Scissor, Missor, Wizzor

Gently nudged by Bubble lady, Shea and I play this game. She says that rhyming words can help with vocabulary development, articulation because he says the same ending sound over and over. But also cognitive planning because he has to think of another starting sound and add it to the ending sound. Apparently, this is a game that packs a punch.

White, kite, bite; usually our words are one syllable words.

Cow, wow, pow; mostly easy, familiar words.

Poop, loop, coop; occasionally funny, goofy words.

We trade off, back and forth until we have gone through almost every letter in the alphabet then he will pick a new word to rhyme. It doesn't need to be a real word, in fact the made up words are even more fun.

"Rhyme with scissor, mom." Shea starts the game as we are snuggied in bed this morning. Good one! Two syllable word but nothing really rhymes with scissor. Doesn't matter, we are off!

This is a game perfect for the car, airplane, waiting on the ferry; all the little boring lulls of life.

When Bubble has suggested something like this in the past, I have to admit I only half listened. If I didn't immediately see the power or importance, I would just file it in my already very full and barely organized mental file and then eventually forget about it. But, as we move toward our 2nd year anniversary with Bubble, I have gotten better at just going with her suggestions. Realizing it doesn't necessarily have to make that much sense to me. It's worth a try for Shea's sake.

Or, simply, making a little investment in a leap of faith. Sometimes it pans, sometimes not but maybe the leap in itself is the point.

Rhyming words and dirty kleenex

It was Bubble lady Friday with Shea and it went pretty well. He just loves her and it really is just a good solid hour of intellectual play time for him. I usually spend the time listening to progressive talk radio or reading The Sun; a brief respite in a busy, on the road kind of day.

She has instructed us to work on rhyming words with Shea; make it a game and make it fun. She says that is isn't only just for his language development and articulation but clues and triggers for early reading. Sounds good and he is certainly interested in words and letters.

Recently, he has begun to demand what each road sign says as we drive. Lots and lots of signs. Repetition doesn't matter. Yes, he is interested in words.

I remember saying, "Shea may read before he talks." And, he is on his way.

We let him play on Starfall.com a wonderful educational website that begins with the Alphabet which includes ASL too. Now, he has moved onto the more complex early reading components, perhaps over his head a bit but the desire is there and he likes it.

Bubble also made a point to mention to me that his verbal sequencing is beginning to be more fluid. For example, he would say, "Bubble...lady" or two distinct words with a pronounced delay between each word. She pointed out to me, and I see that she is right, Shea's language is beginning to flow more smoothly with less choppy stops and starts.

Hey, that's true! I had only really noticed that the sentences were coming but she is right, the words flow with a more natural, less stilted cadence.

Shea also arrived at Bubble lady's with minor sniffles, so another thing they focused on today was nose blowing. I never have been able to get him to do it and Bubble told me that it is a sequencing thing and difficult for some kids. Now, that I think about his low tone with his mouth, I can see that it would be harder for him. She kept encouraging him to close his mouth and that was the trick. They worked on it today and he is nearly down with a good nose blow now.

Pretty good. Progress...it seems.