You can do multiple strategies and activities at home with your child to help initiate the use and content of their language skills. You may ask yourself where to start or how to implement these strategies in your and your child’s busy day. The best way to help them improve their language skills is through playtime! Here are some different pointers on how to make playtime with your child fun but successful.
Following the child’s lead: You should play with what is interesting to your child at the moment and continue to build off those interests. Utilizing their interests and following their lead will maintain the interaction and promote shared joy for both parties. You are the supporting cast, not the director of this playtime; if your child finds a sock interesting, try hiding it or using it unusually.
Play obstruction: Playfully insert yourself into the child’s chosen activity so that they interact with you to continue. You can pretend you do not understand the game or ask questions to aid communication growth within problem-solving. Finding the best way to interact with your child while being knowledgeable of their individual differences is essential.
Importance of anticipation and affect: Take time to see where your child’s ideas are going and their intent of the play activity. Allow your child the time to process during the interaction, along with how to respond to the request or activity. In addition, use your affect or emotion to aid your responses to the child and allow them to want to know what will happen next. For example, using the saying, “Ooh, I’m coming to get you! 1, 2, 3….got you!” Adding action and affect to your words will give the child more information and association to process about the interaction.
There are more strategies to implement during playtime, but beginning to use these strategies is the easiest way to support your child’s language development at home! Try these techniques out the next time you play with your child.