As a parent, one of the most exciting milestones is hearing your child’s first words. But communication starts long before those words are spoken. From the moment they’re born, children start to develop verbal and nonverbal skills that lay the foundation for effective communication skills.
How can you support your child to build these skills? Here are six easy ways you can encourage your child’s speech and language development from day one.
1. Talk to Your Baby
Even newborns benefit from hearing your voice. Describe what you’re doing, name objects, and respond to their sounds. Use a friendly tone of voice and plenty of facial expressions to capture your baby’s attention. This constant exposure helps them start connecting sounds with meaning.
2. Use Gestures to Reinforce Words
Pointing, clapping, and waving are all forms of communication that teach your child how to express themselves. Pair gestures with spoken words, like saying “bye-bye” while waving. You might also consider teaching simple baby sign language to give your child tools to communicate before they can speak.
3. Read Together Daily
Reading to your child is one of the best ways to build vocabulary and communication skills. Choose books with bright pictures, rhymes, or repetitive phrases, and engage your child by asking questions like, “What do you think will happen next?”
4. Play and Explore
Playtime is full of opportunities to encourage communication. You can ask questions about how to build a log tower, play pretend with stuffed animals, and even sing simple songs to support your child’s language development.
Tip: Use descriptive language during play. For example, if you’re playing with a toy car, say, “The red car is going fast!” to introduce new words and concepts.
5. Model Conversations
Show your child how communication works by narrating your day or talking about things around you. For example, while grocery shopping, you might say, “We’re getting apples. Where are the apples? Oh, I see them!”
You should also pause often to give your child a chance to respond, even if it’s just a smile or a babble.
6. Limit Screen Time
While technology can be educational, face-to-face interaction is essential for developing communication skills. Prioritize talking, playing, and reading together over screen time whenever possible.
Tip: If your child does watch something, watch with them and talk about what’s happening on the screen to keep it interactive.
When to Seek Professional Help
If your child isn’t meeting key speech or language milestones, or if they seem to struggle with verbal or nonverbal skills, a speech therapist can help. At Rebound Physical Therapy, our pediatric speech therapists specialize in early intervention to support your child’s communication skills.
Reach Out to Rebound for Expert Support
All it takes to encourage your child to communicate is your time, attention, and a little creativity. By talking, playing, reading, and celebrating their progress, you’re setting the stage for strong communication skills that will last a lifetime.
If you have concerns about your child’s communication skills, Rebound Physical Therapy is here to help. Give us a call at (785) 367-3079 to schedule a consultation with one of our speech therapists today.
