Beyond Speech Therapy

04/23/2026

We are blessed with an amazing team of ladies who have the biggest hearts for helping our patients and families. 💙Every smile, every milestone, every moment of growth starts with play—because play is a child’s work.

Check out Beyond Speech Therapy’s video.

04/02/2026

We will open Monday April 6th at 9am

04/02/2026

"One of the most special moments in my job is getting to be part of a child’s very first art experience."

What may look like a simple plate of paint is actually so much more—tiny hands exploring new textures, learning cause and effect, building coordination, and discovering “I can do this.”
For many of our kids, this isn’t just art. It’s communication. It’s confidence. It’s a milestone. Watching their eyes light up as they make their very first marks is a privilege we don’t take lightly.
Thank you, parents, for trusting us with these moments. We see your children, we celebrate every small step, and we are honored to be part of their journey.

03/30/2026

🐰 Hopping Into Speech! Art projects like this one are more than fun—they serve as positive reinforcement to keep children motivated while working on their speech and language goals. Through hands‑on crafting, students practice:
✔ Following directions
✔ Speech sound production
✔ Vocabulary and sentence building
✔ Fine‑motor skills
✔ Confidence and communication
When therapy feels rewarding, participation increases—and so does progress. 🌷✨

Ms. Brandi said "This is the best one yet"—great job, kids!

03/27/2026

Why We Use Visual Schedules at Our Clinic

Many kids struggle when they only receive auditory directions. Words disappear the moment they’re spoken, which can make routines feel unpredictable or overwhelming.
Visual schedules give children something they can see, process, and refer back to, making the day feel calmer and more manageable.
✔️ Reduce anxiety
✔️ Support visual learners
✔️ Make transitions smoother
✔️ Build independence
Visuals aren’t just helpful—they’re essential for many children to feel safe, prepared, and in control of their day.
If you’d like help creating a visual schedule for home routines, we’re here to support you!

03/23/2026

🌟 Why Playdough Is One of the BEST Tools for Regulating Little Bodies & Big Feelings 🌟
At Beyond Speech Therapy, we love using PLAYDOUGH—not just because it’s fun, but because it supports so many important skills for our kids! 💛✨
Here’s why this simple activity can make such a big difference:
🧠 1. Calming for Anxiety & Emotional Regulation -Squeezing, rolling, pressing, and pinching playdough gives the body deep pressure input, which is naturally calming to the nervous system. This helps children settle, slow down their breathing, and feel more organized inside.
✋ 2. Hands = One of the Biggest Proprioceptive Input Receivers. Your hands hold some of the strongest proprioceptive receptors in the body. When kids push, pull, and mold playdough, they’re giving their brain powerful “where is my body?” information. This input helps kids:
✔ feel grounded
✔ reduce anxiety
✔ improve body awareness
✔ prepare for learning

🪑 3. Helps Kids Attend to Tabletop Tasks. That heavy work play helps the brain focus! After a few minutes of playdough warm‑up, many children sit longer, attend better, and engage more successfully in structured tasks.
🎨 4. Builds Fine Motor Strength Without Stress Rolling snakes, squishing balls, making cookies, or cutting shapes helps strengthen developing hands for writing, buttoning, using utensils, and more.
💛 At our clinic, activities like playdough are never “just play.”They’re purposeful, regulating, child‑centered therapeutic tools that support communication, sensory needs, and emotional development.
If your child loves playdough—you’re already supporting their sensory system in beautiful ways. 💛

