Encouraging Your Child’s Language

By age one

Activities to encourage your child's language

• Respond to your child's coos, gurgles, and babbling, so they will participate
• Talk to your child as you care for him or her throughout the day
• Read colorful books to your child every day causing them to develop color senses
• Tell nursery rhymes and sing songs
• Teach your child the names of everyday items and familiar people
• Take your child with you to new places and situations
• Play simple games with your child such as "peek-a-boo" and "pat-a-cake"

Between one and two

Activities to encourage your child's language

• Reward and encourage early efforts by saying new words
• Talk to your baby about everything you're doing while you're with him
• Speak simply, clearly, and slowly to your child while explaining relevant things
• Talk about new places before you go, while you're there, and when you are back home
• Look at your child when he or she talks to you
• Describe what your child is doing, feeling, hearing as soon as they have any problem
• Let your child listen to children's records and tapes
• Praise your child's efforts to communicate

Between two and three

Activities to encourage your child's language

• Repeat new words several times
• Help your child listen and follow instructions by playing games: "pick up the ball," "Touch Daddy's s nose"
• Take your child on trips and talk about what you see before, during and after the trip
• Let your child tell you answers to simple questions
• Read books every day, perhaps as part of the bedtime routine
• Listen attentively as your child talks to you
• Describe what you are doing, planning, thinking
• Have the child deliver simple messages for you (Mommy needs you, Daddy )
• Carry on conversations with the child, preferably when the two of you have some quiet time together
• Ask questions to get your child to think and talk
• Show the child you understand what he or she says by answering, smiling, and nodding your head
• Expand what the; child says.