by Natalie Clausen, M.S., CCC-SLP
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As a mom and speech-language pathologist, I find toddlerhood to be one of my favorite stages of development! So much growth takes place in a child’s personality, the ability to express himself, and his interaction with the world around him. And it all happens so quickly! My youngest “baby” is 29 months old, and there are many days when my husband and I marvel at something our son has said, realizing that even a week before he didn’t have the necessary skills to put together the same sentence.
Ways To Promote Your Toddler’s Speech and Language Development
You may be wondering what you can do as the parent to help your child as he or she learns to communicate using language. And as a matter of fact, there are numerous specific things you can do to help things along and to create a positive environment for your child as he or she is learning to talk. This guide will help you support your child’s speech and language learning.
1. Read to your child.
Reading to your child is so nourishing for his or her developing brain! Reading a variety of books with pictures exposes your child to diverse language and new vocabulary. After you read a page, you can stray from the “script” and just talk about what is in the pictures and what is happening, pointing as you go. Reading the same books over and over again allows your child the opportunity to actively participate by reciting parts along with you once they become very familiar with the book. Look for books with a lot of repetition, such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Dear Zoo, and Goodnight Moon, but also know that reading anything to your child is beneficial! Also, check out Top 10 Boardbooks With Rhythm, Rhyming, & Repetition.
2. Model correct speech and language for your child.
It is important for your child to have an accurate model of how to say words and sounds, and the correct way to form sentences. Do not mispronounce words in imitation of your child. For example, if your child says “nana” for “banana,” do not adopt the word “nana” as your new name for the food. Instead, simply continue to use the correct form of the word when you talk to your child in order to provide a good model that they can learn from.
3. Expand on what your child says.
When your child is learning to talk, he or she will say single words before beginning to put words together into phrases and sentences. When your young toddler excitedly points to an airplane in the sky, saying, “Ahpane!”, respond with something like, ” I see that airplane! That airplane is flying way up high in the sky! Wow!” By taking their short word or phrase and using it in longer sentences, you are providing a model of how to use the word in conversation. You will also be teaching your child about other related “action words” and “describing words” at the same time. In the airplane example, your child is learning words like “flying”, “high”, and “sky” that are related to “airplane.”
4. Keep your child unplugged.
Little kids who are learning language have absolutely no need for electronics. There is a ton of research demonstrating that television can detrimentally affect kids younger than two years of age in a variety of ways (vision, attention, language, social skills, to name a few). Television, as well as computers, tablets, phones, and even electronic toys, are no substitute for human interaction and communication. Often when kids are allowed access to screens, it becomes a slippery slope and it ends up replacing opportunities for quality communication. If your child is older than two and you choose to introduce some screen time, make sure to keep television watching to under 60 minutes a day, make it quality programming such as Sesame Street, and watch the show together, interacting and talking throughout. Check out Common Sense Media for recommendations by age and more information.
5. Be your child’s advocate.
Unfortunately, many adults don’t appreciate the lasting effect that negative comments, mocking, or teasing can have on a young child who is struggling with speech and language development or who is simply shy or reluctant to talk. Never laugh at or belittle your child’s speech and do not allow others to. Even teasing meant in a loving way can be hurtful to a child who is struggling to communicate. Be your child’s advocate, always.
6. Sing songs and do “fingerplays” with your child.
Language involves more than making the correct sounds and putting words together. Another aspect of language is “prosody,” or the rhythm, stress patterns, vocal inflection, and pausing we use when speaking. Prosody plays an important role in our ability to easily understand a person’s speech. When singing or reciting rhymes, this aspect of speech is over-exaggerated, which is perfect for a toddler who is learning how it all works. When you add in finger/hand motions, like in “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Where is Thumbkin?”, your toddler will be able to participate in a fun way even before they are able to sing along.
7. Keep the focus on successful communication rather than “saying it right.”
Your child is going through a major transformation, from a baby who uses crying and gesture to communicate to a child who is able to use words. Keep this in perspective, and realize that the first goal should be effective communication, whatever that looks like. If your child says “Me wun tees” (I want cheese), you can model the sentence correctly for him as you get the cheese for him. Praise him for using words to ask for what he wants. When parents insist that their child say something the “right way” before giving them what they need/want, they are creating a negative, frustrating situation unnecessarily.
8. Provide open-ended toys that encourage talking.
Toys like blocks, dolls, balls, and toy cars can be used in a million different ways by you and your toddler. This kind of play is important for developing vocabulary and language skills. Here is a quick list of some age-appropriate concepts and vocabulary you can work into your play to help your child learn:
- colors
- numbers & counting
- shapes
- emotions/feelings (examples: happy, sad, excited, scared)
- comparison words (examples: bigger, fastest, more, shorter)
- describing words (examples: sharp, rough, smooth, slimy)
- opposites (examples: big/small, tall/short, same/different)
- position words (examples: in, out, under, behind)
9. Talk to your child about your environment wherever you go.
This is something that is excellent to do from the time your child is born, but it is a good reminder at any age. Narrate your life to your child. Ask them questions. Point out details of things. Explain what is happening. Talk about where you’re headed in the car. Ask his opinion on things. A toddler’s brain is a sponge, so aim to saturate it with language.
10. Keep it positive.
Just as in any aspect of raising a child, you want them to feel good about themselves. A positive self-image will help your child become a confident and capable person. So do what you can to make your child’s attempts at talking a positive overall experience so that he or she wants to do more of it!
11. Ask a professional if you have concerns.
While there is a wide range of what is “normal” at this stage, it is important to talk to your pediatrician or consult a speech-language pathologist in your area if you have any concerns about your child’s speech and language development. If communicating with your 2 or 3-year-old is extremely difficult or becoming a major source of stress or negativity in your home, it is time to ask a professional for advice.
What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?
A speech-language pathologist, or SLP, is someone who has a master’s level graduate degree in speech and language pathology and who holds the required national and state certifications to evaluate, diagnose, and treat speech and language disorders. The credentials you should check for are M.S., M.A., or Ph.D. and CCC-SLP.
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I hope you’ve found this article helpful! Leave a comment below if you have a related topic you’d like to hear more about.
Suzanne says
This was a good read! It is fun to elaborate on what kids say. Sometimes they look at you confused and other times they look like you just read their mind!
Natalie says
Yes! Thanks for reading, Suzanne.
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! Singing and rhyming are great. I think they help kids remember more than what they usually would in just a normal tone.
Natalie says
Absolutely, Vanessa! It’s also a fun way to get a reluctant talker talking! There are so many benefits! Thanks for reading!
Lauren says
This is good to read!
Would it be a concern my almost 2 year old has no words at all? We do these things for the most part anyway and always have (only a few are new ideas so will be taking those on)
Natalie Clausen says
Hi Vanessa. It’s great that you’re incorporating a lot of these tips at home. Here are a couple links you should check out on ASHA-The American Speech-Language Hearing Association. They’re the authority in the U.S. Speech, Language, and Hearing Milestones for ages 1-2 years and Early Identification of Speech, Language, and Hearing Disorders. Please feel free to reach out to me at natalie@fullgreenlife.com if you want to talk more about your little one.