers learn to handle those situations better as well (thank you Daniel Tiger for providing some of those!).
There is no right or wrong way to make up a verbal routine- the key is keeping the language consistent. Below are some ideas to get you started. Please share your suggestions with us too!
Verbal Routines:
· Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush- This song is one of the easiest to adapt for all parts of your day. Use it when getting dressed (i.e. this is the way we put on our _____), washing your child during bath-time (i.e. this is the way we wash your ____), or get ready for breakfast (this is the way we eat our ____).
· Ten Little Indian Soldiers- This is another song that I find easy to modify for daily routines. You can sing it when getting ready to leave the house (e.g. now it is time to get in the car) or get ready for naps (e.g. let’s go upstairs, it’s time for naptime).
· Where is Thumbkin?- Another easy tune to modify. Sing “time for ___ time” (naptime, bedtime, lunchtime) for just about any part of the day.
· The Clean Up Song- There are so many versions to choose from, so pick your favorite and use it each day to cue the end of playtime. If your child is in daycare or preschool, you can ask the teacher which song they sing to stay consistent.
· Nighttime Routines- I like to keep it short and sweet. We sing a couple of songs, say good night, and turn off the lights. Saying a prayer or singing a soothing song can cue your child that you are ready to turn off the light and leave their room. It makes bedtime so much easier!
About Us:
We, at The Village Therapy Place, located in Bergen County- in Wyckoff, NJ, aim to provide integrative, neurodevelopmental, individualized, pediatric therapy in a warm, fun, and collaborative environment.
We offer pediatric services that include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy, and DIR Floortime.
At The Village Therapy Place, we utilize current and evidence-based treatment techniques to help treat your child during his PT, OT, speech therapy, feeding therapy and DIR Floortime session. These include sensory integration, reflex integration, therapeutic listening, Kinesiotape, craniosacral therapy, NDT, BrainGym, feeding therapy, PROMPT, to name a few.
Our expert pediatric therapists offer a variety of treatment options, including 30/45/60 minute sessions, group classes and virtual therapy to best suit a child’s needs.
The pediatric physical therapists, occupational therapists & speech therapists at The Village Therapy Place are in constant contact with a child's caregivers to facilitate lasting change.
Call us today at (201) 201-8220 or email us at office@thevillagetherapyplace.com to speak with a pediatric expert who truly cares!