Send us a text

If your toddler is constantly climbing, dumping, crawling, pulling things out of cabinets, or wandering from one “project” to another… this episode will make everything click.

Between 12 and 18 months, the brain is wiring the foundations for attention, curiosity, emotional regulation, and — yes — first words. And it all happens through play.
Not apps.
Not fancy toys.
Not early lessons.
Movement. Repetition. Real-life exploration.

In this episode, Erin Hyer, SLP and toddler specialist for 35+ years, breaks down:

• Why play is the real work
• How modern life gets in the way
• The four “play jobs” toddlers must practice
• What progress vs plateau vs regression really looks like
• How LESS toys = MORE brain development
• The simple daily rhythm that builds confidence, attention, and communication

You’ll walk away knowing exactly what your toddler needs — and why you’re already doing more good than you realize.

Something special is coming in early December… stay tuned.

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✨ Join the Inside Talking Toddlers community and get your free guide: 

 Top 10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS for Talking

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Disclaimer: 

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

You already know the #1 habit that helps toddlers learn to talk — pulling them into your world and engaging them, out loud, through the rhythm of your day.

But staying present isn’t always easy.

In this episode, Erin Hyer, speech-language pathologist and toddler specialist, gets personal about what gets in the way — the five barriers that quietly pull parents off course — and how to find your way back with small, meaningful shifts that bring more calm, confidence, and connection.

If you’re ready for real-life encouragement (not perfection), this episode will remind you that it’s never too late to reconnect.

Because the little years are the big years — and every small, simple moment counts.

---------

✨ Join the Inside Talking Toddlers community and get your free guide: 

 Top 10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS for Talking

=====

Disclaimer: 

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

What if the best way to help your toddler talk isn’t about doing more — but noticing more?

If you’ve ever wondered how to build your child’s language without feeling like you’re teaching a class, this episode will give you the clarity and calm you’ve been craving.

You’ll discover:
 • Why connection—not correction—drives true communication
 • How everyday routines (yes, even laundry and grocery runs) become language lessons
 • A simple daily rhythm that builds confidence, calm, and conversation

Forget flashcards and “talk time.” 

Real language growth happens in the small, shared moments of real life — the ones you’re already living.

✨ Join the Inside Talking Toddlers community and get your free guide:
 Top 5 Daily Habits That Build Your Child’s Connection & Confidence → [link]

Because the little years are the big years — and every small, simple moment counts.

👉 Join Erin’s free private Inside Talking Toddlers  community on Thursdays to get weekly quick-win audios and your Top 10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS for Talking

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Disclaimer: 

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

Everyone talks about “speech milestones,” but few realize that clear talking starts long before the first word. It begins with sucking, swallowing, mouthing, and chewing real food.

In this episode, Erin Hyer — pediatric speech-language pathologist and host of Talking Toddlers — unpacks how modern feeding habits are quietly undermining children’s oral-motor development and what parents can do to course-correct with confidence.

You’ll discover:

• Why mouthing and chewing are essential brain-building workouts
  
  
• How pouches, purees, and processed foods keep kids stuck in baby patterns
  
  
• The simple, God-designed rhythm that connects eating, breathing, and talking
  
  
• Practical ways to strengthen your child’s jaw, tongue, and attention every day

Because when we understand how kids learn to eat and talk, we can help them thrive — one bite, one word, one day at a time.

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👉 Join Erin’s free private Inside Talking Toddlers  community on Thursdays to get weekly quick-win audios and your Top 10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS for Talking

=====

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

You’re in the grocery store. Your toddler is whining, tugging, then screaming, and finally — full-body flop in the aisle. People are watching. Your chest tightens. You start explaining, reasoning, pleading… and it just gets worse.

Why?

In this episode, Erin Hyer breaks down what’s actually happening inside your toddler’s brain during a meltdown — and why talking doesn’t work when their emotional system is in charge. You’ll learn how the right hemisphere, limbic system, and survival responses work together… and what to do instead to bring calm back to the moment.

She shares real stories, brain science explained simply, and practical strategies for those everyday meltdown moments — whether it’s a waiting room or aisle five.

🎧 In this episode:

• What’s happening in your toddler’s brain during a meltdown
• Why talking often makes things worse
• How to respond effectively without escalating the moment
• Real stories from Erin’s 35+ years of experience
• How to plan ahead for tricky public moments (like grocery shopping!)

👉 Join Erin’s free private Inside Talking Toddlers  community on Thursdays to get weekly quick-win audios and your Top 10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS for Talking

=====

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

Does your toddler ignore you when you’ve asked the same thing six times? 

Or do you feel that sting of embarrassment when they melt down in the store or refuse to listen at the park?

Here’s the truth: your child isn’t being “bad.” 

They’re showing you where they are developmentally — and the good news is, you can absolutely teach them how to listen, focus, and follow through.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through 4 simple, science-backed keys to getting your toddler’s attention and guiding them with confidence:

1. Face-to-face at their level
   
   
2. Light but firm physical touch
   
   
3. Calm, confident energy
   
   
4. Clear, concrete directions
   
   

You’ll hear real-life stories, practical examples, and tips you can try today. 

And I’ll give you a sneak peek at next week’s episode, where we’ll go deeper into toddler meltdowns — what’s really happening in the brain and body, and why parents need to stop talking when they happen.

You’re not just “managing behavior.” You’re teaching your child life-long skills: attention, cooperation, and trust.

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This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

Want to raise a healthy, thriving baby — without all the gadgets and overwhelm? In this episode, I’m sharing 10 powerful essentials that help your baby thrive by focusing on what truly matters: connection, rhythm, and presence.

