Handy talk!
Gestures and visual supports help to reinforce information that is given verbally during play or instructions.
They can help your to child understand, make choices, know what to expect in a given situation, and learn new words.
Top tips:
- Slow down your speech and use gestures: young children find it difficult to block out background noise, so by doing this, it helps them to process what you are saying
- Exaggerate what you are saying to your child: you can do this by changing the tone/volume of your voice and using a gesture alongside – for example, ‘we are going UP the stairs’ whilst pointing your finger upwards
- Use real objects, pictures and photographs: these are extra clues to support your child’s understanding
