Reading and speaking to your children, from a very young age, will help to develop future readers! Parents play an essential role in a child’s language development. Studies also have shown that children who are read to and spoken with a great deal during early childhood will have larger vocabularies and better grammar than those who aren’t. Few simple ways to nurture your baby’s language development are also useful.
Here is a list of five ways to promote your child’s language development. They are easy, quick, and fun for both parent and child.
Talk, talk, talk
Narrate the day as it evolves. Tell your child, for instance, “Now we’re going to take a bath. Can you feel the warm water on your belly? When we dry off, we’ll get dressed and take a walk.”
Read, read, read
It’s never too early to read to your baby. One good predictor of future reading success is a number of time parents spend reading with their child. Parents can start by simple board books and graduate to picture books and longer stories as their child become older. Story times at the local library or bookstore can also help a preschooler develop a love of books.
Enjoy music together
Young children love music and movement. When they listen to lively songs, and they learn about the world around them and the rhythm of language.
Tell stories
Make up elaborate stories with characters, conflict, adventure, and a happy ending. Be sure that the stories fit your child’s interests and aren’t too scary for her liking.
Follow your child’s lead
If your child seems interested in a particular picture in a book, keep talking about it. If she seems intrigued by a boat, show her more boats and talk about them, too. Repeat her babbles back to her, ask questions, and interact with her. You can even try recording your little one on a tape recorder and be playing it back.
Never criticize your child’s articulation or speech patterns
Instead, of repeating their statements back to them with the correct pronunciation or word usage. Give your child lots of praise for their efforts.
Use television and computers sparingly
The children who are younger than 2 not watch television at all, and that children 2 and older view no more than two hours of quality programming a day. While some educational programs can be beneficial to kids, TV shows don’t interact with or respond to children, which are the two catalysts kids need to learn the language. Few computer games are interactive, but they aren’t responsive to a child’s ideas.
Treat ear infections thoroughly
Children in group child-care situations are more prone to ear infections, which can put them at risk for hearing loss and, consequently, language delays. If your pediatrician prescribes an antibiotic to treat an infection, make sure your little one takes the correct dosage each day and uses it for the full prescribed time. When your child finishes the prescription, schedule a follow-up visit with your pediatrician to make sure the infection has cleared.
Go on field trips
A trip to the zoo, the aquarium, or any children’s museum will open up a whole new world for your child. As an added bonus, she’ll want to learn the names of all those fascinating creatures and fun activities she experienced.
Name everything
Avoid using few slang or pronouns. So then instead of saying “please bring it here” where “it” is vague say, “Please bring the book here.” Name all the objects in your child’s environment in meaningful ways. Speak in full sentences as often as possible.
It takes time for children to become communicators. If your child is not sending any messages directly to you, don’t expect him or her to talk right away. However, expecting him or her to pay more attention to you is a realistic goal. By continually re-evaluating and setting new goals, you can help your child reach his full communication potential.
So talk, talk, talk! Help your child learn as many words as possible. Help them hear and practice speaking while learning the rhythm and structure of language. Most will become confident talkers and successful learners over time. Parents are a child’s first and lifelong teacher. One of the essential roles as a parent or a teacher is preparing your children to be successful. Together, we can do it.