Hearing your child’s first words is a moment you’ll always remember. For parents eager to nurture this incredible skill, the secret lies in the simple, playful interactions you already share. Your everyday world is full of chances to encourage speech.
Find here easy speech therapy UAE tips that can be effective for your child.
Become a sportscaster:
Narrate your child’s world like a friendly commentator. As they play, describe their actions in simple, clear language. For example, “You are building a tall tower. The red block is on top. Wow, it fell down!” This technique, called self-talk and parallel talk, exposes your child to vocabulary and sentence structure without pressure. It connects words directly to their actions and interests, making language meaningful.
Offer choices:
Instead of asking open-ended questions, present your child with two clear options. Hold up a red ball and a blue car and ask, “Do you want the ball or the car?” This encourages them to use words to express a preference. Even if they only point, you can model the word for them: “Ball! You want the ball.” This strategy gives a clear reason to communicate and reduces frustration.
Expand their words:
When your child says a single word, gently build on it. If they point to a dog and say “Dog,” you can respond with, “Yes, a big dog! The dog is running.” Add one or two words to their utterance. This shows them how to combine words and introduces new adjectives and verbs in a natural, supportive way.
Read interactively:
Book time is a prime opportunity for language growth. Go beyond simply reading the words. Point to pictures and ask, “What’s that?” or “Where is the mouse?” Pause to let them fill in a familiar word in a repetitive story. Talk about the characters’ feelings and actions. This interactive approach makes your child an active participant in the story.
Make bubbles a language tool:
Bubbles are a fantastic motivator. Before blowing a bubble, hold the wand up and wait expectantly for your child to make a sound or attempt a word like “bubble” or “go.” Blow a few, then close the container tightly and hand it to them, creating a situation where they must communicate for help to open it. This simple activity teaches the power of communication in a fun, cause-and-effect way.