Talk to your toddler - 2-3 years

Talk to your toddler: Top Tips

At each stage of your child's development they change and your role develops as a parent on how to support their language and communication skills. Your role in play develops and as you notice changes in your child, you will notice changes in yourself.

Top Tips

• Pointing things out to your child and responding to what your child is pointing to are all top tips to develop communication and vocabulary.
• Young children find it hard to block out background noise. They will find it harder to listen to you if there is background noise around them such as the TV and radio. To help your child, turn off the TV and radio so they can hear your words and the sounds in the words.
• When playing or going out and about try and comment on what you are doing or what your child is doing. Commenting develops language and vocabulary. Asking lots of questions can be confusing and and doesn't always help a child learn.
• Allow your child to have thinking time. This will give them time to process what you have said and what they are doing.
• Say your child's name first, this will get your child's attention. Once they are able to look at you and know that you are talking to them they are then able to listen.
• Try to only give your child one instruction at a time. Making the instruction clear and talking slowly will help your child understand what you are wanting them to do. Giving visual clues such as pointing can help your child even more.

Through the eyes of a child 2-3 years old

One of 4 short films from the Communication Trust, narrated by Kathy Burke as the child. Helpful tips to support your 2-3 year olds communication. Worth a watch!

For more information about talking to your baby click the link on the sidebar.