TIPS FOR TODDLERS

TIPS FOR TODDLERS (12-36 MONTHS OLD)

DESCRIBE LIFE Talk about the things you’re doing and what is going on around you. Have conversations as you walk around the neighborhood or do errands.

BE SPECIFIC The more specific you can be with words, the more your child will learn. For example, instead of saying “Let’s go,” you could say, “Let’s go shopping at the grocery store to buy some food.”

USE YOUR HANDS When you talk about something, point to it. This helps your child understand what you mean. Encourage your child to point too. “Can you point to the triangle?” This will help them connect new words to the objects they represent.

ADD IDEAS Help grow your child’s vocabulary by expanding on what he says. For example, if he says “doggie,” you can respond with, “Yes, that is a doggie. That doggie is brown and soft.”

LISTEN AND RESPOND Listen to your toddler’s questions and answer them. Have a conversation. This is when the most powerful learning takes place.

ASK QUESTIONS Get your toddler thinking. Have them explain what they are doing or what they think is going to happen. You may get some funny answers!

SING AND RECITE Sing songs and recite nursery rhymes. Choose ones you remember from your own childhood, read in books, or make up new ones.

USE ANY LANGUAGE It doesn’t matter what language you speak with your infant. All languages are equally beneficial.