🌱 Start Here for Families
Three concepts to get going this week. No AAC experience needed.
Let them babble with buttons.
Let your child tap freely. There's no wrong tap. Every press builds the idea that buttons carry meaning.
- Open the app with no goal. Just play.
- Tap "go" while pushing a toy car, say "go!" and keep going.
- If they tap randomly, follow their lead: "Oh, you want more?"
- Random taps are healthy. Don't correct them.
Why it works: Children learn that buttons carry meaning by exploring freely first. Pressure slows this down.
Be the copy cat.
Use ChirpBot yourself while you talk. Tap a word as you say it. Don't ask your child to copy. Just model and keep playing.
- Blocks → "play," "put," "build"
- Bubbles → "go," "see," "help"
- Book → "open," "read," "want"
Why it works: Aided language modeling is one of the most researched strategies in AAC. Children learn by watching, not being drilled.
Pick one power moment.
Choose one routine your child already loves. Use the same 1-2 words there every time. Same words, same moment, again and again.
- Snack: "eat," "more," "open"
- Bath: "water," "wash," "all done"
- Getting ready: "on," "help," "go"
- Car rides, bedtime, outdoor play all work.
Why it works: Repetition + familiar context + meaning is what turns a tap into a real word for your child.