Speech And Language Development For Kids

Encouraging speech and language

There are many ways to encourage your child’s skills through play and everyday activities. Join your local library – usually they have a children’s story time session, and your child can also choose books to borrow. This allows them to practice choosing without you spending a fortune on new books, puzzles or DVDs. They will be interested in books about the alphabet, counting and picture books with simple text. Sometimes they will want to read the story to you. It may not be exactly the story in the book but they pretend they are reading it and often will point to and say the name correctly of animals or numbers.

Outings to the shops, the zoo or museum or bushwalks are also great activities for learning, as you can describe what you are seeing. Don’t just keep telling them what you are seeing – encourage your child to describe the animals, the scene or the activity.

When to seek help

• If your child is not able to conduct a simple conversation, using many different words.
• If their speech is not easily understood by people other than your close family.
• If they can’t understand or follow through on an instruction such as "Go to your room and get your shoes and socks, and bring them to mummy", then they may have a language comprehension or hearing problem.