When my daughter was a baby I spent countless hours encouraging her to say new words. Now I can’t get her to stop talking. EVER. Still, I don’t regret a single second I spent reading to her, sounding out words or simply describing each item we encountered during our walks through the neighborhood.
If you are looking for ways to encourage your toddler to express himself through words, then consider the following tips:
Nix the baby talk: Use real words. Don’t confuse your toddler with made up baby talk or weird sounds. Instead, use adult language in a pleasing tone.
Call color: Take a page from sports announcers and use colorful words to describe what you are doing during specific activities. For example, when it’s time to take a bath, tell your toddler: “Let’s take off your shoes. First, we start with the laces, and then we pull your foot out. Now, let’s remove your socks…” And so on and so forth until your child is completely disrobed. Repeat this each time you dress and undress so your toddler learns to use proper labels for each clothing item.
Talk directly to your toddler: It’s a good idea to look at your child while you talk. Make eye contact when you can. This will get his attention and keep him engaged.
Read: I honestly believe that reading to my daughter on a daily basis is what has helped her the most in terms of speech development. She is an extremely articulate preschooler with an expansive vocabulary and an insatiable curiosity. One of her favorite books as a toddler was a picture dictionary my mom got her. It is colorful and features big bold letters. It’s a great way to introduce new words. Be sure to point to the pictures in the book and name each item while you read it to your tot. Also, if you employ expressive voices while you read simple stories, your child will be more apt to pay attention.
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