Encouraging Your Child’s Language
By age one
Activities to encourage your child’s language
- Respond to your child’s coos, gurgles, and babbling, so they will participate
- Talk to your child as you care for him or her throughout the day
- Read colorful books to your child every day causing them to develop color senses
- Tell nursery rhymes and sing songs
- Teach your child the names of everyday items and familiar people
- Take your child with you to new places and situations
- Play simple games with your child such as “peek-a-boo” and “pat-a-cake”
Between one and two
Activities to encourage your child’s language
- Reward and encourage early efforts by saying new words
- Talk to your baby about everything you’re doing while you’re with him
- Speak simply, clearly, and slowly to your child while explaining relevant things
- Talk about new places before you go, while you’re there, and when you are back home
- Look at your child when he or she talks to you
- Describe what your child is doing, feeling, hearing as soon as they have any problem
- Let your child listen to children’s records and tapes
- Praise your child’s efforts to communicate
Between two and three
Activities to encourage your child’s language
- Repeat new words several times
- Help your child listen and follow instructions by playing games: “pick up the ball,” “Touch Daddy’s s nose”
- Take your child on trips and talk about what you see before, during and after the trip
- Let your child tell you answers to simple questions
- Read books every day, perhaps as part of the bedtime routine
- Listen attentively as your child talks to you
- Describe what you are doing, planning, thinking
- Have the child deliver simple messages for you (Mommy needs you, Daddy )
- Carry on conversations with the child, preferably when the two of you have some quiet time together
- Ask questions to get your child to think and talk
- Show the child you understand what he or she says by answering, smiling, and nodding your head
- Expand what the; child says.
Your preschool child is busy talking, exploring and playing. All of these activities are important for his or her growth and development – and for learning communication skills. Your child will need well-developed communication skills when it’s time to start going to school – to make friends, learn new things, and start learning to read and write. Communication skills are critical to your child’s future success.You…