Learning how to teach a toddler to talk is the start of a wild and new beginning. On one hand, you’ll always have a little buddy to talk to and carry on a fun conversation with but on the other, the questions are never going to end. (trust me – it’s worth it. They literally ask the cutest questions, ever.)
If you’re looking for a few tips on how to teach your toddler to speak, there are some simple and easy actions that you can do at home to help.
And remember, teaching your toddler how to talk isn’t going to happen overnight. This is a slow process with big rewards. Soon their independence and communication skills just might trump yours!
How to Teach a Toddler to Talk
Since I’m a parent, just like you, I can remember the days when I was wondering how to teach my toddler to talk. I mean, how many more hours could I talk to this little human before she actually would start talking back?
But guess what? My patience and persistence paid off and before long, my little process was speaking words and a lot of them. And now that she’s 12 years old, I can confidently say that she got the vocabulary of her momma (me) and can out-talk me any day.
Here are some of the basic tips that you can practice daily at home to teach your toddler how to talk.
Talk to them, not at them
This is key. Carry on a conversation, even if they don’t talk back. Tell them stories, ask them questions, use words that they’ll get used to hearing.
All of these simple actions will get them ready to start spouting off sooner rather than later.
Get down eye-level with them when you’re talking
If you’re wanting to grab their attention and carry on a conversation, get down on their level to do so. They’ll love seeing your face rather than your knees and you’ll be able to look at them and speak directly to them at the same time.
Repeat words to them and tell them what they mean
We all know that when we’re teaching kids how to read, sight words are a big thing, right? Why not use this same process when you’re trying to teach your toddler how to talk.
Repeat the same words and tell them the definition. “Look at that dog. A dog is a big animal. Dogs like to dig in the ground. Dogs eat bones. A dog goes “woof”. See how fast that dog can run?”
And yes, being an adult, hearing the word dog again and again might be annoying but for a toddler trying to learn how to talk, this is key.
Putting all these actions and tips together is the perfect combination to teach your toddler how to talk.
Just be ready – they say that a child asks hundreds of questions per day…yours will soon be on its way!