Speech and Language Kids Podcast

"How do I teach problem solving?" is one of the questions I get asked most, and it's a tricky one, because problem solving isn't just one skill. Kids have to work through disagreements with friends, figure out puzzles, advocate for themselves when they need help, and break big tasks into manageable pieces. So instead of teaching each type separately, this episode gives you one simple framework that works across all of them.
In this episode, you'll learn the 5 steps:
Name it

Brainstorm ideas

Think through the ideas and choose one (pros, cons, and what might happen)

Try it

Did it work? If not, go back to step 2

I'll also walk you through how to teach the framework, including introducing the steps, posting a visual, practicing with pretend scenarios, and bringing it up naturally when real problems pop up. You'll hear how social stories can help the skill stick, plus practical activity ideas like building a LEGO bridge over a drawn river, pausing a storybook to brainstorm solutions for the characters, and working through social scenarios together.
Inside Speech and Language Kids, members can grab our Navigating Disagreements social story and use our AI tools to create custom social stories and social scenarios for their students.
Perfect for SLPs, educators, and parents who want a simple, flexible way to help kids become more independent problem solvers.

Ever given a child a two-step direction and watched the second step vanish before they got started? That's working memory at work, the brain's mental sticky note that holds information just long enough to use it. In this episode, Carrie explains what working memory is and why so many kids struggle with it. She covers the slow development of the prefrontal cortex, how ADHD, dyslexia, and language disorders can overload that mental scratchpad, and how stress, fatigue, and a noisy room can crowd out instructions.
The good news is that you don't need a separate goal to address it. Carrie shows how to weave working memory support into the therapy you're already doing: point out strategies as they come up, and help kids understand that everyone's brain sometimes needs extra tools. You'll hear practical, kid-friendly strategies from Buttercup's Working Memory poster, including writing it down, making it a song, using your body, picturing it, and linking it to something familiar. She also shares additional techniques like chunking, mental rehearsal, mnemonics, consistent routines, and teach-back. These work well for SLPs, teachers, and parents.

Why does a child who knows the rule still grab the toy, blurt out the answer, or melt down when things get hard? In this episode, we break down self-control and inhibition: what they are, why they take years to develop, and how we can support them in therapy sessions and at home.
We talk about the brain's "brake system" (the prefrontal cortex) and why executive function skills grow gradually, with big leaps around fourth and fifth grade. We also look at what can make self-regulation harder, including ADHD, autism, sensory overload, temperament, limited language to express big feelings, chronic stress, and lack of sleep. Understanding the "why" helps us respond with support instead of frustration.
Then we get practical. You'll walk away with ideas you can use in your very next session:
How to introduce, name, and revisit inhibition so it becomes part of your therapy language

Fun inhibition games that build skills through play, like Red Light Green Light, Simon Says, Freeze Dance, Jenga, Fruit Ninja, Don't Laugh, and Don't Pop the Bubbles

The "Pause and Plan" method: noticing body cues, taking a beat, and using self-talk to stop, think, then do

How to give specific, curious feedback, like "I saw you pause there. What were you thinking about?"

Ways to set up the environment with clear expectations, visual cues, and adults who model their own pauses out loud

Whether you're an SLP, educator, or parent, this episode will help you see self-control as a skill we can grow together, with connection and play.

What is cognitive flexibility, and why do so many kids struggle with it? In this episode, we break down a kid-friendly definition of cognitive flexibility, explore why children with autism, ADHD, anxiety, or executive function delays often find it hard to switch gears — and share practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies speech-language pathologists, teachers, and parents can use to build this skill. You'll learn the different types of flexibility skills to target (shifting attention, perspective-taking, generating alternatives, and more), how to work cognitive flexibility into existing therapy goals instead of treating it as a separate target, and simple affirmations kids can use when facing change. Plus, get a peek at our themed weekly activities designed to build executive functioning skills one at a time.

Ever have a client shove their materials away and say "I can't do this"?
This episode of Speech and Language Kids dives into growth mindset for speech therapy: what it actually means (beyond the buzzword), why it's especially critical for kids with communication differences, and exactly how to teach it in session tomorrow.
We cover why so many SLP caseloads carry a fixed mindset around communication: years of correction, comparison, and struggle can leave kids believing "I'll never get this sound" or "I'm just not a good talker." You'll learn the neuroscience-friendly way to explain brain plasticity to kids, the language shifts that move a child from "I can't" to "I can't do this yet," and how to keep growth mindset work fully neurodiversity-affirming — focused on strategy and effort, never on masking or "fixing" who a child is.
The heart of the episode is Stuck Sticks: a simple, hands-on tool using labeled popsicle sticks that give kids a physical toolkit of coping and problem-solving strategies to pull out the moment they feel stuck. We walk through how to build a set, how to introduce them collaboratively so they feel kid-owned, and how to fade the prop over time so the strategies become internalized.
Whether you're a speech-language pathologist, SLP assistant, teacher, or parent of a child who shuts down when things get hard, this episode gives you a concrete, easy-to-implement framework. No extra prep required!