Language skills
At Mini Ps, I really notice language development taking off between the ages of one and a half and two years old. The children are better able to understand what is being said to them and are also better at expressing what they want.
Most children say their first words around now, however of course some children start sooner, and some don't start talking until around two.
What's this all about?
Children develop at different rates, so it's not necessarily a cause of concern if your child isn't talking by the time they're two. For example - if your child is busy learning to walk then they may be preoccupied with that, and therefore talking takes a back seat. Conversely, those more interested in talking will develop language skills more quickly and will walk later.
Of course if you are concerned about any aspect of your child's development then speak to your doctor.
How should you handle it?
Regardless of when your child says their first words, you can be sure that they understand the vast majority of what is being said to them before that.
You can therefore, help your child to develop language skills. Rather than using ‘baby' words for objects try to use the correct names e.g. ‘dog' rather than ‘doggie' etc. Speak slowly and clearly and avoid introducing complex sentences as these are likely to confuse your child.
If your child is communicating mainly via gestures, you can encourage your child to respond and participate in conversations by providing a commentary - e.g. if your child points to their favourite toy say something like:
Would you like to play with this toy?
Wait for their response. Then say something like:
OK then let's play with the building blocks. Why don't we see if we can build a really tall tower? Does that sound fun?
Even if your child doesn't respond verbally, you'll still be encouraging your child to take part in conversations. However it's important not to push for a verbal response too hard, as this can frustrate your child, and actually make them less likely to start talking.
Reading to your child is another great way to help them develop language skills. Try to get them more involved in the books which you read - e.g. as you read the story ask your child to point out key characters in the illustrations.
Play & Pretend
Help you child develop their vocabulary with our game - Where is your...?
