Language can be supported at home in various ways. Young children learn by absorbing information from their surroundings, and households rich in language offer your child greater potential for growth.
 

Young Children 

Toddlers and preschoolers learn most effectively by observing and mimicking adult behavior. Creating a language-rich environment at home by keeping their favorite objects and toys accessible helps support their language development for future use. While you may already be using many strategies at home, here are a few additional tips to boost and enhance your child’s communication:

• Use simple words that your child can understand
• Talk to your child about their day, favorite family activity, or any other activity they are interested in at that moment
• Repeat words or phrases back to them by
  • Replacing mistakes with corrections (If your child said "Cat catcheted the sofa," you can respond with "Yes, that's right, the cat SCRATCHED the sofa.") with an emphasis on the word corrected. 
  • Expanding on words they use in their daily routines by adding additional information to their own utterance ("That cat is in trouble!")
• Sing songs or nursery rhymes together (using gestures and body motions to encourage fun and participation is highly recommended)
• Describe and comment on:
  • What you are doing ("Mommy is cutting the vegetables. They are going in the soup") 
  • What your child is doing ("You're making a snowman. Did you put that carrot on his belly? It goes on the face...")
• Teach new vocabulary words in moments when your child is engaged with a related object or activity 
• Allow plenty of time for your child to find their words
• If your child shows interest in other objects around the house (e.g., dishes, clothing, linen, etc.), use moments like these to participate in pretend scenarios with them 
  • Bedsheet -Use other furniture to build a tent ("Let's build a fortress") 
  • Plate - Use the plate as a steering wheel. ("Who will make it to the finish line faster. Wroom wroom") 
  • Flour - Spill some flour on a flat surface. Draw varied types of prints in the flour. ("Whose footprints are these?")
  • And so on...
     

Older Children 

Participating in fun activities with your child encourages and stimulates their interest, which makes it an optimal foundation for learning. Whether it is reading a book together or playing catch in the park, language can be utilized anywhere and at any time. Here are some activities you can try with your child:

• Play games
  • Board games or interactive toys
  • Guessing games: What am I?, Guess Who board game
  • Role-play or games involving hypothetical situations to enhance critical thinking and reasoning
• Read books together while providing opportunities for your child to actively participate in comments throughout
• Ask questions and make comments on favorite activities or toys
• Build or complete craft activities together
• Participate in outdoor activities 

Reading 

Reading with your child is one of the most effective ways to improve their language skills, social interactions, and cognitive development. Reading can also prepare children for school and facilitate success in the future. 

Some children do not prefer to read books. And that's okay. Books can be utilized in other ways to capture a child's interest. For instance, if reading is a challenge for your child, picture books or picture scenes can also promote language growth. Here are some ways you can provide support while reading:

• Expand your child's vocabulary
  • Name objects/characters in pictures and expand on what they are doing
  • Describe objects/characters using simple words ("Big...elephant is BIG")
  • Ask your child to name and locate objects/characters in pictures ("What's this," "Find...," "I see a fluffy cat...do you see it?")
  • Use exaggerated words to bring excitement to the experience ("Uh-oh," "Wow," "What???," "There we goes!") 
• Make connections of the text within the book
  • Describe and ask questions about characteristics, scenes, information from previous pages ("This book is called...," "What do you think will happen?," "Did he get lost?...oh no! Let's see if he finds his way back")
  • Going back to previous pages to refer to an event is good practice for teaching inferencing, cause and effect, and problem solving skills ("You see? He couldn't buy the toy because he didn't bring enough money")
• Make connections between the book and the outside world
  • Define new words with examples and try to use them in different situations throughout the day ("Remember the bunny fell into the puddle? Look, we have a puddle here too after the rain. Be careful not to fall in it.")
  • Describe the character's point of view ("Stanley yelled at his friend Pete because Pete pushed him. But Pete was distracted and walked into him by accident. I don't think he meant to do that.")
  • Compare and contrast characters ("The turtle winning the race surprised me. Turtles are much slower than rabbits, but somehow this turtle still won. The turtle outsmarted the rabbit.")
• Expand your child's reasoning skills
  • Ask questions about predictions ("What do you think will happen next?"). You can provide choices to make things easier and less demanding. ("Do you think he will choose the ____ or the ____?")
  • Introduce problem-solving ("They couldn't find their way out. That's why they were yelling for help. But no one heard them...What would you do?"). You can also offer your solution first and ask your child if they would choose to do it that way too.
  • Explain concepts and provide general information ("Elephants don't have hands so they use their trunks to pick up food. Can you imagine what that feels like?")

If your child is having difficulty with responding to more complex questions, you can periodically provide comments instead or simplify questions to promote your child's success and motivate them for further learning. Remember, learning language can be a fun process for you and your child if you incorporate activities you know your child will enjoy.