How much does Mum love her little Rae? More than seal pups and penguins love their icy home. More than dolphins love the boundless sea or lions love to race and roar. Even more than all the stars, the moon and the sun combined. In fact, she loves her more than words can even say. I Love You More by Clare Helen Welsh, R194 from Exclusive Books.
Babes and toddlers will love discovering dogs with soft ears, a fuzzy tongue and fluffy paws in That’s Not My Dog. Plenty of bright, bold illustrations and fuzzy, furry, smooth and soft tactile patches on each page, the book supports sensory and language development. R220 from Exclusive Books.
Get your tot talking
At what age do kids start talking? The short answer … when they’re ready. So says Childhood & Special Education expert Nicole Mackiewicz. Their communication skills, she says, will begin with smiles, giggles, claps and babbles before any words make it out. But while you wait for your tot to say full words, sentences and more, use these tips to help promote their language development right now.
Once your child starts learning a few words, the talking train can really pick up steam. They’ll go from babbling to pointing at and naming things. Between 18 and 24 months they may encounter a word spurt, increasing their vocabulary dramatically. By age two, kids can typically string two words together … “mama car”.
Tips on how to get tots talking …
Start story time early They might not understand everything right away, but reading introduces your baby to the flow of language. Point to and identify the pictures in the book – If there are animals, make each animal’s noise. The illustration and exciting sounds will keep your kid engaged and having fun.
Sing, rhyme & even dance Music is a great way to introduce your baby to words. Babies love simple rhymes and sing-along songs while repetition reinforces key words or phrases. Music also introduces them to fun physical movement … let the music lead to a family dance party.
Play with toys that bring their world down to size Toys that resemble familiar objects and places – like animal & people figures and playsets – help children identify real-world concepts and encourage pretend play. The First Words Puppy and First Worlds Sis are ideal here as they also provide learning across three stages of development for your child.
Narrate & label anything, everywhere Talk and identify items through everyday tasks … “Time to get into Mommy’s car”, and “Time to get dressed, let’s get your blue pants on.” If they can touch it, see it and hear it, they are making that connection between words, concepts and objects.
Praise your little talker Positive reinforcement is key. Let your little one know they are on the right track by praising them when they identify objects and use words correctly.
Keep some banter going Show them how to carry a conversation by asking questions, waiting for them to answer and responding to their babbles or one-word statements. Chat about whatever they’re interested in.
Why isn’t my baby talking yet? Remember that each child is unique and will develop communication skills on a timeline that’s right for them. Even if they’re not speaking, they’re still listening and soaking up speech patterns from what they hear around them. They’re also learning nonverbal forms of communication like staring at, reaching for, and pointing at desired objects. And, they’ll understand you before they’re able to answer you with their words.
Compiled by: KYM ARGO
