12. PLAY REAL LIFE GAMES
e.g. making tea
feeding teddy
going shopping
These games can encourage lots of
talking.
13. HELP YOUR CHILD TO LISTEN
e.g. noises like the doorbell, dogs barking,
birds singing. Try to have time without
the TV or radio on so that your child can listen to
other sounds.
14. TRY NOT TO ASK TOO MANY QUESTIONS
e.g. “What’s that?” It can get quite boring and
frustrating if a child can’t answer. It’s more helpful if
you name the things for them while you know your
child is looking at them.
Recommended Websites:
www.ican.org.uk
www.talkingpoint.org.uk
www.talktoyourbaby.org.uk
SW EARLY YEARS SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY SERVICE
Buryfields, 61 Buryfields, Guildford, Surrey GU2 4AX
HELPING YOUR CHILD’S
LANGUAGE: THINGS TO DO
1. EYE CONTACT
When you talk to your child, make
sure you get your child’s eye
contact first. Face your child and
bend down to their level.
e.g. “good walking!”
2. COMMUNICATION SIGNALS
Wait for your child to give you
signals. This gives them the chance
to communicate by looking,
pointing, pushing, reaching or a
noise or word. You can respond to
their ‘message’. Responding to
even the smallest of your child’s signals will teach
them about communication.
e.g. when looking at a book WAIT for your child’s
signal before commenting
e.g. at meal times, WAIT for the child’s signal before
giving ‘more’.
3. KEEPING LANGUAGE SIMPLE
When your child gives you a signal, keep words simple
e.g. child points at drink. Say: “Drink – you want a
drink?”
e.g. child pushes food away, say “no – finished”
4. GIVE CHOICES
Always offer your child choices
even when you know what they want
or need. This allows your child the
chance to communicate what they want or need by
pointing, reaching, looking or by using a noise or word.
5. USE LOTS OF REPETITIVE LANGUAGE.
e.g. “Do you want an apple or a pear? You want an
apple. An apple. Peter is having an apple.”
(remembering to keep it simple)
6. USE GESTURES
Using gestures as well as words
will help your child to understand.
7. USING EVERYDAY ROUTINES
MEALTIMES: “more”, naming foods, giving choices, “all
gone”
BATHTIME: “Wash” name parts of body “wash face”,
“out you come”, “bath time”
This will help your child learn different phrases for
different social situations.
8. REPEAT BACK WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS
e.g. child: “ball”
you: “yes, ball”
9. EXPAND ON WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS
e.g. child: “ball”
you: “yes, catching ball”, “yes, Emily’s ball”
10. PLAYING WITH SOUNDS
Look at pictures or things together and make the
sounds that go with them e.g. “vrum vrum” for car
“woof woof” for dog
“tick tock” for clock
“moo” for cow
11. PLAY GAMES TO ENCOURAGE TURN TAKING
e.g. simple rolling a ball to each other, putting things in
a box, adding bricks to a tower. Use words like “Ready
Steady go” and wait till they look at you or give a
signal before having a turn.
Use simple words like “up”, “down”, “more”, “again”