Unlocking Language

Unlocking Language An award winning, independent Speech and Language Therapy Service in London.

26/02/2026

Ramadan is such a special and meaningful month but for children, it can also feel a little confusing.

We talk so much about the spiritual side of Ramadan, but sometimes we forget how big this month can feel for our children. There are new routines, different meal times, and lots of new words and experiences.

Using a Ramadan core board is such a powerful way to help your child understand what Ramadan is and what to expect.
For lots of children, especially those with additional needs changes in routine can feel overwhelming.

A visual core board gives them the words they need to ask questions, share how they are feeling, and understand important parts of the month like fasting, prayer, going to the mosque, what to do when we break our fast, if we feel hungry, etc.

With the board, you can talk about Ramadan routines, have conversations about what’s happening, and share how you are feeling.

Comment ‘Ramadan Coreboard’ below to recieve a copy 👇🏾

23/02/2026

Half term flew by. But the progress your child has made doesn’t have to slow down. With steady support and a familiar face, those communication skills can keep growing week by week.

We offer relaxed, personalised sessions in clinic, at school, or at home, whatever feels easiest for your family.

Let’s keep building confidence, celebrating the small wins, and moving forward together. Send us a message to book in

13/02/2026

Making flowers is such a lovely hands on activity and it’s even better when it doubles as a language building moment. Using resources from alongside a communication board from , this activity supports children to understand instructions, make choices, and express themselves in a meaningful way.

This is a fun and simple activity to try this weekend as you create something special for Valentine’s Day together. As you cut, stick, and decorate, there are so many natural opportunities to build language. You can talk about colours, sizes, shapes, and textures, model new words, and encourage your child to request, comment, or label using the board. Simple phrases like “more glue”, “red flower”, “big petals”, or “all finished” can be modelled again and again in a natural way.

Activities like this show that language learning doesn’t have to feel like work. It can happen through play, creativity, and connection. By pairing visual supports with a fun craft, you’re helping your child feel confident, included, and successful in communicating while creating something they can be proud of. A perfect Valentine’s activity with a little extra love for language

❤️

12/02/2026

Children’s Mental Health Week is an important reminder that communication and mental health are deeply connected.

When a child struggles to express themselves or understand the world around them, it can affect confidence, relationships and emotional wellbeing.

Speech and language therapy plays a preventative role.
It supports self-esteem.
It reduces frustration.
It helps children feel heard and understood.

We don’t just develop communication skills, we help protect wellbeing.

09/02/2026

Turn taking is such an important early communication skill. It teaches children how to wait, listen, share control, and understand that communication goes both ways. These are the foundations for conversations, friendships, and play with others.

The best way to develop turn taking is through fun, simple games that feel motivating and pressure free. Rolling a ball, posting shapes, taking turns with a toy, all everyday moments become powerful learning opportunities when we slow it down and make turns clear.

Using a visual board helps make turn taking concrete and predictable. It supports understanding, reduces frustration, and gives children a clear cue for “my turn” and “your turn”. Learning happens best when it’s playful, visual, and meaningful

05/02/2026

We’re reading We’re Going to Find the Monster by & using our board created on

Storytelling is not just reading the words on the page. Watch how we explore the story together.

As we read, we pause to notice what’s happening, name what we can see, and ask questions like “Can you find the whale?” and “What other animals can you see?”

We practise vocabulary building by labelling animals, develop attention and listening by looking closely at the pictures, and support expressive language by encouraging children to share their ideas.

We also build early sequencing skills as the adventure unfolds, and include counting opportunities as we spot and count the penguins together.

We even practise important early comprehension and social communication skills through simple questions like “Can you see their boat?” and “Who’s in the boat?”

This supports understanding of characters, answering wh- questions, and learning to talk about who is doing what in the story, like identifying Charlie and Eddie.

Shared reading is about interaction, curiosity, and building language through play and conversation, not just turning pages.

03/02/2026

3 Items – One Story

Grab any three of your child’s toys and create a whole new narrative together. A teddy, a car, a dinosaur… suddenly you’ve got characters, a problem, and an adventure.

This simple activity is amazing for building creativity and imagination, as children learn to invent ideas, roles, and storylines from scratch. It also supports language development by encouraging new vocabulary, descriptive language, and talking about actions, feelings, and events.

Storytelling like this helps with sequencing too, because children practise organising their thoughts into a beginning, middle, and end. It also builds listening and turn-taking skills as you create the story together and respond to each other’s ideas.

Storytelling doesn’t always need a book. Sometimes the best stories start with what’s already on the floor.

01/02/2026

Tomorrow marks the start of National Storytelling Week 📚

This a lovely reminder of just how powerful stories are in supporting children’s communication and language development.

As Speech and Language Therapists, we see every day how storytelling helps children build vocabulary, develop sentence structure, strengthen listening skills, and understand how ideas link together. Stories give language meaning and context, making learning feel natural and enjoyable.

Whether children are making up their own stories, retelling favourite books, or acting out little scenes through play, they are laying strong foundations for communication. These moments support imagination, confidence, and the ability to express thoughts and emotions.

This week is a great opportunity to create space for stories in everyday moments at home, in clinics, and in the classroom. A shared story at bedtime, a conversation about a book, or a playful role-play can all make a real difference.

This week we we will be celebrating story telling and books 📚

Tell us in the comments:
What will you do to mark national storytelling this week? 👇🏾

Address

Unlocking Language, Unit 3, 12 Pepper Street
London
E149RP

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 10pm
Tuesday 8am - 10pm
Wednesday 8am - 10pm
Thursday 8am - 10pm
Friday 8am - 10pm
Saturday 8am - 10pm
Sunday 8am - 10pm

Telephone

+442075369299

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