Best Ways to Encourage Your Child to Speak

If you have a little one, you may be wondering how you can introduce them to language in those first few years and how you can encourage them to speak. Learning to talk starts from the moment your child is born, they hear sounds and makes sounds to have their needs met. As they get older, they familiarise themselves with words and what they mean. We’ve put together this post to share ways that you can help your child to speak. We’ve broken it down into age-appropriate categories.

From Birth to 3 Months

When your baby is a newborn, they will most likely be observing the sights and sounds around them, as well as crying when they are hungry, tired, wet etc. After a few months, they will start to make noises as a way of interacting with the world around them. This typically starts as oohs, aahs, smiles and laughter when you interact with them.

Ways you can encourage your child to speak and build their language skills could be:

• Singing to your baby and talking to them. You can start doing this before you even have them. They will recognise your voice and it will make them feel safe when they hear you.
• Talk to your baby. They can learn to pick up on your cues from your tone and facial expressions.
• Make the space and time for your baby to babble without loud distractions or activities going on around them.

From 3 to 6 Months

Your baby will start to babble more as they enter this age group. You can help them by:

• Looking at them when they are talking and mimicking the sounds they make.
• When they mimic the sounds you are making, repeat them.
• Reading to them, the sound of your voice will be soothing to them.

From 6 to 9 Months

At this age, your child will try to say words that have been said to them, such as bubba, dadda etc. They start to associate sound with emotions, angry, loud voices will likely upset them, whereas a happy voice will make them smile. You can help them with their speaking by:

• Showing them items such as teddy and saying the word to them. Eventually, your innocent child will be able to say the word easily.
• Pointing to people and saying their names. For example, pointing to a grandparent and saying, nanna. Repetition is key.
• Singing songs as well as playing many types of games such as peek-a-boo.

From 9 to 12 Months

From this age, your child’s vocabulary would have expanded quite a lot in a short time. It’s surprising how quickly children learn words.

• You can help your 9 to 12-month-olds talking by:
• Asking them questions, like “Where is daddy?” They will likely look for them as well as point or tell “dada.” At this age, children start to point to get what they want. For example, if they want their bottle, you can say “Do you want your bottle?” when they point to it. They can then respond by saying yes or nodding.
• By pointing to items as well as saying the word.
• Encouraging them to say the words of their actions such as eat, play, sleep, bye etc.

From 12 to 15 Months

This is the age where your child’s language goes from leaps to bounds. They will likely understand more words than they can say at this age. You can help them to learn more words and to speak by:

• Saying the words of the things they want or are playing with. Repeating them is a good way for them to remember the words.
• Ask them what things are that are familiar with. For instance, when you give them a drink, you can say “What is this?” If they don’t answer you, you can tell them the word.
• Have some coloured toys and while they are playing with them say the name of the colours. Do this every day, and they’ll be saying the colours back to you in no time.
• Read age-appropriate books. Ones that have singular words and a picture are good.

From 15 to 18 Months

Your child’s speaking will become more complex during these months. You can encourage their communication further by:

• Teaching them where certain parts of their face are and pointing. For example, nose, eyes, and mouth. They will be able to copy you after doing this regularly.
• Using manners. Before letting go of something they want when passing it to them, you can say “Ta”. When they repeat it, you can let it go. It won’t take long for them to get the hang of this.

From 18 Months to 2 Years

Your toddler will now start to add one or two words together by this stage.

You can help your child’s speaking by giving them simple directions and praising them when they follow through.

You can add words to their short sentences for instance if they say “Big ball” you can respond by saying “Yes, big (colour) ball.”

Pretend play is great for children of this age, they can use their words to pretend to play parents, dress up or anything their heart desires.

From 2 to 3 Years

By the time your child has reached this age, their language skills and ability to speak would have expanded exponentially. They will be able to speak using short sentences and convey their needs easily. They will be able to answer questions and will ask questions. You can help your child’s level of language and speech by teaching the following things:

• Letters of the alphabet and things that start with each letter.
• Numbers, how to say them and what they look like.
• Learning shapes and colours and associating items that are the same colour or shape.
• Ask open-ended questions that enable them to use their imagination and vocabulary skills.
• Learning songs and reading books together.
• Teaching your child about emotions. This can help them to express these to you clearly when they are feeling them.

We’ve mentioned only a few ways you can encourage child speech development. In the first few years, repetition is a great way for them to get a grasp of words and concepts. At Little Saints, we love encouraging children to use their words and expand their language skills. Contact your local Child Care Gold Coast for more information.