Drawing on over 35 years as a speech-language pathologist, toddler specialist, and mom, I walk you through ten simple, science-backed ways to support your baby’s development — from skin-to-skin bonding and baby-wearing to tummy time, outdoor rhythms, mindful feeding, and calm sleep.

Forget the noise. 

Forget the pressure. 

Here’s what matters most — and why you are your baby’s best environment.

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CLICK HERE NOW - Screen-Free Fun Activities

Building Vocabulary Guide - get it NOW!

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 Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique — please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

📩 Questions: [email protected]
 🌐 www.HyerLearning.com

Send us a text

Most parents think reading starts with letters and phonics. But the truth is — literacy is a man-made skill, layered on top of speech and language. 

If your child doesn’t get the right foundations at home, they may struggle later, even in the best schools.

In this episode of Talking Toddlers, Erin Hyer — speech-language pathologist with 35+ years of experience — reveals the 10 foundational skills every baby, toddler, and preschooler needs before school. 

These aren’t worksheets or apps. They’re simple, daily habits that only parents and caregivers can provide through connection, play, and conversation.

👉 You’ll learn:

• Why auditory processing is the hidden key to reading
  
  
  
• Why daycare and preschool can’t replace 1:1, real-time interactions
  
  
  
• How board games, pretend play, and family meals SECRETLY prepare your child for literacy
  
  
  
• The daily book-reading habit that helped Erin’s daughter “crack the code” at 3½
  
  
  
• Why handwriting (yes, even cursive!) can shape confidence into adulthood

Download the free 10 Skills Checklist and put it on your fridge. Because prevention beats remediation every time.

✨ If today’s episode encouraged you, please share it with another mom or dad, and don’t forget to leave a review — it helps more families find this support.

And I’d love to hear from you — email me your thoughts or questions.

CONNECT WITH ERIN
[email protected]

• YouTube: Talking Toddlers Channel
  
  
• Website: www.HyerLearning.com

CLICK HERE NOW - Screen-Free Fun Activities

Building Vocabulary Guide - get it NOW!

=====

Podcast Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique—please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

Send us a text

Should you homeschool through kindergarten or send your child to preschool? 

You’ll discover the truth about “socialization,” what’s actually happening in many early childhood programs, and how to confidently decide what’s right for your family — without guilt, pressure, or fear of “falling behind.”

From overworked teachers "managing" behavior, to the loss of play-based learning, to the social-emotional gaps that show up years later, you’ll learn why the most powerful learning still happens at home. 

Erin Hyer — speech-language pathologist with 35+ years of experience — breaks down what young children really need before age 6. 

From the science of brain development to the history of kindergarten, and the modern policies pushing earlier institutional care, Erin shows why everyday life at home is often the best classroom. 

👣 Next Step: Ready for more? Start small with The Tiny Challenge — a personalized way to create a learning-rich lifestyle for your child. Link in the show notes.

CLICK HERE NOW - Tiny Challenge for Moms 

✨ If this episode gave you something to think about, share it with a mom who needs encouragement today. 

And I’d love to hear from you — email me your thoughts or questions.

CONNECT WITH ERIN
[email protected]

• YouTube: Talking Toddlers Channel
  
  
• Website: www.HyerLearning.com

CLICK HERE NOW - Screen-Free Fun Activities

Building Vocabulary Guide - get it NOW!

✨ If today’s episode encouraged you, please share it with another mom or dad, and don’t forget to leave a review — it helps more families find this support.

===============================

Podcast Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique—please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.

Send us a text

Most parents think play begins with dolls and pretend kitchens — but the earliest stages of play start long before that… and missing them could mean missing crucial communication growth.

From nibbling on their fists, to peekaboo and pretend play -- your child’s first three years are full of small moments that build a BIG foundation. 

In this episode, Erin Hyer — speech-language pathologist and toddler specialist with 35+ years of experience — breaks down the 7 stages of play and shows how each stage fuels brain growth, language development, and social connection.

You’ll learn:

• The difference between exploratory, functional, and symbolic play
• Why gestures, imitation, and pretend games support speech development
• How play builds critical thinking, imagination, and problem-solving skills
• What to watch for as your toddler moves from play ➝ phrases ➝ full conversations

This is your roadmap for supporting communication and confidence from day one.

Resources & Links Mentioned

• 📥 Download the 7 Stages of Play Chart → [link here]
• 📥 Hierarchy of Wh- Questions PDF → [ link here]
• 🎧 Listen to related episodes on Talking Toddlers:
  • Hidden Power of PLAY Ep 117
  • Science of PLAY: Vital to Learning Ep 19

👣 Next Step: Ready for more? Start small with The Tiny Challenge — a personalized way to create a learning-rich lifestyle for your child. Link in the show notes.

CLICK HERE NOW - Tiny Challenge for Moms 

✨ If this episode gave you something to think about, share it with a mom who needs encouragement today. 

And I’d love to hear from you — email me your thoughts or questions.

CONNECT WITH ERIN
[email protected]

• YouTube: Talking Toddlers Channel
  
  
• Website: www.HyerLearning.com

CLICK HERE NOW - Screen-Free Fun Activities

Building Vocabulary Guide - get it NOW!

✨ If today’s episode encouraged you, please share it with another mom or dad, and don’t forget to leave a review — it helps more families find this support.

===============================

Podcast Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your pediatrician or a qualified health provider with questions about your child’s development or health. The views shared are based on Erin Hyer’s professional experience and are intended to support informed parenting, not to replace individual consultation or care. Every child and family is unique—please use your discretion and consult trusted professionals when making decisions for your child.