11 Jan
11Jan


There's no doubt that toddlers learn through playing, and that playing is a huge part of their development, especially at the early stages of life. But how can we, as parents, know which activities we should be playing with our children according to their age? How can we know for sure that the activities we're doing with our children are helping them grow, and stimulating them to improve their speech and language skills?

On this blog post we will share five simple tips you can use to improve your child's speech and language skills. You can try one activity for a day or two and see if you notice a difference. We know you will!


1. Get down on the floor

There's no better way to play with your child than getting down on the floor! This means sitting, crawling, and rolling around on the floor. Make sure you are on the same level as your child, not above. This is important because communication is more effective if both people are on the same level. Adults need to stoop down to the child's level or sit beside her. Making eye contact with the child lets her know that she has your attention and is much less intimidating to the child. Why Do This? When your child can see your face, he/she picks up on visual cues on how to say sounds. Children also listen and learn better when they are naturally talking while playing within their little world. Last, when you are at the level of your child, you have their full attention.


2. Follow your child's lead

At this age, children learn best when they are happily playing since it is meaningful and relevant. We all (children and adults) learn best when information is motivating, meaningful and relevant. For example, a child will learn the word "dog" faster when he is at a park petting a dog, running after the dog, and calling for the dog. Looking at flashcards of a dog and repeating the word "dog" when your parents say ...."say dog" is not nearly as relevant or meaningful. Build learning into whatever your child is already HAPPILY doing by following their lead. Why Do This? As we explained above, toddlers learn faster from meaningful play in their natural environments. Also, when skills are learned this way, children retain the learned information better.


3. Get creative, imaginative and dirty

Play imaginative games! Toys are just props. A block can be a block but it also can be an apple, rocket ship, or a house. Get creative! Get lost in the moment while playing. Don't watch the clock or worry about getting dirty. Worry about having fun with your toddler! Why Do This? Being creative will help language and cognitive development and save money on buying tons of toys. 


4. Talk with a purpose

While you play with your toddler, talk with a purpose. Don't just name toys or pictures while your child plays. Instead, describe toys, talk about what they do, and what they look like. For example, if your child says "dog." Weave in phrases such as: "yes, dog. A dog is an animal. It's a pet. A dog barks, ruff." Why do this? This helps build word knowledge and vocabulary development. Vocabulary is more than simply knowing words. We must understand the whole concept of a word (category, function, use, description) to properly understand it and relate it to new information. Vocabulary development is the foundation for listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities. 


5. Listen and respond while playing

Listen and respond while playing, don't quiz! While it is great to weave language learning into play, remember that you are having fun. We all want our children to learn and grow. Parents should avoid asking their children question after question and sometimes not even waiting for a response. This is not play! While your child is playing, listen, really listen.  Take what he or she is saying seriously and respond appropriately. Why Do this? Too many questions can be overwhelming and counterproductive. Play may start to seem like work and children may be turned off from play. We don't want this!

Positive communication with children uses more "Do's" than "Don'ts." In other words, tell the child what to do rather than what not to do. Children respond much quicker to positive demands than negative ones. Allow children to make choices when possible. They are more likely to show appropriate behavior when they have some control over their actions.

How you play with your toddler can have the greatest impact on your child's language development. These 5 activities will definitely help your child to improve their speech and language skills. But don't take it from us....give them a go and see for yourself!




Source - https://www.speechtherapytalk.com/how-to-play-with-toddler.html?utm_content=bufferb7653&utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest.com&utm_campaign=buffer



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