The holidays often make us feel like we need to buy all the "right" toys and books to support our children's development. As a Speech-Language Pathologist with over a decade of experience in early language development, I am here to tell you that you don’t need fancy or expensive toys or books to support your child’s speech and language development—what matters most is how you engage with them. Here are some simple yet effective ways to encourage language development using materials you already have:
Read Together Daily Did you know that reading for just 5-minutes before bed can expose your child to about 300 new words per week? Use varied tones, point to pictures, make comments and ask questions. Use pauses when commenting to see what your child comes up with. This can be something like "Hey look at that! It's a...cat! What does the cat say?" Any book works—your engagement with them is what matters!
Model Language Show your child how to use language by modeling simple phrases and sentences and expanding on what they are saying. If your child says “ball,” respond with “Yes, that’s a big red ball! Thanks for showing me your ball! What a cool ball." This simple practice helps expand their vocabulary and language variety.
Narrate Your Day Talk about what’s happening around you and your child. While cooking, say, “I’m stirring the soup” or “Now I’m cutting the apples.” While doing laundry, say "I have a shirt" or "Look at Daddy's blue pants." Any daily routine can be an opportunity for language modeling! Narration gives your child a steady stream of language exposure.
Listen to Music Together Sing songs or listen to music with simple, repetitive lyrics. Songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" or "The Wheels on the Bus" encourage language and rhythm while being lots of fun! Including gestures in addition to verbal language can be a way for younger children or those with language delays to have a variety of ways to participate.
Use Repetition Repeat key words or phrases during your interactions. If your child says “car,” you can say, “Yes, the car is going fast! Look at that fast car.” Repetition helps reinforce language learning.
Remember, the magic is in the interaction. A cardboard box can spark just as much language learning as a high-tech toy when paired with your models. Talk, listen, and play with your child—it’s how you use these moments that creates a rich language environment.
By making small changes like these, you can transform everyday moments into powerful opportunities for language development!
If you are concerned about your child's language development or have questions about the role of a Speech Language Pathologist, contact A Care Above Therapy Services for a free consultation. By addressing communication challenges early and providing targeted support, we can help your child reach their full potential.
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