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Speech, Language, & Swallowing

Tips for Your Child’s Speech and Language Development

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There are ways you can help your child learn to understand and use words in all the languages that you might use at home.

You can learn about the developmental milestones for communication. These milestones show you what to expect as your child grows. Talk to an audiologist if you’re worried about your child’s hearing. Talk to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) if you’re worried about a child’s speech or language.

There are different ways to help children of different ages learn to communicate.

  • Look at your baby when they make sounds. Talk back to them and repeat what they say. Pretend to have a conversation.
  • Use gestures, like waving and pointing.
  • Teach your baby to do what you do, like clapping your hands and playing peek-a-boo.
  • Say sounds like "mi" and "ba" Say short words like “baba” and “doggy.” Try to get your baby to say them back to you.
  • Respond when your baby laughs or makes faces. Make the same faces back to them.
  • Talk about what you are doing. Talk to your baby as you give them a bath, feed them, and get them dressed. Tell them who or what you will see during the day.
  • Read to your child. You don't have to read every word but talk about the pictures. Choose books that are sturdy and have large colorful pictures. Ask your child, "What's this?" and try to get them to point to or name objects.
  • Talk about animal sounds. This helps your baby connect the sound and the animal. Use words like "The dog says woof-woof."
  • Add on to what your baby says. When your baby says, "Mama," say, "Here is Mama. Mama loves you. Where is baby? Here is baby."
  • Point out colors and shapes.
  • Count what you see.

  • Speak clearly to your child.
  • Repeat what your child says to show that you understand. Add on to what they say. For example, if your child says, “Want juice,” you can say, "Want juice? I have juice. I have apple juice. Do you want apple juice?"
  • It's okay to use baby talk sometimes. Be sure to use the adult word, too. Model the way your family or community might say things. For example, "It’s time for din-din. We’ll have dinner now."
  • Read books about favorite or familiar things. Talk about things in categories, like things to ride on, things to eat, and things to play with.
  • Help your child understand and ask questions. Play the yes–no game. Ask questions like, "Are you an airplane?" and "Can a pig fly?" Have your child make up questions and try to fool you.
  • Ask questions that include a choice. "Do you want an apple or an orange?" "Do you want to wear your red shirt or your blue shirt?" Having choices helps your child share what they want, build independence, and understand that their words have power.
  • Use new words to expose your child to new names and concepts. Name body parts and talk about what you do with them. "This is my nose. I can smell flowers, brownies, and soap." Talk about what you see outside. “I see a bird on the tree.”
  • Sing simple songs and say nursery rhymes. This helps your child learn the rhythm of speech.
  • Place familiar objects in a box. Have your child take one out and tell you its name and how to use it. "This is my ball. I bounce it. I play with it."
  • Show pictures of familiar people and places. Talk about who they are and what happened. Try making up new stories.
  • Set up a scavenger hunt. Hide 10 of your child's favorite items throughout your home or yard. Make a simple checklist using pictures.
  • Can they find the items and mark them off the list?
  • Give clues like "look under the table” or “I think I see it behind the chair.”
  • Play games. Games like “Simon Says” or “Red Light, Green Light” help your child listen, pay attention, and move while following one- and two-step directions.
  • Stage a puppet show. Use dolls or make puppets out of household materials. Use funny voices, and talk about the characters—who they are, what they like or want, and how they feel.

  • Pay attention when your child talks to you. Turn off or put down any distractions so that you can be fully present.
  • Get your child's attention before you talk.
  • Praise your child when they tell you something. Show that you understand their words.
  • Pause after speaking. This gives your child a chance to respond.
  • Keep using new words.
  • Say a new word, and tell them what it means, or use it in a way that helps them understand. For example, you can use the word "vehicle" instead of "car."
  • You can say, "I think I will drive the vehicle to the store. I am too tired to walk."
  • Talk about where things are, using words like "first," "middle," and "last," or "right" and "left." Talk about opposites like "up" and "down" or "on" and "off."
  • Have your child guess what you describe.
  • Say, "We use it to sweep the floor," and have them find the broom.
  • Say, "It is cold, sweet, and good for dessert. I like strawberry," so they can guess "ice cream."
  • Work on groups of items or categories. Find the thing that does not belong in a group. For example, "A shoe does not go with an apple and an orange because you can't eat it. It is not round. It is not a fruit."
  • Help your child follow two- and three-step directions. Use words like, "Go to your room and bring me your book." Or cook or bake simple recipes with them. Help them find ingredients. Talk about what you do first, second, and so on.
  • Ask your child to give directions. Follow their directions as they tell you how to build a tower of blocks.
  • Play games, such as "house," with your child. Let them be the parent, and you pretend to be the child. Talk about the different rooms and furniture in the house.
  • Watch movies together on TV or a tablet.
  • Talk about what your child is watching. Have them guess what might happen next.
  • Talk about the characters. Are they happy or sad? Ask them to tell you what happened in the story.
  • Act out a scene together or make up a different ending.
  • Use everyday tasks to encourage language.
  • In the kitchen, for example, talk about the food on the menu and their color, texture, and taste.
  • Talk about where to put things. Ask them to put the napkin on the table, in your lap, or under the spoon. Talk about who the napkin belongs to. Say, "It is my napkin." "It is Daddy's." "It is Grandma’s."
  • Go grocery shopping together. Talk about what you will buy, how many things you need, and what you will make. Talk about sizes, shapes, and weight. Talk about the items that start or end with the same sound.
  • Teach your child the art of persuasion. Children use many tactics to get their way. Although these tactics may include crying or whining, you can help them learn to persuade with their words.
  • Have them draw a picture of their favorite book and tell you about it. Can they convince you to read it?
  • If they want to watch a TV show or movie, ask them to persuade you by giving you good reasons why they should get to watch the show.

Encouraging your child’s speech and language development starts with small, everyday moments. Talk, sing, play, read, and listen together in any of the languages that you and your child use.

These tips can guide you as your child grows but remember that every child develops at their own pace. If you have questions or concerns, don’t wait—talk to a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Early support can make a big difference.

To find an audiologist or speech-language pathologist near you, visit ProFind.

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