Picture this: You're sitting on the couch, watching your little one babble and giggle as they explore the world around them. It's a heartwarming scene, filled with love and laughter, But in the back of your mind, you can't help but wonder, "Am I doing enough to help them with language?"
Believe me, every parent knows the feeling! It's completely normal to feel a little overwhelmed by parenting advice, especially when it comes to something as crucial as language development. But fear not! In this blog post, we're going to dive into some fun and easy ways to support your baby or toddler's language skills.
Babies and toddlers are natural explorers, and play is their primary mode of learning.
Through play, they engage their senses, develop motor skitls, and explore cause and effect. It's also a safe and enjoyable way for them to make sense of the world around them and build essential cognitive, social, and physical skills. So, encourage playtime, join in the fun, and watch as your little one's curiosity and language flourish with these common toys you likely already own.
1. Building Blocks:
Building blocks are fantastic for language development in young children. Whether your little one has a few words in their vocabulary or even if they haven't yet started speaking, blocks are a great choice for you! Here are a few functional words you can say while playing with your little one: "up," "down," "more," "give me," "wow," "yay," "on top," "uh-oh," "soo big," "again."
While you're playing with your little one, I encourage you to sit in front of them. By doing so, your child is more likely to look at your mouth and the way you produce certain sounds. I also want to remind you to use your motherese voice. What's that? It means you'll want to use a high-pitched voice, speak slowly, and really exaggerate each sound.
2. Play Tunnel:
As kids crawl through a play tunnel, they're not just having fun - they're also honing crucial skills. These tunnels encourage movement, help little ones develop their gross motor skills and spatial awareness. They also stimulate sensory exploration, with different textures and sounds as they move through the tunnel.
They also create opportunities for language development! Children can take turns crawling through the tunnel, play peek-a-boo, or engage in pretend scenarios. Here are a few functional words you can say while playing with your little one: "in," "out,"
"more," "peek-a-boo," "wow, "yay," "hi," "bye," "all done." The key is to play with your child (from time to time...l know life is busy), so they can pick up all these new words!
3. Bubbles:
I know..bubbles! I'll never forget when I told a client's father to buy bubbles...the look that man gave me. You'll never guess who came back a few weeks later and told me that the bubbles were a total hit. Here are a few words you can use to promote your child's language development with bubbles: "open," "pop," "wow," "yay," "oh no," "uh-oh,"
"more," "ready, set, go," "give me," "bye, bye bubble," "big bubble," "my turn," "all done."
Here's a trick I use when playing with bubbles: After I blow the bubbles, I always close the bottle. In doing so, my client has to communicate that they want more! I'll knock on the bottle, say "ooopppennn," and wait a few seconds to provide the little one with the chance to imitate the word "open." I'll then say, "ready, set" and then I'll pause! By pausing, I've providing yet another opportunity for my client to say, "GO!"
4. Books:
The options are limitless! There are so many wonderful books out there for little ones.
However, I'll include a few of my favorites below. My go-to's are books with lots of repetition, large, colorful photos, and simple words. Books introduce children to new words, concepts, and ideas, expanding their vocabulary and language skills. Reading together also fosters a love for storytelling and sparks curiosity about the world around them. Moreover, books offer valuable bonding moments between caregivers and children, creating opportunities for shared experiences and meaningful conversations.
Whether it's a bedtime story or a quiet afternon reading session, books ignite a lifelong passion for learning and discovery in young minds.
5. Animals:
Animals? Absolutely! Whether your child is playing with a farm set, sticking their tongue out like a pup, or stomping their feet like dinosuars, all of these are wonderful opportunities to enhance language skills! Animal noises like "baa," "moo," "woof," and "rawr" are usually easy for little ones to imitate. That's why I always keep animal figurines in my therapy bag; kids adore them, and they often become their first words!
Like everything, repetition is key! Look for opportunities during the day to encourage them to play with their beloved animal toys, whether it's during bath time, outdoors, or in the mornings. By engaging in play with your child and modeling the sounds animals make, you encourage them to imitate you. This playful interaction helps reinforce their learning and makes language development an enjoyable experience
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