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Episode #33: What Parents Should Know About First Words (and How to Help Vocabulary Grow)

Release Date: 12/22/2025

Episode #33: What Parents Should Know About First Words (and How to Help Vocabulary Grow)

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

Season 2 Finale! When babies start using their first words, parents get excited! And naturally, a lot of questions come up about what really counts as a word and how to support vocabulary growth. In this episode, Katie and Carly, pediatric SLPs, break down everything parents should know about first words, early milestones, and how to help toddlers build vocabulary in simple, meaningful ways. In this episode, we talk about: • When first words typically appear • What skills come before first words • What counts as a word (hint: animal sounds and exclamations count!) • Why imperfect...

Episode #32: Understanding Attention in Toddlers and Preschoolers: How It Develops and Why It Matters with The Childhood Collective

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

If you’ve ever wondered why your toddler’s attention span seems so short (or why it feels impossible for them to sit still!), this episode is for you. Katie is joined by Dr. Lori Long and Katie Severson, SLP from The Childhood Collective—a team of child psychologists and a speech-language pathologist who help families of children with ADHD thrive at home and at school. Together, they break down what healthy attention looks like in early childhood, how it develops naturally, and what parents can do to nurture it through play, routines, and relationships. They also discuss how today’s...

Bonus Episode: Jingle, Jingle + Winter Songs [story time for kids!]

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

This one is for your KIDS! We want to share little sample of what you'll find in our Songs+Stories membership! Songs+Stories is the go-to quality resource for parents who understand the value of these early years and are intentional about what their kids listen to. Led by speech therapists and moms who get it, we hope this podcast brings a little joy to your day. Songs+Stories is actually on MAJOR sale right now for Black Friday! You can enjoy 6 months of storytime videos and podcast episodes (like this one) ad-free for $49 (regularly $102!). Head to to get the...

Episode #31: Quiet Time: How to Make It Work (and Why It’s Worth It)

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

When naps fade, quiet time can become a calm, valuable part of your toddler’s day. Katie and Carly, pediatric SLPs and moms of 6 kids, share how to make it work—plus simple ideas for toys, activities, and rhythms that keep quiet time screen-free, independent, and enjoyable for everyone. In this episode, we cover: Why quiet time matters—even after naps are gone How to start small and build up consistency over time How to use timers or toddler clocks to make quiet time easier Simple screen-free quiet time ideas that actually keep kids engaged How independent play supports...

Episode #30: Temperament in Little Kids--Why One Size Doesn’t Fit All with Jess VanderWier of Nurtured First

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

If you’ve ever wondered why some kids seem to kind of go with the flow while others melt down over seemingly small things and things feel harder? Parenting advice can feel confusing when what “works” for one child totally backfires with another. This is something we wish we knew more about when our kids were little, so we are thrilled to share this episode with you. In this episode, we’re joined by Jess VanderWier, Registered Psychotherapist and founder of Nurtured First, to talk all about temperament—what it really means, why it matters, and how understanding your...

Episode #29: Toddler Toys That Stand the Test of Time (and Why Less Really Is More)

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

Overwhelmed by the toy aisle (or your living room floor)? You’re not alone. In this episode, Katie and Carly (pediatric speech language pathologists and moms of six) share how to choose toys that truly stand the test of time. They’ll walk you through what really matters when it comes to toys for babies, toddlers and preschoolers: choosing open-ended toys that encourage imagination, quality over quantity, and picking toys that meet your child where they are developmentally. You’ll also hear their favorite tried-and-true toys that spark language, connection, and creativity (and the ones...

Episode #28: How to Choose the Best Library Books for Babies and Toddlers

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

We absolutely love the library, but we know it can be overwhelming. Families often wonder: Should you pick the educational books? The fun, silly ones? Are some books “better” than others? What if they want to read the same book over and over? In this episode, we’re sharing simple tips to take the stress out of library trips and help you make the most of this incredible resource. Here’s what we’re covering: Why regular library visits are one of the easiest ways to support your child’s language and literacy skills Four simple things to look for when choosing books What we...

Episode #27: Help! My Toddler Says a Lot of Sounds Wrong — Should I Be Worried?

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

It’s typical for toddlers and preschoolers not to be able to say all speech sounds correctly. It’s a learning process. Maybe your child says “tar” for star or “nana” for banana. But how do you know if it’s just a normal stage or something more? In this episode, we’re digging into the question: Should I be worried if my toddler says sounds “wrong”? Here’s what we’re covering: Why speech errors happen How much of your toddler’s speech you should be able to understand at different ages The most common sound mistakes toddlers make and when they typically go...

Episode #26: 5 Things We’re Glad We Did When Our Kids Were Little (and 5 We Wish We Did More Of)

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

Parenting little ones is full of trial and error. Some choices you look back on and think, I’m so glad we did that. Others? You wish you’d done a little differently. In this episode, we’re reflecting on those early years now that we have school-aged kids and sharing: 5 simple habits we’re thankful we stuck with — like making room for open-ended play, encouraging a love of books, and keeping quiet time even after naps were long gone. The everyday choices that paid off more than we realized at the time 5 things we wish we had done more of (still kicking ourselves for not writing down...

Episode #25: 18 Month Old Not Talking but Understands: Milestones, Tips, and When to Get Help

Talk it Out with Wee Talkers

Is your 18-month-old not talking yet, but clearly understands so much of what you say? You’re not alone. And the fact they understand so much is a very encouraging sign! In this episode, Katie and Carly (speech-language pathologists and moms) break down: The difference between receptive (understanding) and expressive (talking) language What language milestones to expect around 18 months What actually counts as a word (hint: more than you think!) Three simple ways you can support your toddler’s talking right now When to seek extra support and why “wait and see” isn’t always...

More Episodes

Season 2 Finale!

When babies start using their first words, parents get excited! And naturally, a lot of questions come up about what really counts as a word and how to support vocabulary growth.

In this episode, Katie and Carly, pediatric SLPs, break down everything parents should know about first words, early milestones, and how to help toddlers build vocabulary in simple, meaningful ways.

In this episode, we talk about:
• When first words typically appear
• What skills come before first words
• What counts as a word (hint: animal sounds and exclamations count!)
• Why imperfect pronunciation is expected
• How to track your toddler’s vocabulary
• Doable ways to help your toddler learn more words
• When to seek extra support or a speech/language evaluation

Resources Mentioned:
• Free Toddler Milestone Checklist: www.weetalkers.com/toddler
• Blog post: Should I Use Sign Language With My Toddler? www.weetalkers.com/blog
• Our TalkToddler Course for boosting language in toddlers www.weetalkers.com/talktoddler

✨ If you found this episode helpful, we’d love it if you left a review! It helps more parents find these resources.

And as we wrap up Season 2, send us your questions or topic ideas for Season 3 at hello@weetalkers.com or on instagram @weetalkers

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