6 tips to encourage your child to talk
Speaking is a very important indicator of your child´s development. These 6 tips will help your little one start talking:
Recap on the day: everyday is a new adventure for your 1-2 year-old child. Every night, before going to bed, talk about the activities done during the day. You can even ask questions such as ¨what did you buy?¨, ¨who did you go with?¨, ¨did you like the apple?¨.
Take breaks when you read: after reading many times the same book, your child may have memorized the story. Start reading his/her favorite story and pause to have him/her fill the blanks.
Use word games: have your child say the name of the place you are on that moment (airport, store, park) and ask him/her the name of different things or animals. If your child doesn´t know the right name, whisper the answer and let him/her say it loud. Explain what it is for (¨This is an umbrella. We use it to cover us from the rain¨).
Talk on the phone: most of the children feel attracted by telephones, even before they learn to speak. When relatives or friends call you, make your child talk on the phone for a while. Have your baby tell something to the person who he/she is talking to (¨Tell grandma you have a new doll¨, ¨Tell daddy what you ate today¨).
Include your child in conversations: children hear everything and understand more than you think they do. If you and your partner are talking about the color you are going to paint the bathroom, ask your child questions related to the conversation (¨What color is the bathroom wall?¨, ¨What color should we paint it?¨). Make your little one feel his/her opinion is important.
Make videos: since most of the kids like to be recorded by a camera, you can pretend your child is on the tv and have him/her perform his/her favorite character, or sing a song.