Coventry Talk Now - Encouraging Good Communication

Encouraging Good Communication

You don't need to be an expert to help your child develop good communication skills. All you need is a listening ear and the willingness to chat to your child whenever you can.

Talking can fit easily into your daily routine. Talk about the things you see when you're on the bus, walking to and from playgroup, at the shops or during bath times and meal times. Sing or recite a nursery rhyme to your baby when changing her nappy, or read a book together when you are waiting for an appointment. In this section you will find lots of ideas for each stage of development.

Birth to 11 Months

Babies love to hear the sound of your voice. Even very young babies love to be sung to, especially lullabies. Share songs and rhymes from your home culture. Encourage your baby to join in using body percussion (eg clapping) and actions.

Play face to face games such as peek-a-boo. Make funny faces and noises for your baby to imitate. Answer your baby's noises and babble. They are talking to you! Babbling and experimenting with sounds is a very important part of their development and even at the earliest stages of development you can encourage turn taking

Use daily routines such as washing , dressing and mealtimes to talk to your baby about what you are doing. Babies love to hear your voice and talking to them throughout the day can help soothe them. Regularly describe what you are doing and they will begin to associate sounds, words and actions.

8 months to 20 months

Stories, songs and rhymes are a wonderful way of supporting children's language development. Your child will enjoy colourful books with short, simple texts that they can join in with. Novelty books (pop ups, feely books, bath books) are a special favourite with this age group. The Boostart for Babies pack will give you lots of ideas. They are usually given out at the 8 month check. If you haven't had yours yet contact your Health Visitor.

Children love blowing bubbles and watching them float and burst. Blowing games help your child develop control of their mouths and the muscles they need to make the correct sounds in speech. You can make blowing bubbles part of your babies bath time play Create larger bubbles by filling a bowl with a mixture of water and washing up liquid. Dip a funnel or a plastic racket in the mixture and wave it gently in the air to release the bubbles. You can also have fun blowing scarves and feathers.

16 to 26 months

Children at this age love repetition. Singing familiar songs and rhymes over and over again increases their confidence and helps them join in. They will also enjoy learning new songs, especially ones that include actions. CD's that you can sng along to are fun way of introducing new songs and rhymes to all the family.

Talk to your child during the day and share what you are doing so they can listen and join in. They love to imitate you. You can use everyday events to introduce new words, for example when you are shopping about what you are buying and let your child play shops with the cardboard packaging when you get home. Give them their own utensils such as a small dustpan and brush or a set of plastic bowls and utlery and encourage role play with soft toys.

22 to 36 months (2 to 3 years)

Children enjoy making up their own songs and rhymes using familiar tunes. These might be strings of words that appear unconnected to adults, but the child is having fun experimenting with sounds and rhythm which is an important stage of development . Providing them with simple instruments made from everyday objects will encourage their creativity. For example a tin and a wooden spoon makes a great a drum! You can also use bells, rattles and shakers.

Snuggling up with a book is a lovely way to share quality time with your child. You can help them become more involved in the story by varying the sound of your voice and using different voices for different characters. Children love hearing the same stories over and over again and simple stories that have lots of repetition that they can join in with are special favourites. The Bookstart + pack will give you lots of ideas. If you haven't had yours yet ask at your local Children's Centre or Library

An old cardboard box for your child to explore can become a boat, car , train etc and provide hours of fun. This develops their imagination and can be combined with storytelling, song and rhymes. Encourage your child to act out familiar stories, for example use bowls, blankets and boxes to act out Goldilocks and the Three Bears together. Be prepared to join!

30 to 50 months (2 ½ to 4 years)

Children of this age enjoy rhyming stories as the rhyme helps them join in and know what is coming next. This will help them become more confident readers.

You will find a good selection of books at your local Library which may also have storytime and rhyme time sessions. You could also join a Footsteps group or a group at your local Children's Centre

As children gain more control of their bodies action songs and singing and dancing to music will all help develop their sense of rhythm, an essential skill for reading. Using CD's and videos to sing and dance along to is fun for all the family.

Playing simple memory games encourages children to concentrate, listen carefully and take turns. These are all important skills for good communication. Let your child help you choose 3 or 4 objects from around the house. Hide the objects under a cloth and while they have their eyes closed remove one of the objects. Whisk away the cloth and see if they can say what is missing. Don't forget to join in and have a turn yourself. Your child will enjoy trying to catch you out!

40 to 60 Months (3 ½ to 5 years)

Children love to hear stories about themselves and their family. Share your family photo album, re tell past events and encourage your child to add their own memories or make comments and ask questions. Grandparents and other family members will enjoy sharing their own memories. This will help children build a strong sense of their own identity, talk about their feelings and develop their memory skills.

Games that help children hear and say sounds at the beginning and end of words help them develop good listening skills and say words clearly. 'I Spy with my little eye something that begins with... ' is lots of fun and gets everyone thinking. Remember to say the sound, not the name of the letter , for example ssss for sofa. Change the game to 'ends with...' to give a bit of variety once your child has got the idea. When you are out and about see how many things your child can find starting with a cosen sound. This is a game you can play anywhere! Being able to hear and say sounds in words helps children become confident readers and writers, which is all part of being a good communicator.

Use outings to introduce children to unusual words that they don't normally hear in every day conversations. Explain the words and use them in other situations. Children love the sounds of unusual words and will enjoy practising using them. Looking at non fiction books together is another good way of introducing new words and ideas. Linking non fiction books to stories helps extend children's enjoyment and understanding. For example follow up 'Going on a Bear Hunt' by looking at a book about bears together. You don't need to read all the information. Look at the pictures together and talk about what you see. You will be surprised at how much you both learn!