Is my child where he should be?
Should my daughter be talking with more words?
Questions are asked about language skills ALL the time in my field. We want to do what’s best for our children and sometimes… it’s really hard knowing exactly what that is.
So, let’s just say that you know that your child is struggling with vocabulary development.
But you don’t know where to start.
That’s entirely valid! Language–vocabulary is an overwhelming canyon of words. And a lot of them in English are especially tricky!
This blog post is designed to give you some practical vocabulary to START with as you’re helping your child build on vocabulary skills.
#1 Let’s Talk Shop!
What is your child doing for everyday activities and fun? Let’s start there. Whether I be favorite toys, TV programs, sports, or unique interests, write down a list of vocabulary that is used during those activities.
It’s important to note that early vocabulary in toddlers is mostly nouns (i.e., names of people, places, or things). So, let’s next focus on introducing the kids to some ACTION words!
Early action words are called verbs! Some examples would be–bite, blow, bring, bump, jump, watch, wash, sleep, kiss, swing, swim, etc.
Toddlers learn best by DOING actions.
As you are washing your hands, you can narrate and say, “I am washing my hands.”
When you’re teaching the action DANCE, have a dance party in the kitchen.
When you are teaching blow, blow some bubbles outside while saying, “Blow!”
The ideas and possibilities are endless and this is where you can put on your creativity hat and have a BLAST with your child.
#2 Adding Other Important Words
Children need to learn more than just nouns and verbs to be successful communicators. So, as their vocabulary is growing, consider starting to teach other parts of language.
Prepositions: in, out, off, down, up, etc.
Possessive words: me, mine, my, you, I, etc.
Descriptive words: all gone, fast, cold, bad, etc.
Common Questions or Phrases: Are you sleepy? Want some more? Ready, set, go!
Look around for possible phrases and vocabulary words that you can teach your child. Remember, children learn by doing. So, wherever possible, act out the vocabulary.
Well, that’s all for today.
You all are doing an amazing job! Keep it up!
Wildly,
Andrea
