Follow your child’s lead
Rather than leading or directing the play, allow your child to take the lead.
When you follow your child’s lead with your actions and word, you respond to what they say or do, letting them know you are listening.
When you follow their lead and show genuine interest in what they’re sharing, they’ll be more encouraged to communicate with you.
Each time they initiate an interaction and you respond, you’re reinforcing their interests, which helps strengthen communication skills.
Top Tip
It’s easier for a child to choose when give just two choices.
This could be during everyday activities such as; food choices, toys, what to wear, what to play on first at the park.
As your child becomes more confident in making choices, you can offer more than a choice of two.
Toy Play Exploration
- Place several toys in front of your child (cars, animals, blocks).
- Let them choose which one they want to play with and follow their lead by imitating their actions or making simple comments.
- “You’re making the car go fast!”
Sensory Tray
Create a tray or mat with different objects and textures. Let your child explore freely and observe which items they prefer to play with.
You could use:
Natural objects: feathers, sticks, leaves, grass cuttings, pebbles, shells, sand, water.
Or
Everyday objects: wooden spoon, empty plastic bottles, bottles with water or rice, variety of balls, measuring spoons and bowls, different textured blankets, cardboard boxes.
This page is part of our Super Six tips, providing you with some suggestions to help get your little one talking.
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