Encouraging your toddler to talk

Between the ages of two and three you should start to experience a very exciting time in your toddler’s life – they are starting to talk to you!

 

It is important to nurture and encourage this new development in your toddler so that by the time they reach school going age they have a solid foundation for interacting with people and the world around them.

 

The influence of you as a parent in this foundation is palpable. As the centre of your toddler’s life, you can influence them and encourage them so that their talking skills can move from strength to strength.

 

There are some simple things you can do from day to day that will encourage your child’s word span to grow. By the time you know it, they’ll be outtalking you!

 

1. Read, read, and then read even more!

Reading to your child will allow them to explore new and different situations. After you read a book two or three times you can ask some simple questions about the book and if they don’t get it straight away, prompt and help your toddler to figure it out.

 

2. Word Games

If you take a routine car journey you can talk to your child as you drive and point out the “big tree” a few times, then ask him what it is one day. This can help your child to learn the words to what he sees around him.  

 

3. Narrate

Narrating your day can help your toddler to pick up words and phrases from you such as “mommy is brushing her hair”. Whatever it is you are doing, tell your toddler about it in simple terms. The more you talk to your toddler, the more they will learn to talk back.

 

4. Repetition
As with the repeat reading of books, repeating your words means they will eventually learn that the banana is yellow or that the jelly is soft.

 

Here are some things to remember:

 

Lots of praise, encouragement, patience and love will see your toddler talking for the world in no time.