How to Support Your Toddler’s Speech and Language Development Based On Age
Helping your toddler develop the skills they need to communicate and interact with their world is one of your top priorities as a parent.
After all, teaching communication skills not only helps your little one successfully express their wants and needs but also promotes self-confidence in them as early as possible. Luckily, there are many easy ways for parents to get involved in promoting language development in toddlers.
But supporting your toddler’s development can be easier said than done. That’s where I come in! Here are some tips to help support your child’s speech and language progress from home.
Speech and Language Tips for Toddlers Under Two
Nurturing your baby’s speech and language from a young age is an integral part of their development, and you can use many activities and tips to help them get the best start possible.
Be expressive: Use animated gestures like pointing and waving when you talk. Try to get them to imitate your words when you speak. Use descriptive language when counting objects, talking about colours, or teaching them animal sounds.
Reciprocate expressions and sounds: Communication in the first few years of your toddler’s life will be primarily non-verbal. Mirroring your little one can help them understand what their facial expressions mean and use them to communicate better..
Read books together: Reading is invaluable when it comes to speech and language development. Choose books with vivid, high-contrast pictures so they can gain a better understanding of what is happening in the story.
Encourage curiosity: Talk to your toddler about where you’re going, who you’re visiting, and what you’re doing, even when it seems small. As you encourage them to explore more of the world around them, they will continue learning new sounds, places, colours, and objects.
Speech and Language Tips for 2 to 4-Year-Olds
Talking to your child is one of the best ways to help them develop their speech and language skills from age 2 to 4.
Demonstrate clear pronunciations: Speaking in a clear, confident voice and repeating what your child says back to them can help them get a good idea of what their words should sound like. This will also let them know that you understand and encourage them to keep building on sentences.
Use visual cues: Show your toddler pictures of familiar people and talk about who they are, telling stories about things they like or what they do. Eventually, your child will get to a place where they can tell you a story about the person in the picture!
Sing nursery rhymes together: Another way to help your child learn new words is by singing simple songs and nursery rhymes with them. This helps with both pronunciation and rhythm.
Ask yes or no questions: Asking your child yes or no questions is a great way to exercise their logic and communication skills. Ask them things like, “Are you Sam?” or “Is there a hippopotamus on your head?” The key with this is the sillier the question, the better!
Give Your Child The Best Start Possible
Taking the time to help your toddler develop their speech and language skills has countless long-term benefits. When integrated with regular conversations, these tips can help to boost your toddler’s confidence in the power of their voice.
Investing in individualized sessions is also a great way to obtain tailored advice specific to your child’s unique needs and abilities. This kind of personalized instruction has been proven to accelerate language growth. If you’re looking for an extra edge for your child’s communication, schedule a one-on-one session with me today!