Category: Speak to

Practice saying things in new ways with your child. Take turns saying something negative, then try to talk about the same thing positively. For example, “I don’t like loud noises” can become “I like quiet sounds.”

Do you and your child have a daily challenge, like getting ready for school? Have them practice that challenge during playtime. You can say: “Let’s pretend we’re getting ready to go to school. What should we do first?” Talk about the steps if they need help remembering. “We eat our breakfast, pack our lunch, brush… Continue reading School Day Challenge

Keep your child engaged in dinner prep. Take turns measuring, pouring, and mixing. If they might spill, put the bowl in the sink so spilling is okay. Talk to them about what you’re doing and the ingredients you’re using. Encourage them to smell, touch (and taste!) as you go. Ask them what they notice.

As you put groceries away, involve your child by saying something like, “The frozen food goes on the shelf,” or “I’m putting the paper towels in the refrigerator.” Do they catch your “mistake?” Encourage them to share with you their thinking: Where should those items go and why? Then let them take a turn trying… Continue reading Put Away Groceries Together

Invite your child to be the cleanup helper by giving them special jobs they can do. You can say, “Please help me find what needs to be washed in a washing machine.” Or “Can you help wipe down the table or sweep up the crumbs on the floor?”

Take turns with your child coming up with words that describe what they’re eating. If they have a carrot ask, “What does it look like?” They might say, “orange,” and you might say, “pointy.” Keep the conversation going with questions like, “What does it feel, smell, and taste like?” or “What does it sound like… Continue reading Describing Food

Before you leave or drop your child off somewhere, share a favorite, fun or special “See you later” saying. Create a new goodbye ritual. Tell them that after it’s finished, it will be time for you to leave. Reassure them you will see them later.

When feeding your baby, talk about what they’re doing and why you think they’re doing it. “You’re drinking your milk because you’re so hungry!” Talk about what will happen next. “After your tummy is full of milk, you’ll be sleepy and it will be time for your nap.”

Don’t be afraid to babble. When your child starts to make noises, treat it like a real conversation and mimic the sounds right back. See how many times you can go back and forth!

Is your child starting to babble? Use bathtime as an opportunity to babble about the letter B. If they say, “ba,” you can say, “Baby takes a bath with bubbles! Ba-ba-ba!” If they respond with more babbles, copy them right back! What other words can you make from their babbling sounds?