Thank you to everybody for a successful Quarter 2! Keep singing silly songs, reading lots of books together and chatting as a family. I wish you a safe and happy holiday. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday 14th January 2020 at 7.55am.
Talking: why more talk is better
Talking with your child can help their language and communication development. The more you talk the better.
This is because parents who talk a lot to their young children use lots of different sounds and words. When children hear more words and lots of different words, it improves their understanding of language. It also increases the number and variety of words that they understand and use.
Talking with children helps their brains develop and can help children do better at school when they’re older.
Talking doesn’t have to be a big deal. You can talk to your child about hanging out the washing, preparing meals or whatever is happening around you. For example, you’re outside with your child and she points to a tree. You could say, ‘It’s a great big enormous tree, isn’t it? I wonder what kind of animals live in that tree?
By communicating back and forth with your child in a warm and gentle way, you’re creating and sharing experiences together. This strengthens your relationship with your child and helps your child learn more about the world at the same time.
Tips for talking with children
Reduce distractions. Turn off the TV or computer or do whatever helps you to just ‘be present’ to talk to your child.
Notice what your child is interested in, ask a question or make a comment, and then give your child time to respond. For example, at dinner time you talk about where the food comes from.
Be interesting
Talk to your child about things they are interested in – for example, what grandpa might be doing today, a story you’ve read together, or something that’s happening outside.
Talk about an experience you shared – for example, ‘It’s sunny today. But remember how wet we got on the way home yesterday? Your socks were soaked!’
Use lots of expression to make your conversation interesting and engaging. What you talk about doesn’t matter as much as how you talk about it.
If you use complex words, explain them and build on them by using lots of descriptive words. For example, ‘We’re going to see the paediatrician – that’s a special doctor who knows all about babies and children’.
Talk about the pictures in books, wonder out loud what might happen next in the story, point out words and letters, and let your child touch and hold the book and turn the pages. You can make up your own stories to go with the pictures in the book.
Sing songs and rhymes in the car, at bedtime – even if it’s off-key.
Adapted from
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/connecting-communicating/communicating/talking-with-babies-toddlers
Amanda
