Play Together!

What Can I Say When We Play?

Playing with your child is a great way to build a strong bond and help grow speaking and listening skills. Follow your child's lead and engage in activities that are of interest to them. Below are some simple and helpful things you can say to support language development while playing together.

Children at a table covered in arts and crafts materials; shows the word 'play' spelled out with plastic toy bricks.

Play With Your Child!

⭐ Make comments about what you are seeing, hearing, and doing and what your child is seeing, hearing, and doing

⭐ Describe the size and/or shape of items (e.g., “My playdoh ball is little”; “The door is a rectangle”)

⭐ Describe the colour of items (e.g., “The house has a red roof”)

⭐ Describe the number of items (e.g., “Let’s stack five blocks”)

⭐ Describe actions (e.g., “The tower fell down”)

⭐ Use pronouns (e.g., “This cup is mine and that one is yours”)

⭐ Talk about location words (e.g.,“The books are under the table.")

⭐ Use fun sounds (e.g., "The blocks clack together!"; "The car went Zoom!"; "The pots and pans go Bang!")

⭐ Repeat what your child says and add a little more to help them learn longer sentences

⭐ Ask questions such as, “What if…”, “What do you think…”, “I wonder…”

⭐ Help your child use specific words by giving them choices in your questions (e.g., “Do you want the scoop or the spoon?”)

Add More Words

Try thinking of 3 to 5 words that you might use a lot during a play activity with your child. Then, say those words often while you play. This helps your child learn what the words mean through fun and practice.

Playing Outside

- run
- jump
- throw
- climb
- under
- over
- wet/dry
- hot/cold

Playing House

- upstairs
- downstairs
- on top
- under
- beside
- inside
- outside
- loud/quiet

Playing with Playdoh

- ball
- squish
- squeeze
- flat
- round
- roll
- more

Use Different Words

While playing, try using new and more interesting words to help your child learn.

fast can become swift, rapid, speedy
fall can become topple
build can become construct
small can become miniature
big can become massive
building can become castle, tower

What if my child doesn't feel like talking or playing?

That's okay! Try offering fun activities they might enjoy. Let them join in when they are ready and then follow their lead:

✅ Use your child’s favorite toys, games, books, or topics to help start conversations and play.

✅ Let them choose how they want to play, and go at their pace

✅ During play, pause and give your child time to take the next step, especially in routines they know well.

✅ Talk about what you’re doing in play: “I’m stacking the blocks really high!”

✅Pause and wait longer to see what your child might say or do

✅ Notice and respond to all the ways your child communicate-talking, gestures, sounds, or body language.

Some children may play quietly, move a lot, or play in ways that look different. All play is okay—celebrate your child's unique style!