Toddlers are at a stage where they are beginning to learn and master languages. As a parent or adult who looks after a child, you can incorporate play ideas into their daily routine to help them enhance their talking skills. Telling stories, chatting with them, listening and singing to your child are some ways in which you can encourage your toddler to talk.
Children hear sounds, conversations and words right from the minute they are born. Over the months and years they start to pick up words and string sentences even and their language “explodes”. While different children start to talk fluently at different ages, on average, by the age of three, most are able to speak simple sentences. By this age, even strangers are able to understand what your toddler is saying.
Some Facts about Toddlers and Their Talking Abilities
Of course, the child may still struggle with some words but they are able to express themselves fairly well. The truth is that toddlers can find talking to be very frustrating. It’s because their thought process works faster than their vocal abilities. They respond positively to interest and encouragement. So rather than making fun of them or correcting them too often, encourage them and laud their efforts every now and then.
Learning how to talk can be quite a complicated skill. The best way to help your child develop it is to have fun together during the process. If you only focus on the teaching aspect, they may find it very tedious to learn things.
Play Ideas to Include While Teaching Toddlers How To Talk
Here are some interesting ideas that can help to encourage your toddler to speak.
- It’s a good idea to teach them while you are carrying out some daily activities. Include them in it and teach them sentences and words related to that activity. For example, if you are pulling out clothes from the drier and folding them, say something like – “The clothes are now dry and I am folding them”.
- Read with them every opportunity you get.
- Respond to your children’s questions and show them that you are interested in what they have to say. So, if they are riding their bicycle, ask them where they are going etc.
- When you are driving anywhere with your child, play songs and bursary rhymes to them.
- When your child says some basic words like ‘apple’, you can add something like- “Yes, it’s a red apple” or “It’s a juicy apple”. They may not be able to say the entire sentence right away, but ultimately, they will learn to string sentences faster.
- You can play games that incorporate some learning. So, you can ask them questions like “Where is your nose?” or “Where are your toes?”
While there are many learning and game apps for toddlers, it’s best to keep screen time at a minimum. Extended screen times can give rise to health problems in toddlers as well as pre-schoolers. It also results in poorer social skills, low attention spans and slowdown in language development. So, it’s far better to spend as much time with your toddler as possible and keep them engaged in some fun activities where they are also learning things. But the objective is to make the learning seem like play so they don’t tire of it and feel that they are being bombarded with knowledge constantly.
Red Flags to Look Out For
Most toddlers start babbling a lot by the time they are 18 months of age. If your child doesn’t seem to be listing when everyone around them is talking or if they can’t form meaningful words, it might be a good idea to consult your Paediatrician or Medical General Practitioner. Early intervention and the right approach can help to rectify the issue and encourage speech and learning in most children.
We at Clovel Childcare and Early Learning Centre, we provide a very nurturing environment for children to learn and grow. We include play activities that encourage speech and learning in a fun way. For any information about our services, give us a call at 02 9199 0294 or fill in this contact us form
Thanks for reading,
Clovel Childcare
1300 863 986
