10 Tips To Help Your Child Communicate

As a Licensed Speech Pathologist, one of the most common questions I am asked by parents is how they can help their child’s speech. I am here to tell you that there are a few simple things you can add to your daily routine with your kids that can make a huge difference in their speech.

You are one of the most influential communicators in your child’s life.

Tip #1 - Give Choices

If you aren't sure what your child wants, you can pick two things you think they are trying to say and ask, "Do you want this or that?". Giving choices allows your child to hear you model the correct pronunciation of a word. It also increases your likelihood of understanding what they are actually saying. This can be done at any point of your day. “Do you want to play dinosaurs or ball?”. You can even hold up the item, so that they can point to it, if they can’t say the words.

Tip #2 - Read With Your Child Daily

Reading to your child is a great way to increase communication. Studies have shown that reading regularly to your child improves language. This is a simple task that you can set aside for a few minutes in the day. Books can be a great way to facilitate language. You can even point at the objects in the book and have your child tell you what they see. You can talk about the colors or count the items in the book. There is so much learning that can happen while reading a book with your child. It doesn’t get much better than snuggling up with a blanket with your child and reading a book together.

"One book each day is an easy goal for new families to try." – Adam M. Franks, professor of family and community health at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine

Tip #3 - Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

In order to learn a new skill, we often need lots of practice. Repeating what your child is saying gives them lots of opportunities to hear the sounds that they are trying to learn. You can use this strategy any time in the day like. When your child points to his/her water and says “wawa,” you can repeat back, "water" and give him/her the water bottle. It seems like a simple thing to do, but you are helping your child learn that their words have meaning. It is very rewarding for your child to see that words can help them fulfill their needs. By repeating the word with correct pronunciation after your child says them, you are also helping their speech.

Tip #4 - Give Extra Time

After you ask a question or make a comment, pause for a few extra seconds to allow your child to respond. This allows your child more opportunities to talk. When parents and other listeners are quick to jump in, it takes away their child's ability to practice communicating. When a child is allowed extra time to respond, it will most likely lead to increased attempts to communicate.

Tip #5 - Expand On What Your Child Says

Another way to help your child’s speech is to expand on what they are already saying. This strategy can be useful if your child has a very limited vocabulary or if they are starting to put words together. Expanding on your child’s speech is as simple as repeating what they say and then adding something to it. If you are on a walk with your child and they see a dog and say “puppy” you can say “big puppy.” By adding just one more word to what they are saying you are helping them learn how to put words together.

Tip #6 - Follow Their Lead

Following your child’s lead means playing with the toys or the game that your child wants to play with. Children are often more engaged when they are doing something they want to do. I have found that I often get the most communication from children, when a child is really engaged in an activity.

Tip #7 - Narrate Your Day

A good way to get your child to talk more is by “narrating your day.” Narrating your day is pretty simple, all you need to do is say what you are doing while you are doing it. You can do this on a walk to the park with your child. “Let’s walk to the park. I am putting you in the stroller. I see a dog.” You can also try narrating your child’s day. “You are climbing up the ladder. Wow, you are going fast down the slide. “ By narrating your child’s day you are improving their communication and vocabulary.

Tip #8 - Nursery Rhymes/Songs

Nursery rhymes are a fun way to help your child communicate. The repetition in the songs helps your child’s memory. These songs also help to build your child’s vocabulary and phonemic awareness. All of these skills are laying the foundation for your child‘s language and also for future skills like reading. As you sing the songs you can pause and let your child fill in the blank or sing the songs fast/slow to make it fun.

Tip #9 - Get On Their Level

A simple thing you can do to help your child is to get on their level. You can do this by sitting on the ground with your child or kneeling by them while you are talking. Getting on your child’s level improves attention and eye contact. When we are on our child’s level, they are able to see our mouth moving and watch as we say the words they are learning.

Tip #10 - Limit Distractions

This tip might be easier said than done. I understand that life today is full of distractions. However, I still believe this tip is worth mentioning. Limiting distractions might mean; turning off the tv, stepping away from a big group to talk to your child, or turning down the music in the background. By limiting distractions you are increasing your child’s ability to focus on what is being communicated.

You’ve Got this!

Pick one or two of these simple tasks and add them to your daily schedule. These simple changes can make a huge impact on your child’s communication. If you continue to have concerns about your child’s speech development, schedule a free consult with me on my website at peakviewspeechtherapy.com