You can help your toddler’s communication through playing, cuddling and talking with them.
Watch videos from the HSE on helping your child’s communication
Play with your toddler
Join your toddler’s play on the floor. Through play, toddlers try out new skills and explore their imagination and creativity. They also learn about relationships with other people.
Follow their lead
Follow your toddler's lead when playing. Babies and toddlers only learn from interactions they are interested in.
If you follow their lead and react to their words and actions, you will notice a difference in how they respond to the play.
Be at their level
Try to get face to face with your toddler whenever you can. They will love looking at your face and facial expressions as you talk.
Give your toddler time to respond
Pause after you speak. Waiting just a few extra seconds for your toddler to respond can be very powerful. This encourages them to start interactions and keep interactions going.
Watch a video on giving your toddler time to respond
Repeat words
Repeat words to help your toddler understand what they mean. Toddlers love repetition. For example, “a sandwich... This sandwich is yummy.....my sandwich is gone.”
Use comments, not questions
Use simple comments to describe everyday moments. For example, “That’s the car” or “we’re changing your nappy”.
Your toddler can get overwhelmed by too many questions. Using comments is a great alternative.
Help them use longer sentences
Help your toddler to use longer sentences by building on the words they use.
When they use one word, repeat that word and add on another word or two. For example, “doggie... doggie is running” or “moo.... the cow says moo!”.
Watch a video on building on your toddler’s sounds and words
Give your toddler choices
Offering your toddler a choice between two items lets them know that they have a say.
It also lets them know that their voice is heard. It makes it easier for them to understand what you are asking of them.
Use actions with your words
Using actions with your words makes it easier for your toddler to understand your words. It also gives them more ways to communicate with you.
Make sure to use the same gesture with the same word each time.
Examples of actions you can use:
- wave when you say “bye bye”
- shake your head when you say “no”
- show size with your hands when you say "big" or "small"
- lift your arms up when you say "up"
- put your hands under your head like a pillow when you say “bedtime”
Give “it” a name
Instead of saying “there it is”, you could say “there’s the ball” or “there’s the bubble”. This will help them to become familiar with a range of specific words.
Give them a reason to talk
Create chances for your toddler to talk. This is a great way to encourage communication.
For example, give them a yogurt without a spoon. Situations like this create a need for your child to communicate. They may communicate with a look, a word or a sound. Or they may reach or point.
You can suggest the words your child might say, such as “Mama open” or “more bubbles”.
Your child does not need to repeat the words. They are learning them through hearing you say them.
Speak slowly and clearly
Speak slowly and clearly when talking to your toddler. This is so that they can hear the sounds at the beginning, middle and end of the words. This will help to develop their speech sounds.
Limit background noise
Turn the TV and radio off when playing and talking with your toddler. Too much background noise is difficult for toddlers to filter out. It is easier for them to focus on your words and actions when it’s quiet.
Stay calm when they’re being challenging
Staying calm will help your toddler to learn how to deal with emotions. Use a calm voice. The slow pace will help your toddler become calm faster.
Use simple words to describe their feelings. This will help them to gradually understand and talk about their feelings. For example, “Oh teddy fell. You feel sad”
Activities to try
Ideas to help your baby's communication include:
Watch on video on how reading books helps your child’s communication skills
Speak your native language
Talk to your child in the language you are most comfortable with.
This will
- support their understanding and talking
- give them the skills to learn other languages more easily, including. English
You and your partner may use different languages at home. But children can adapt to different languages quickly.
Limit screen time
Screens can be smartphones, gaming devices, tablets, computers and televisions. Try to limit screen time to under 1 hour a day for 18 to 24 month olds. It is not recommended for children under 18 months to have any screen time.
Watching too much on screens at an early age can have a negative impact on language development, physical development and sleep. It can take time away from special interactions with your toddler that are important for speech and language development.
Video calls with family and friends are an exception to this, as this involves back and forth interaction.
Screen time and young children
Watch a video on how to make the most of screen-time with your child
Limit soothers
Try to limit your toddler’s use of soothers, especially when they are awake.
Using a soother for a short time can help babies and toddlers to become calm. But too much use of a soother over several hours each day can lead to problems with your child’s teeth and affect their speech sounds.