On November 10th, Stephanie Sigal, a New York City speech – language pathologist spoke to a group of over 20 early childhood teachers, directors and special needs coordinators about how speech and language develop over the first five years of life and strategies to promote children’s speech and language skills.
image courtesy of www.sayandplayfamily.com
Stephanie spoke about the benefits of eliminating habits that encourage poor oral motor skills (e.g., sippy cups, bottles, pacifiers) and the importance of encouraging language skills through the right level of modeling for each child. She discussed the importance of not only reading to children every day, but how important it is to choose books that will encourage speech and language skills. Stephanie pointed out how crucial it is for babies, toddlers and even school age children to be read to face-to-face so that they can observe facial expressions. Our faces, and especially our mouths should always be visible to children in conversation.
Staff left the training excited and referred to the workshop as “eye opening.” Many of the participants, who are parents themselves, spoke about how they would immediately begin to incorporate Stephanie’s tips into their work with children at home and at school.
Stephanie Sigal MA CCC-SLP offers speech, language and oral motor therapy for babies, toddlers and school age children in Manhattan. She specializes in assessing and treating articulation disorders from an oral motor perspective. Stephanie’s methods improve speech clarity and resolve problems such as tongue thrusting and drooling. Stephanie also has family-friendly language programs to help young children maximize language skills.
You can learn more about Stephanie and her Manhattan-based speech therapy company Say and Play, at: http://www.sayandplayfamily.com/
The Children’s Aid Society’s 
such as the 
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects both children and adolescents. When a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height, he or she is at higher risk for serious health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Although rare in the past, obesity is now among the most 
Go!Healthy
Food, glorious food! It’s amazing how easy it really is to get children excited about healthy, organic food! Bring them to the farmer’s market, encourage them to grow their own window sill herb garden, or teach them how to cook a meal from scratch – the bright colors, fresh smells and wonderful flavors will stimulate their senses and you’re giving junk food a run for its money! You may be shaking 
your head in disbelief but, at 
Summer fun and children’s theater come together each year at the 
New York’s Children’s Aid Society
The students develop a strong sense of self and self-expression; within this unique opportunity, teens learn and use dance as a vehicle for developing self-esteem. What a fantastic message to learn as a young person making his/her way in the world!
In 1873 in New York City The Children’s Aid Society leased and then equipped a large house on Staten Island, establishing the first “Fresh Air” type of vacations for city children and mothers. The rural surroundings offered an escape from hot city streets and stifling tenements that the children faced every day.
unsanitary and overcrowded tenements.
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