Is anything more exciting for parents than hearing their child’s first word? From the moment a baby begins babbling, parents anticipate and monitor their child’s speech development, anxious to see what he will say next. Yet many parents can also feel anxiety around young children’s speech – are they meeting milestones? Are they keeping up with their peers? Since all children grow and develop at different rates, even within the same family, it can be difficult for parents to know if their child is on the right track. Here, we will summarize the typical child’s speech development trajectory and suggest strategies for supporting children’s speech at every stage. If you have questions or concerns about your child’s speech development at any age, always consult their pediatrician.
Reading
Throughout all of childhood, reading out loud should be a household mainstay. No matter a child’s age, she will benefit from being surrounded by language. Reading aloud to young children has a tremendous impact on their vocabulary, as well as their understanding of grammar and syntax. An Ohio State University study found a “million word gap” between children who were read aloud to at home versus those who were not upon entering Kindergarten.
Conversation
Conversation is a powerful tool to help boost your child’s vocabulary and improve their language skills. The importance of talking to your child cannot be overstated. Young children typically have a lot to say but may need some support in expressing their thoughts and feelings. With the right support, we can support our little language learners as they grow! Keep reading to learn how to nurture your child’s budding speech and language skills.
Infants – Birth to 6 Months
Babies develop the ability to recognize familiar voices, such as those of their parents, while they are still in the womb. By the time they are born, they are already familiar with the sounds of their parents’ voices. Babies begin taking in language the day they are born. From their first days of life, they are observing and learning from all they see and hear around them. By three months, we would expect babies to recognize and even be comforted by familiar sounds such as a caregiver’s voice. By six months, infants are quite familiar with the sounds of their native language.
Crying is a baby’s first method of communication. This is how they express their needs and let you know something is wrong. Three-month-old babies can even alter cries to express different needs, ask observant caregivers know. Babies can also begin smiling at their caregivers as early as six weeks old. As they grow, babies use sounds such as a coo or a delighted squeal to express happiness as well.
It is never too early to begin reading to your baby! This can begin as soon as they are born. While awake time is sparse during those first few weeks of life, try reading just a few pages of a simple baby book aloud while your child is feeding or during tummy time. Try books with high contrast images, such as black and white pictures.
By 6 months old, your baby:
· Makes cooing sounds
· Cries differently for different needs (hunger, diaper change, pain, sleepy)
· Smiles and laughs
· Makes eye contact with caregiver
Strategies for Speech Development, Birth to 6 Months
· Make eye contact with your baby and smile at her
· Speak slowly to your baby, with lots of inflection. What was once dismissed as “baby talk” actually helps babies’ brains begin to understand the sounds of their native language.
· Sing to your baby while feeding, dressing, and changing her. Sing familiar songs in soft, soothing tones
· Narrate your activities. Tell her what you are doing throughout the day. Try wearing her in a sling or carrier around the house and talk softly to her.
· Engage your baby with silly sounds and funny sounds. Many babies begin laughing as early as six months
Infants – 6 to 12 Months
By six months, babies recognize many familiar sounds. By 12 months, babies begin to understand a few short, simple words and phrases such as “Come here” or “No”. Their squeals and coos soon give way to babbling consonant sounds without meaning. Next, they begin to attach meaning to their utterances. They begin to use sounds and gestures to communicate and engage with the world.
Continue reading aloud, especially sturdy board books meant for babies. Your baby will love helping to turn the pages. A book with flaps to lift or interesting textures to touch can keep baby engaged in the read aloud. Make reading a part of your routine, such as before naps and at bedtime.
By his or her first birthday, your baby will:
· Imitate or repeat sounds that he hears
· Play interactive games such as Peek-a-Boo
· Babble with consonant sounds (“da-da-da”, “ma-ma-ma”)
· Use gestures such as waving to communicate
· Say his first word (by twelve months old)
Strategies for Speech Development, 6 to 12 Months
· Sing nursery rhymes and familiar songs to your baby. Try incorporating songs with a physical component. For example, sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” and point to all your baby’s body parts. Sing “Patty Cake, Patty Cake” and gently practice clapping your baby’s hands
· Read familiar stories at bedtime and throughout the day. Rereading the same books helps little ones become more familiar with language!
· Repeat sounds to your baby, such as “ba-ba-ba” or “ma-ma-ma”. See if she can say them back.
· When your baby makes a sound, whether it is a squeal, grunt, or babble, repeat it back to them. Make it a fun game – older infants love to imitate.
· Teach your baby gestures and motions, such as High Five or a “Cheers”, bumping two blocks together.
· As your baby begins to learn gestures, such as clapping and waving, say words as they do the movement. Say “hello” or “bye-bye” when she waves. Say “Clap hands!” when she learns to clap.
· Speak to your baby in a conversational tone. Continue speaking slowly and with inflection. Ask questions and pause as if you were waiting for a response.
