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The name game - narrate your day

Research shows that one of the best ways for children to learn language is by talking about what you’re doing as you go through your daily routine.

So when you're spending the day with your child, one of the easiest things you can do to help their language is to narrate your day.

Simply by talking as you go you're teaching your child how to connect words with objects and actions.

Watch the video below to see how easy and fun this activity can be.

Why should you narrate to your baby and toddler?

  • Commentary during everyday routines with young children can help them expand their vocabulary.
  • Talking about what you're doing can help your child learn action words.
  • Giving your child choices encourages them to speak and engage in conversation.
  • Repeating words and copying what children say helps to engage them in speech.
  • Adding a word onto what they say allows them to build up sentences gradually.
A little girl choosing out of a pear and banana offered by her dad.
Try giving your child choices, naming each thing. This immediately involves them in the conversation.

Top tips for talking to your child as much as possible

In the video above, we show you how to include lots of bonus language at snack time with your child. But this activity can be done anywhere and at any time of the day.

You don’t need to narrate the entire day, or every detail to encourage your child to talk and teach them new words. Focus on activities you do together when your child is really engaged.

There are lots of action and descriptive words to be learned from different everyday routines, such as going for a walk, getting dressed or having a bath.

You don't just have to talk on your own. Get your child involved too.

Try giving them choices and naming each thing. This immediately involves them in the conversation. When they've made the decision, repeat the word to reinforce which words links to which object.

Use action words to describe what you're doing but don't feel like you have go into lots of detail. Short, simple sentences will work best and help your little one build their understanding.

If your child does say something, repeat it back to them but add a word. If they say "pear", you can reply with "tasty pear". Your child might repeat your phrase back to you.

Even if they don't, you have given them an opportunity to hear a new word and start to learn its meaning.

This technique is called expansion. We've got a whole video explaining how to expand on toddlers' words and why it's so important.

A little girl choosing out of a pear and banana offered by her dad.
Try giving your child choices, naming each thing. This immediately involves them in the conversation.

Language learning through everyday routines

Your everyday routine is the perfect opportunity to help build your child's language skills. Check out the list below for more inspiration on how to make magic out of your mundane tasks:

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