Building your child’s communication skills from an early age is essential. If you’re short on time or prefer a quick overview, here are ten things you can do to help your child communicate effectively.
Minimize Background Noise
First, keep the TV off and reduce distracting noises. Ensure the human voice is the primary sound they hear, supplemented by natural sounds. Creating a peaceful, calm, and quiet environment is crucial.
Engage in Back-and-Forth Conversations
When your baby makes sounds, respond as if they were speaking. Encourage other caretakers to do the same. This interaction helps transition from sounds to babbling and eventually to speech.
Read, Recite, and Sing
Regularly read stories, recite poetry, and sing to your child. This helps them develop larger vocabularies and a love for reading, poetry, and song. Focus on simple, realistic themes that reflect everyday life.
Speak Clearly and Directly
Let your child see your mouth move while you speak. Additionally, narrate their activities, providing vocabulary for what they’re doing or interacting with.
Avoid Baby Talk
Use correct words instead of baby talk. Babies need to hear accurate language used by adults. Avoiding baby talk removes the need to reteach words correctly later.
Respond to Communication Attempts
Show your child that their words matter by responding to their attempts to communicate. This not only boosts their language skills but also builds their confidence.
Use Specific Vocabulary
Don’t limit yourself to general terms. Use specific words like “butter-knife” instead of just “knife” and “oak tree” instead of just “tree.” This is a critical period for language acquisition, so expand their vocabulary.
Correct Mispronunciations Gently
If your child mispronounces a word, respond with the correct pronunciation. For example, if they say “Piscotty,” reply, “We’re having spaghetti for dinner.” This helps them gradually adopt the correct usage.
Tell Stories Together
Share stories from your life, not just from books. Talk about what you saw on a walk or your first day of school. Simple, detailed stories of everyday life captivate children.
Practice Listening
Finally, show your child that their words are important by listening attentively. Model basic grace and courtesy by not interrupting and allowing them time to finish their thoughts.
Bonus Tip: Use Gestures Along with Spoken Language
Using gestures alongside spoken language can significantly aid language development. Studies show that infants who learn American Sign Language often name objects with gestures earlier than those learning only spoken language. For example, waving your hand to symbolize a rain while saying “rain” can help your child say the word about a month earlier. Frequent use of gestures also promotes the transition from one to two-word speech.
What language-building activities do you enjoy with your babies and toddlers? Share your experiences in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
