Listening, watching and responding to your child is a great way to talk to them about the things that interest them, which will help them learn words more quickly.
One way to do this is to explore objects around the house with your little one. Take notice of all the things they are most interested in and chat to them about the objects. This can help them learn new words and link them to their meanings.
Watch how this dad and his toddler explore their house in the video below.
How listening, watching and responding helps your child learn
It helps your child to:
- Show you what interests them
- Keep the conversation going about something that interests them
- Link the words they hear with what you’re doing or looking at
When you're a baby, even everyday items like lamps can be exciting and interesting.
When your baby takes an interest in something around the house, let them look at it and touch it (as long as it's safe!).
Then describe the thing that's caught their attention. You could talk about its texture, shape and features.
