Tips for Facilitating Language in the Young Child

1.      Make outings a time for talking and learning.  For example, when buying fruits and vegetables at the grocery store talk about the colors, size, and texture of the foods.

2.      Play learning games with children. For infants and toddlers, play games like pat-a- cake and peek-a-boo.  For older children, games like I Spy or Simon Says are great ways to stimulate speech and language skills. 

3.      Make daily routines fun language building activities for children. During clean up time and laundry time, sort items by category, color, or size.

4.      Use Self-Talk when your toddler is nearby.  Talk aloud about what you are seeing, doing, hearing, or feeling.

5.      Use Parallel-Talk with your toddler. Talk aloud about what he or she is doing, seeing, hearing, or feeling. This gives the child words to think with and he or she will use them later to tell you about things that are happening to them.

6.      Storybook reading is a great activity for language and learning at all ages.  Not only read the words, but also describe and point out objects, colors, shapes, feelings, and actions in the pictures.

7.      Go for a walk. The world around us offers unlimited learning possibilities.  Discuss what you are seeing, hearing, and feeling.  Collect things along the way like rocks or leaves and take them home for later learning activities such as an art project, a counting game, or sorting games.

8.      Introducing animal sounds is a fun way to associate a sound with a specific meaning.  The doggie says “woof-woof.”

9.      Ask questions that require a choice. “Do you want an apple or grapes?”

10.    Name and identify body parts during bathing time, dressing time, or when looking in a mirror.