Try waiting and watching your little one to see what they’re interested in before you chat with them.
There are many ways your child could be communicating with you. They may smile, frown, make sounds or look at something they want to know more about. After you pause and wait to see where they’re looking, follow their lead and talk about what has interested your child.
Watch the dad in this video and see how he waits for his child to respond before he talks about household objects.
How pausing and waiting helps your child learn
It helps your child to:
- Have time to start communicating or respond to your actions or words
- Show you what interests them
- Learn to link the words they hear with their meanings
When you're a baby, even everyday items like lamps can be exciting and interesting.
When you talk to them about an object, pause and wait for them to respond with a noise or gesture before continuing. You can follow what they're interested in and chat about names, shapes, textures and features.
