I would like to offer you some suggestions for activities that can help promote speech in young children who seem to be delayed in their speech acquisition. Usually parents experience this with their first children or only children. Typically, 2nd and 3rd children have many role models to imitate and learn speech. They learn very early on, the power of language in getting what they want or being left out! Some children do not speak because they have a speech delay which is a real issue impeding the development of speech. I advocate these activities because they are designed to be fun, engaging, and to encourage your child to start speaking FAST!
Imitation is a crucial aspect of language development. Encourage your child to imitate sounds and words that you make. For example, you can imitate animal sounds, or make exaggerated facial expressions. Gradually increase the complexity of the sounds and words that you imitate, and make sure to praise your child when they successfully imitate you.
Singing and reciting nursery rhymes can help your child to learn the rhythm and patterns of language. They also help to build your child’s vocabulary and develop their listening skills. You can sing songs with repetitive phrases, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
Reading books with your child can help to build their vocabulary, increase their attention span, and improve their listening skills. Choose books with simple, repetitive text and bright, bold illustrations to hold your child’s interest. Take time to point out objects in the illustrations, and label them for your child.
Play is a powerful tool for promoting speech and language development. Encourage your child to play with toys that make sounds or have buttons that play music. You can also use toys to act out simple scenarios, like cooking dinner or playing school.
Everyday objects can be used to encourage speech and language development. Encourage your child to name objects they see around the house, like a chair, a table, or a book. You can also use objects to play simple games, like putting toys away in a toy box, or stacking blocks.
When you’re doing everyday activities with your child, take the time to describe what you’re doing. For example, “I’m putting on my shoes. First, I put my left foot in. Then I put my right foot in.” This helps your child to learn new words and to understand how things are done.
Encourage your child to ask questions. Answer their questions simply and directly. If they ask a question that you don’t know the answer to, say “I’m not sure, let’s look it up together.” This helps to build your child’s confidence and encourages them to ask more questions.
Turn-taking games help your child to learn how to take turns, listen to others, and to express themselves. You can play simple turn-taking games, like rolling a ball back and forth or taking turns playing with a toy.
These are just a few of the many activities that can help to promote speech and language development in young children who seem delayed in their speech acquisition. It’s important to remember that every child develops at their own pace, and that some children may need extra help and support to develop their speech and language skills.
I would like to emphasize that these activities should be fun and engaging for your child, and not feel like a chore or a task. Encourage your child to participate and praise their efforts, no matter how small they may seem. With patience, love, and persistence, you can help your child to develop their speech and language skills and set them on the path to successful communication. The most important take away should be consistency and repetition. Do it everyday, all the time, every time and everywhere
Special Education Centre for Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Learning Difficulties Assessments & Intervention.
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