7 Tips For Encouraging Your Toddler’s Speech

Help your toddler develop speech skills by putting the following tips into practice. A silent home isn’t one that will help your little ‘un’s speech development, after all!

Describe Everything

Talk about everything with your toddler! (Well, maybe not everything, but you get the idea.) Explain what you’re doing, where you are, what’s around, and more. Describe objects and surroundings the way your toddler probably sees them. Talk about what the youngling is interested in, such as the neighborhood cat or brightly-colored flowers.

Tell Stories

Instill a love of imagination by telling stories. Find an object–or anything really–and make up a story about it. The storytelling “bug” could easily spread to your child once he or she gets older and maybe even inspire a love of writing!

Ask Questions

Ask your toddler plenty of questions about the world around him/her. Even if the kiddie cannot respond yet, use intonation to emphasize that you are asking a question. The child will eventually learn that a response is required.

Don’t Use Baby Talk

Avoid using baby talk when speaking to your toddler. Babies and children understand a heck of a lot more than people think from an early age. Use simple but “real” language rather than dumbing down your words.

Stay Positive

Employ positive speech when talking to your toddler. Talking isn’t just about giving orders and the like–speech should be fun and positive the vast majority of the time.

Gesture

Make plenty of gestures when speaking to your toddler. Studies show non-verbal communication is very important when helping your child learn about the world and everything in it.

Listen

Listen to your toddler and give the young one a chance to respond. Even if the words the toddler is speaking aren’t “real words,” the child will still speak with inflection.