Get their Attention

Get your child’s attention by
removing the dummy, turn off TV
and set mobile phone aside. Children
are easily distracted. Get down to
your child’s level and face your child,
speak clearly and slowly. Say their
name first and make the activity fun,
e.g. look at a book together and talk
about the pictures.

How to start

Children learn from copying what
they see around them. Support
yourself and them by implementing
good habits, like taking a walk each
day, changing your cuppa from
regular cups of coffee for herbal tea.
Spend time doing things which make
you feel good and incorporate these
into your day to form new good
habits.

Let your Child Lead

Let your child lead the play, let them
be the boss of play. This can build self-
confidence and does not put pressure
on them to talk and respond to the
adult all the time. It also encourages
their imagination, which will help their
language skills as they describe what is
happening.

Sing Songs &
Nursery Rhymes

Setting routines in the home can help
both parents and children feel secure.
Think about the most stressful times
of the day and take small steps to help
reduce the stress, e.g. preparing the
night before. Keep a diary of your day
to help track your routine and make a
note of any stressors and what you did
to alleviate the stress, and if it worked.

Use other Senses

Make learning new vocabulary fun
and memorable by incorporating
other senses like touch & smell. For
example, if you’re teaching the names
of fruits, encourage the child to feel
and smell the various fruits as they
learn the words.

Feed Language In,
Don’t Force it Out

Comment and expand on your child’s
words and sentences, rather than
asking them to repeat words. If your
child says “car”, respond with “big
car” or “yellow car” or “fast car”.
This is how children learn words, by
hearing new vocabulary and linking
it to the items or events they are
focussing on.