Children often learn language through play with others. Play provides great opportunities for expanding language and increasing vocabulary. Here are some easy tips for promoting language through play!
- Get face to face – Get down to your child’s level and hold objects/toys near your face. This encourages eye contact and will help you maintain your child’s attention for longer. Being face to face also allows your child to see your mouth and watch how different sounds are produced.
- Narrate play – Narrating what you or your child is doing during play is a great way to model language. Instead of asking questions, talk about what your child is doing – “Car goes fast!” “The monkey is climbing!” “Look! Pig is hungry!”
- Follow their lead – Following your child’s lead during play allows you to join in on something that they’re interested in. Imitate your child’s actions and add language to it! You can also model different ways to play with what they’re already using (Throw the ball, kick the ball, roll the ball, squish the ball, etc.).