All children are born with the ability to learn a language, but how they acquire it depends largely on their environment. This is where the importance of your role as a parent comes to play. As a parent, you profoundly impact your child’s language development. You have the power to provide a rich linguistic environment where your child can be exposed to opportunities to hear and practice new words and phrases. So, how to help your child’s language development? Here are 8 ways to support your child’s language development and help them unlock the power of communication!
1. Talk, Talk, And Talk Some More!
One of the easiest and most effective ways to help your child’s language development is to talk to them. The more you talk to your child, the more exposed they are to language. Make an effort to have conversations with them throughout the day, describing what you’re doing and why. Ask them questions and encourage them to ask you questions in return. For example, you could say, “I’m putting on my shoes so I can go for a walk,” or “What color is this?” The more you narrate your day and ask questions, the more language opportunities you provide for your child.
2. Read Together
Reading is another excellent way to help your child’s language development. Through reading, they are exposed to new vocabulary and learn about sentence structure and how to put words together to form meaning. Make reading time a part of your daily routine. Picture books are a great place to start. It’s also a good idea to let your child pick out books they’re interested in and take turns reading pages aloud. You can even make up your own stories!
3. Sing Songs And Recite Nursery Rhymes
Songs and nursery rhymes are also fun to expose your child to new vocabulary and language concepts. They can also be enjoyable for both of you! Choose songs and nursery rhymes that are repetitive and have simple lyrics. This will make them more accessible for your child to follow along and learn from.
4. Describe Everything You Do
When you’re going about your daily activities, take the opportunity to describe what you’re doing and why. For example, you could say, “I’m adding milk to my coffee to make it creamy.” This will help not only help your child’s language development but also help them understand the purpose of language. It helps them learn how it can be used to communicate information.
5. Give Your Child Choices
Giving your child choices is an excellent way to encourage them to use language. For example, you could ask, “Do you want to wear the blue shirt or the green shirt today?” or ask them to help you make decisions such as “Which book should we read next?” Not only does this give them a chance to practice using language but it also helps them feel empowered and engaged in their learning.
6. Encourage Your Child To Play With Words
Playing with words is a great way for children to explore language and have fun simultaneously! You can do many different games and activities to encourage your child to play with words. For example, you could try making up silly rhymes or songs, playing word association games, or coming up with new words that start with the same sound.
7. Expand On What Your Child Says
When your child says something, could you take the opportunity to expand on it? For example, if they point to a dog and say “dog,” you could say, “Yes, that’s a dog. It’s a big dog.” This helps build on their language skills and encourages them to keep talking.
8. Limit Your Child’s Screen Time
Limiting your child’s screen time is essential, as too much exposure to screens can be detrimental to their language development. Make sure they spend more time engaging in face-to-face interactions and activities promoting language learning.
As a parent, you play a vital role in your child’s language development. With your help, you’ll speed up their language development, and they’ll be well on their way to becoming confident and competent communicators!
At Carepointe Academy, your child will experience the fun of learning through creativity and discovery in structured and free-choice activities that allow his or her natural curiosities to emerge in an accepting and nurturing Christian environment. It is our goal to make each day special for your child. Find out more by visiting us!
