Learning to talk

Chat, play, read!

Babies and young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they're too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

Tips to help with speech development

Here are some tips and activities to help your child develop their speech skills:

• try playing with things your child is interested in, and be at their level physically while you're playing together
• notice what your child is looking or pointing at and talk about it, try to do this before their attention moves on to something else – that might be within a couple of seconds for babies and toddlers
• use picture books to introduce your child to new things – point to the pictures and say what you see
• take turns to make noises or speak with your child, as you can respond to their babbling by copying back the sounds you hear and then waiting for them to take another turn
• make reading, singing and playing fun by using lots of actions and different voices
• use the same song or book – young children learn a lot when they are familiar with particular songs and books
• talk to your child in short, simple sentences, as it helps them understand what you are saying and makes it easier for them to have a go at copying when they're ready

Video: Singing

Watch this video of a mum singing to her child. Songs are a great way to help your child learn about language.