How do I teach my toddler to talk? - Part 1

Before we dive in, it is essential to note that in order for your child to begin talking, there are numerous prelinguistic skills that he/she should be demonstrating, which we’ll go into more detail about in the next blog post. If your child has difficulty with some of those skills, not to worry! That’s what speech therapists are for. For now, considering your child is imitating gestures (e.g., moving his/her hands to match yours while singing Wheels on the Bus, or mimicking your facial expressions), starting to imitate your words and/or sounds, demonstrating functional play (i.e., using toys as they were meant to be used), and demonstrating good attention skills for his/her age, he/she should be ready to start learning how to string together sounds to make words.

Take about 10-15 minutes a few times a day with no distractions in which you can completely dedicate time to playing with your child. Children learn through play, and the best way to teach your child to talk is to make these interactions feel like you’re not teaching them at all. While you’re playing with your child, observe what he/she does and try to follow his/her lead. Try not to direct him/her to an object of your interest, as children learn best with what interests them. Try to be mindful by not asking questions to your child, but rather speaking at his/her level to provide him/her with a model of how you want him/her to speak. Modeling is one of the most useful tools for teaching children how to say new words. For example, you may model simple words or vocalizations such as, “beep,” or “ugh oh,” without the expectation that he/she repeats you. The more often you model simple words and vocalizations for your child without the pressure to repeat you (e.g., “say ‘beep’”), the more likely your child will repeat you over time. 

You can also make everyday activities speech and language activities. During lunch, you can label what the child is doing or eating using one word at a time. For example, you can model words such as, “eat,” “banana,” or “yum.” In addition, during everyday activities or during play, don’t be afraid to allow for silence so that your child can babble, use vocalizations, or even repeat you if he/she wants to. 

There are numerous ways to teach your child how to talk, and we will be delving into more specific strategies in our upcoming blog posts, so stay tuned! As always, if you are concerned about your child’s speech, please consult your child’s pediatrician or a licensed and certified speech language pathologist.

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