It's good to talk
For over four years, 1st Place Children and Parents’ Centre has held the Communication Friendly Award. Working closely with Speech and Language Therapists, we ensure that all of our sessions reflect a practice and knowledge of communication and language that is current and of the highest quality. Here, Judy Morris, Early Years Practitioner, explains the importance of communication with your child.
One of the most common worries that we encounter with parents is ‘My child isn’t talking’. It may sound obvious but talking to your child is the best way to promote language development. From a simple ‘good morning’ to talking about the clothes that they can wear (‘Do you want blue socks or yellow socks?’), daily interaction is crucial. If you asked your child daily ‘Do you want to wear blue socks or yellow socks?’, your child will quickly learn what socks are and realise that they come in different colours. Offering your child a choice is also a fantastic way to stimulate communication.
Time to respond
When talking to your child, however, it is important to remember to give them the chance to respond. Although they may not say anything at first, if you take the time to observe them, you will notice them looking and acknowledging what you are saying. Until they are ready to verbally respond, you can answer for them such as ‘oh, you don’t want the red bowl for breakfast’ or ‘you like blue socks best’. Language is about your child expressing themselves so do watch out for their interests and any visual clues.
Another great tipis to make eye contact or to get down to their level so that you are both face-to-face. The way that we look tells a child so much from your smile as you say ‘well done’ to that look when you say ‘no’!
Use your mother tongue
It is always best to talk to your child in the language that you know best, often referred to as your ‘mother tongue’. Don’t worry if English is not your first language as your child will learn both languages. It is more important that your child hears a rich language with all the expression and non-verbal clues that come naturally.
Finally, stories and rhymes are a fun way to introduce language. Not only does this give you the opportunity to connect with your child but it also helps them to imitate sounds, begin to recognise words and pictures, nurture their imagination and inspire a lifelong love of reading. At 1st Place, our Stay and Plays always finish with circle time during which we share a simple story and song. From Movers and Shakers to Chattertime, all our sessions are geared towards encouraging and developing the communication and language of children. Whether you would like to join us for nursery rhymes at Stay and Play or would like to get advice about your child’s communication, check out our timetable on our website and drop-in to any of our sessions.