Did you know that parents play a large part in their child’s language development? Studies have now concluded that children who are read to and spoken to in the early part of their development have larger vocabularies and better grammar than those children who weren’t.
Here are 5 fun and easy ways you can help your child’s speech development:
1. Speak Your Day
As you spend the day with your child partaking in various activities, speak about what is going on. For instance, you might say, “First we are going to get dressed. I picked out blue pants and a yellow shirt for you. Next, we’ll walk to the park and feed the ducks.”
2. Read to Them Often
Experts agree it’s never too early to read to your baby. If your baby is very young, think about starting with simple board books. Eventually, you can move on to picture books and then longer, more in-depth stories. You may also want to sign your preschooler up for storytime at your local library or bookstore.
3. Go on Field Trips
Be sure to get out of the house often and head out for an adventure every now and then. Taking trips to the zoo, aquarium, or child’s museum will open up new worlds for your little one and give you many new things to “talk” about together.
4. Follow Their Lead
When your child seems particularly interested in something, whether it’s a puddle, a bug, or an old sock, be sure to really talk about that thing. You can describe the item and share any history or facts you know about it. Just try and keep the conversation going.
5. Limit TV and Computer Time
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that toddlers aged 2 and younger not watch any television at all. They also recommend those 2 and older view no more than two hours of quality programming each day. Some TV is educational, but speech development really relies on interaction. You can interact with your child but the TV cannot.
Helping your child with speech development is really as simple as engaging them and interacting with them continually throughout the day.
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