Is your child talking less than other kids their age?
In Arlington, you can get a free speech evaluation. ECI helps if your child is under 3, and your public school district helps from age 3. Below you’ll find who to call, what happens next and simple ways to practice at home while you wait.
If something on this list worries you, you don’t need to wait and see. You can ask for a free evaluation right away.
An evaluation is a check of how your child talks and understands words. It usually happens through play, often with a speech therapist.
ECI is Texas’s early intervention program for babies and toddlers up to 36 months. You can call ECI yourself, without a doctor’s referral.
Your public school district evaluates children from age 3 for free, even before they start school. If you live in Arlington ISD, send a short written request to its special education office.
A pediatric speech therapy practice at 6160 Bentridge Drive in Hurst that serves Arlington families. Call to ask about fees and wait times.
These services are run independently of Speech Blubs.
Watch and respond together.Getting an appointment can take time. Speech Blubs gives you short activities to do together: your child watches other kids say words and make sounds, then tries too.
Pick a topic your child loves, like animals or snacks.
Watch together and pause. Give your child time to look, point or say a word.
Use the word later, at snack time or in a book.
ShannonMom of three autistic sonsIt's just really been a joy to see how much fun he has using the app.
AnaMom of a 2-year-oldIt's definitely one of my favorite apps right now for my little one.
MimiMomIt has so many different resources to help your child with their first words up to learning how to build sentences.
LezlieMom of a toddlerHe looks forward to it every day because we get to take a fun picture.
NoelleMom, sister of a speech therapistMy sister is an SLP, and she actually told us to download this app for my kid.
KaterinaMom and educatorI started looking for something that was research-backed and supported by professionals.
MikeDad of a toddlerGail responds really well to seeing kids his age or a little bit older doing things that he's doing.
LindsayMom of a 2-year-oldThey agreed that we could be doing some more practice at home.
ChristinaMom of EdenWe aren't completely there, but we're closer than we ever have been.
Father of a 23-month-oldWhen I tell her it's time to play her game, she runs and gets up on the couch to play.
If your child sees a therapist, ask which activities fit.
The app content is available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Swedish, Polish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Romanian. You can switch the language in the app menu. Read the language FAQ.
Use a walk, a book, or a snack as a reason to talk together. Follow what interests your child.
A southwest Arlington park at 2800 West Sublett Road with a playground and a splash pad. Hide a toy and ask, “Where’s the car?”
Name something your child notices with a short phrase, such as “big tree.” Pause for their response.
An Arlington Public Library branch at 3311 Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard. Hold up two books and ask, “This one or that one?”
Choose a picture your child likes and talk about it together. Connect it to a toy at home.
Offer two familiar toys or foods and name each one. Give your child time to respond. Follow a look, gesture, sound, or word.
Opening hours change, so check the website before you go.
Short answers about free help, costs and the app.
The evaluation is free: through ECI under age 3, or through your public school district from age 3. School speech services are free if your child qualifies. ECI therapy costs depend on family size and income, and no family is turned away because they can’t pay. Find free help.
Texas Medicaid covers speech therapy for children when it’s medically necessary. Private plans differ, so call the number on your insurance card and ask about pediatric speech therapy. Find free help.
Not for ECI or the school district: you can contact them yourself. The school district must answer a written request for an evaluation in writing within 15 school days. Texas Medicaid and many insurance plans need a referral from your child’s doctor. Find free help.
Many 2-year-olds put two words together, like “more milk.” If your child doesn’t yet, it’s a good time to ask ECI for a free evaluation. You don’t need to wait and see. Find free help.
No. It gives you short activities to practice together at home. A speech therapist evaluates your child and plans the therapy. See how the app works.
Speech Blubs is available in English and Spanish, plus 11 more languages. You can switch the language in the app menu. See how the app works.
Speech Blubs is a subscription. You’ll see the current price and any trial in the quiz before you pay. Choose your child’s age.
Start with the quiz to learn about the app for your child.
In Wildwood Estates, you can ask for a free speech evaluation for your child without a doctor’s note. S.J. Stovall Park and Southwest Branch Library, both in southwest Arlington, give you places to play and read.
For a baby or toddler under 3, start with ECI. It’s Texas’s Early Childhood Intervention program, and the evaluation is free. Find your program by ZIP code on the Texas HHS website. From age 3, write to your public school district and ask for an evaluation. The district must answer in writing within 15 school days. Use the Texas Education Agency’s district lookup if you’re not sure which one serves your home. Monkey Mouths, a pediatric speech therapy practice in Hurst, also serves Arlington. Texas Medicaid covers speech therapy for children when it’s medically necessary.
S.J. Stovall Park has a playground, a splash pad and a hike-and-bike trail. Bring a small toy and play “hide and find.” Hide it behind your back and ask, “Where’s the car?” Wait for your child to look or reach. Then show it and say “there.” Swap roles and let your child hide it next.
Southwest Branch Library is on Southwest Green Oaks Boulevard. Let your child choose between two books: “This one or that one?” Wait for a point or a reach. Read the one they choose, and name what they point at. Choosing gives your child a simple reason to communicate. Reading the chosen book again at home is fine. Ask the librarian about story times for little kids.
We last checked these details in October 2026.
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