Chatter matters!
Your child learns to talk every time you talk to them. Your child learns to listen every time you listen to them.
At this age your child’s vocabulary will be developing fast, and your role as the adult is vital to support this phase even further. There are many things that you can do to support your child when out and about, and at home.
You may find changes in your child’s behaviour during this phase and this can be due to frustration – having so much to say but not always being able to express themselves clearly because they are still learning new vocabulary.
Top tips:
- Reduce background noise: this is really important even from the youngest of ages, because young children struggle to filter out noises – if you talk to your child while the television or music is on, they will find it hard to hear you clearly and the sounds you are using in your words
- Slow down your speech: your child will benefit from an adults speech being slowed down and instructions given one at a time, otherwise it is really hard for them to concentrate on too much in one go
- Allow repetition: you might start to notice your child likes to listen to the same story over and over again – this allows your child to become so familiar with the story, they will begin to feel more comfortable with joining in and knowing what is going to happen next
- Follow your child’s lead: When playing with your child, try to follow their lead and comment on what they are doing – this helps them remain interested for longer, helps them make connections with their actions, and also allows them to hear more words
