Category: Speak to

As you shop, think about what your child might be seeing and discuss it with them while paying attention to sights, sounds, and smells. “Do you hear someone talking? It’s the lady over there.” “What do you smell? It smells yummy.” “See that red thing? It’s an apple we’re going to buy.”

Pick a few objects around the house, and line three of them up by size from smallest to biggest. Talk with your child about the lineup. Have them turn around while you rearrange the objects. See if they can put them back into the original order and talk them through it!

Chat with your child about how foods change as you cook them. You could show them how a pancake or tortilla goes from doughy to solid. Or how pasta or rice becomes soft. Let them use all their senses and touch them before and after (once cooled.) Talk together about what you see!

While getting dressed in the morning, chat with your child about if they should wear short sleeves or long sleeves. Do they need long sleeves to stay warm, or short sleeves to stay cool? Pretend together to be hot or cold and act out how you would feel. Brrrr!

As you both have something to drink, take turns talking about how your cups are the same and different. Is one bigger? Smaller? What colors are they? What is in your cups? Is the liquid warm or cold?

Is there an empty tissue or wipes box handy when changing your child’s diaper? Hide something safe inside, lie them down, and give them the box. Shaking it, ask “Can you guess what’s inside?” See if you can keep the guessing game going until they’re changed and dressed!

As you go shopping, point out some of your favorite foods to your child and see if they like them: “I love bananas, do you?” Then invite them to point out a favorite food. Tell them if you like it. Play back and forth as you move down the aisles.

Ask your child, “What color is your shirt today (or pants or dress)?” Then ask, “What other things are that color?” Add your ideas, too, and make it a back and forth game. See how many things you can think of.

Sandwiches can seem even better when they aren’t square. As you make one for your child, ask, “How many pieces do you want?” Count them together. Talk about their shapes or arrange them on a plate in a new shape and ask what it looks like now.

Try giving your child some options today. As you’re getting dressed give them a choice between two shirts. Ask them why they like the one they have chosen, where they remember wearing it. What else has the same color or pattern?