Encouraging Early Children’s Speech and Language Development

Did you know that by the time they are two years old, most children will start saying simple phrases and will have a vocabulary of fifty words or more?

It makes sense why you want to do everything in your power to help your child to build their language skills. Once your child enhances their language skills, they will begin to meet important communication milestones.

But it can be difficult to know what you can do to support children's speech. To help to clear up confusion, we have written a guide. Keep reading if you want to find out more.

Encouraging Language Development in Babies

Even though it is not yet possible to understand your babies, they are constantly trying to communicate. Every tiny coo is your baby's attempt to express something meaningful.

Here is what you should know about encouraging language development in your baby.

Play Lots of Music and Sing to Your Infant

If you want to encourage your baby to develop the skills for saying her or his first words, you should sing to them. This will make all the difference.

Along with singing to your infant, you should also play music for them. This could include nursery rhymes, classical music, or soothing ambiance music.

There is plenty of research that shows how strong the connection is between music and children's development. You can play music for your baby when you are driving in your car or preparing for mealtime.

Use Gestures and Make Sounds When Talking to Your Baby

Babies are able to notice changes in volume and pitch before they are capable of saying their first words. They will also begin to recognize that they can cry when they want to get the attention of their caretakers.

In fact, crying is one of the first steps that babies take to purposefully express their needs. Over time, they will also start to point their fingers and make more noises.

Therefore, it is important to understand that your baby is always paying attention, even if they have not started to speak their first words.

Supporting Language Development in Toddlers

Once your baby becomes a toddler, he or she will start to communicate in new and exciting ways. Most toddlers who are between one and two years will arrive at various communication milestones.

They will be able to learn many new words, and it will be possible for them to follow basic directions.

Understand the Importance of Reading to Children

No matter how young your child is, you should try to read to them on a daily basis. This will help them to recognize and learn new words. Your child will also start to build a vocabulary.

Most children's books encourage toddlers to use their imaginations. This will help them to start experimenting with new words that they might not find out about during typical conversations.

If you are worried that your child is not developing properly, it is important to familiarize yourself with things to watch for in relation to their language development.

Narrate and Describe for Your Toddler

By taking time to use narration when you are interacting with your child, they will feel encouraged to learn new words and short sentences.

It is easier to narrate for your toddler than you might think. Start by describing what you are doing. For example, you might say "I am cooking a meal," when you are in the kitchen.

Or you might say, "we are going outside," when you and your toddler are heading out the door to go on a walk.

Preschool and Older: Supporting Your Child's Language Development

It can be exciting to encourage preschool-aged children to develop language. Once they start going to daycare and preschool, they will begin to hold many new types of conversations.

They will begin to develop their language and communication skills at home and at school.

Dramatic Play

Playing pretend helps children to develop their imaginations. But it will also support their language development. This is why you should engage in dramatic play with your child as often as possible.

You can do this by creating stories together. Encourage your child to come up with novel plotlines and plots. You can also work on developing characters and acting out their emotions.

This will help your child to build her or his vocabulary.

Asking Open-Ended Questions

It can be easy to make your child feel boxed in if you ask too many yes or no questions. Instead, try your best to ask questions that encourage examination and explanation.

Try Not to Criticize or Correct Your Child

Every child develops language and communication skills at a different pace. Some children take longer than others to learn how to express themselves. There is nothing wrong with this.

It is also important to recognize that there is a learning curve when it comes to speech and language development.

Therefore, try your best not to correct or criticize your child if their verb tenses and pronunciation are not totally correct. If you do this, your child might think that they are doing something wrong.

It is a much better idea to repeat sentences back to your child with the correct grammar and tenses.

Encouraging Children's Speech and Language Development

If you've been wondering how to encourage children's speech and language development, keep in mind that one of the best things you can do is play with your child, read to them, and sing to them.

It is also important to enroll your child in a preschool that will support your child in developing his or her language and speech skills. Don't hesitate to reach out to us with any questions that you have.