03/21/2026

What Skills Are We Building With This Easter Craft? Our “EGG‑cited for OT!” door isn’t just adorable — it’s packed with meaningful developmental work happening behind the scenes.
Occupational Therapy Skills�• Fine Motor Strengthening: Tearing, coloring, gluing, and pressing paper builds the little hand muscles needed for writing, feeding, dressing, and more.�• Bilateral Coordination: Kids practice using both hands together — one holds the paper while the other tears or colors.�• Hand‑Eye Coordination: Matching pieces and placing them inside the egg shape requires controlled, purposeful movement.�• Sensory Exploration: Crinkly paper, glue, and colorful textures give fun and motivating sensory input.�• Attention and Task Completion: Following the craft steps helps build focus, persistence, and independence.
Speech Therapy Skills�• Following Directions: Kids practice 1‑step and multi‑step directions like “Pick a color,” “Tear the paper,” and “Glue it inside the egg.”�• Vocabulary and Language: We target words for colors, shapes, actions (tear, glue, stick), positions (on, under), and spring/Easter concepts — great for both speaking and AAC.�• Requesting and Commenting: Functional communication like “I want pink,” “Help please,” “More paper,” and “I like it.”�• Describing and Comparing: Kids describe how their egg looks, talk about textures, and compare with others.�• Social Communication: Turn‑taking, sharing, and engaging with peers builds confidence and social interaction.
Why It Matters�Holiday crafts are more than cute decorations — they’re hands‑on opportunities to strengthen motor skills, language skills, social skills, and confidence, all while having fun.

03/21/2026

Another great AAC training in the books! 💙Huge shout‑out to our Tobii Dynavox Rep, Lindsey, for visiting and giving our team incredible hands‑on practice today. We’re always leveling up for our kids and families!

02/11/2026

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and Ms. Kylie is bringing the cutest OT magic to our clinic!

These sweet crafts aren’t just cute—they’re packed with powerful developmental skills!

🎨 What OT builds through fun art projects:
✂️ Fine Motor Strength – cutting, squeezing glue, peeling stickers 🤲 Bilateral Coordination – using both hands together for steady, controlled movements

🎯 Hand–Eye Coordination – lining up shapes and placing pieces just right

👀 Visual Perception – recognizing patterns, spacing, and organizing a design

🧠 Motor Planning – following steps and completing a multistep task

💗 Confidence & Creativity – watching kids light up when they finish their masterpiece

We love turning holiday fun into meaningful growth—and Ms. Kylie always brings the magic!

Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day from our therapy team! 💕

02/09/2026

❤️ Parents, here’s the gentle reminder we all need:

Handwriting isn’t just about learning letters — it’s about having the hand strength, coordination, and developmental readiness to use a pencil with confidence.

Those X‑rays show exactly why preschoolers struggle with writing… their little hands simply aren’t finished developing yet. And that’s okay. They’re not behind — they’re growing.

What helps them most right now?

Play.
Play builds the muscles, motor skills, and coordination that make writing easier later. Activities like Play‑Doh, cutting, coloring, beading, climbing, throwing balls, and sensory play are actually preparing their hands for school success.

This is also where Occupational Therapy can make a huge difference.
OT helps children build:
• Strong, stable fingers and hands
• Better pencil control
• Eye‑hand coordination
• Attention and regulation
• Confidence with early academic tasks
When these foundational skills grow, children thrive academically — not just in handwriting, but in reading, school participation, and overall learning.

“Look at the differences between a typical preschool child’s hand (left) and a typical 7 year old hand (right). Want to know why a preschool aged child isn’t able to write yet? This is why! Their hands are still developing and are not fully formed. So what should they be doing to support this? PLAY!! Play dough, coloring, cutting, gluing, playing outside, digging in dirt, sensory play, dress up play, science experiments, beading, puzzles, throwing balls, etc.
All of these things help their hands develop. When they are physically ready to write, they will! No need to rush them, they will show you when they are ready.” ❤️
via

02/05/2026

Ms. Brandi, Our Valentine’s Week Star! 💕
Brandi kicked off February with the cutest Valentine’s Day–themed door and a fun “Speech From the Heart” therapy theme!
As a licensed SLP-Assistant and a Bachelor’s–level educator, Brandi blends creativity with strong teaching skills. She LOVES theme-based activities because themes help kids store information in “brain file folders” — making learning stick! 🧠✨
This week our kiddos will work on:
❤️ Core vocabulary
❤️ Following directions
❤️ Describing and categorizing
❤️ Social communication
❤️ Articulation with Valentine words
We’re so grateful for the heart she pours into every session! 💘✨

02/01/2026

Wishing an incredible OTA the happiest birthday this weekend! Everyone already knows how loved she is, and Kylie always puts the kids first. Her energy and heart show in everything she does.
Happy Birthday, Kylie! We’d say we won’t bug you with work… but you already volunteered to come in on Saturday to make up an ice day. ❄️