Happy 2019 everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season! I’m posting today on behalf of speech therapy.
Over the holidays, I got a lot of questions from family and friends on how they can help their young child communicate, especially when they aren’t quite old enough to use full words and sentences. Below are some helpful tips to guide you during play time or daytime routines.
-Mimic your child: Imitating your child’s sounds and play behaviors can lead to more vocalizations and positive interactions.
-Leave room for your child to communicate: Pausing and allowing time for your child to process information when talking to him/her increases turn taking.
-Focus on nonverbal language: Using facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures creates a foundation for language skills.
-Let your child lead: Follow along with what your child wants to do by narrating as they play. When your child makes a vocalization or says a word, respond by adding one sound or word to that.
-Keep it simple: Remember to simplify your language. This makes it easier for your child to imitate you.
Lastly, HAVE FUN with your child. Playing games, reading, and doing things your child really enjoys leads to more interaction, engagement, and eventually communication!
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Article written by Taylor Riley Moore, M.S. CCC-SLP