Toddlers 12 – 24 Months
By age 1, your toddler is finding her voice! She can use a few simple words to communicate. This will start with one-word utterances such as “up” or “more” but will develop into short phrases. Through a combination of words and gestures, she is now able to make her needs, wants, and opinions known. By 24 months, expect your child to:
· Use short, simple phrases or questions with two words such as “I go”
· Point to pictures, animals, body parts, or other objects
· Have a vocabulary of 50 (or more) words
· Follow short simple instructions, such as “come here”
Strategies for Speech Development, 12 to 24 Months
· Continue to narrate your daily activities. Use details in your speech. “We put on our socks and shoes before we leave the house.”
· Wait and listen – give your child the opportunity to speak before chiming in.
· Respond to your child’s speech. If he says “more”, say “More milk?”.
· Extend his speech. If he points and says “cat”, say “Big cat” or “Black cat.” Responding and extending in this manner will encourage him to continue trying to talk.
· Read a variety of different books! Continue to reread favorites but introduce new ones as well. Visit the library and let him choose books he would like to read. Consider attending a story time at a library or bookstore. He will love the fun stories and songs, and you will learn some new songs and activities to use at home.
· Using baby talk is OK but model the correct words too. “You want your wa-wa? OK I will get your water.”
Toddlers 2-3 Years
Two-year-olds continue to grow and develop their vocabulary. Although adults other than primary caregivers may still have difficulty understanding them, toddlers this age are better able to communicate their needs and their speech is becoming more intelligible. Two-word sentences give way to longer phrases. Have lots of conversations with your toddler. Ask him questions. Let him guide conversations, with an adult chiming in and extending as needed. Two and three-year-olds are opinionated, so give him choices! Generally, by age three your child can:
· Communicate in three-word phrases or sentences such as “Mama come here”
· Answer simple yes or no questions
· Say his name
· Use the correct words to identify familiar objects
· Correctly say several consonant sounds
· Use a vocabulary of up to 500 words
· Follow two step directions
Strategies for Speech Development, 24-36 Months
· Continue reading and singing songs. Sing songs during daily activities such as cleaning up, washing hands, and brushing teeth.
· Talk about the attributes of various things. Describe their color, size, and shape so your toddler is familiar with this language.
· Do not try to force your child to speak by saying “Say ____.” Instead ask her questions and allow plenty of wait time for her to respond.
· Try asking questions with two or more options – “Would you like oatmeal or cereal today?”
· Limit screen time. Replace this with playtime, either independently or with you or a sibling or friend. If your child does watch TV or a video, make it an interactive activity. Pause and ask questions about what is happening on the screen. Describe what you see.
· Encourage imaginative play. Rather than having too many toys that make noises, try a few simple wooden toys that will encourage her own creativity.
· Practice naming things such as body parts, animals, fruits, etc. See how many familiar objects your child can name!
Preschoolers 3-4 Years
Children over age 3 grow leaps and bounds in their language abilities and are becoming excellent little speakers! They are able to participate in conversations with parents, caregivers, and other children. They can recall and discuss daily events and even answer questions. They have strong opinions and can clearly express preferences for favorite foods, activities, and toys. By age four, expect your child to:
· Speak in sentences of 4 words or longer
· Answer more complex questions
· Recall and describe events that happened in her day
· Know and use up to 1,000 words (or more!)
· Speak clearly enough that most adults can understand her
· Identify and name colors, shapes, and some letters
· Follow multi-step directions.
Strategies for Speech Development, 3-4 Years
· Continue your daily reading routine. Ask questions about the stories you read. Encourage your child to retell familiar stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, or the Three Little Pigs, with some support. “What did the big bad wolf do?” Nursery rhymes and rhyming books are still appropriate and fun at this age.
· Let your child “read” to you by turning the pages of a familiar book and retelling the story in his own words.
· Try not to have the TV on all the time when no one is watching. Background noise might limit the amount of time you and your child speak to each other. Likewise, don’t try to fill every silence with speaking. Let it happen naturally.
· Practice putting things into categories. Say “Can you bring me all the balls?” or “Let’s put all the things with wheels together.” In your child’s play area, have designated spaces for toy food, dolls, animals, etc. When your child helps you clean up, talk about where each item goes.
· Play a fun guessing game – describe something using clues and have your child try to guess what you are talking about. For example, you could say “It lives on the farm. It has a curly pink tail. It likes to roll in the mud.” (Pig).
· Incorporate sensory words. Discuss how things look, smell, feel, taste, and sound.
· Get outside and explore! Daily activities are an excellent time to practice language development with your child. Whether you are at the park, the grocery store, the library. Talk about what is happening all around you.
· Make sure your child spends time playing with similar aged peers. Developing social language is an important part of overall language development.
Language is all around us, and watching children blossom in their learning is a delightful experience! We hope these activities provide some inspiration for creating a language-rich environment for your growing child. Have fun with your youngsters while helping them develop their speech in fun, exciting ways!