Language development for a toddler is very crucial. It has an overall effect on other aspects. For example, it helps build confidence, kindness and empathy. It impacts their happiness, their mental health, their relationship with people and how they relate to their environment.

Yet, many parents, educators and caregivers have trouble understanding proper communication and the role language development plays in all other areas so they spend little or no time talking intentionally with the toddler to build language skills.

Although language development is natural, it can be nurtured. Toddlers who are spoken to or with developed and used more words than toddlers who aren’t intentionally talked to.

The latter is more expressive than the former.

Some traditions and customs opine that children even toddlers should be discouraged from talking ‘too much to put them in check hence children are often told to keep quiet.

Some significant adults around a child do not respond to a toddler’s babbles maybe because they do not know how to talk back to a child or because they are busy with other things. This discourages the child and if this unresponsiveness continues for long, the babbling will gradually reduce, halting the process of language development.

Science has shown that talking to and with toddlers facilitates early speech development which is important for school readiness, social and academic success

What can Parents do To Help their toddlers develop speech and become more Expressive and Less Frustrating?

When toddlers can’t find words to describe what they want, they tend to be frustrated, throw tantrums and stressed their parents or caregivers. Early language usage makes toddlers happy and helps them have a good relationship with their caregivers.

How Parents & Caregivers Can Encourage Toddler Early Speech Development


Start at the earliest stage to talk to them and maintain eye contact when you do. This makes communication easier for them to understand and helps them in the long term by maintaining eye contact when talking to you and others. It also helps in developing listening skills.

When they babble, give their words meaning by saying what you think they are trying to say.

Ask them lots of questions. For instance, instead of just showing up with their meals, ask them if they want to eat. ‘Are you ready to eat your cereal now?’ ‘You want some water?’ The response with words might not be automatic, but the brain is collecting and storing those words for use.

Show them an item and tell them the name and what it is used for. When they show interest in a thing, tell them about it.

Read colourful picture books with and to them and encourage them to point at the picture saying their names. Their pronunciation might sound different from what you said, it doesn’t mean they are not getting it, it means they are pronouncing it the way their brain interprets your sound to them. So keep at it, soon their brain will work it out in no time.

Tell them stories and be dramatic about them using the sense organs so well.

I showed my toddler the picture of a teddy bear and I mention what it was to him. In trying to say back what I have said, he said ‘Pepe’ how did teddy bear sound the same as ‘Pepe’ at least when he says ‘Pepe’ I know he is referring to his teddy bear.

Avoid saying ‘No, not that way’ rather keep pronouncing it and let them do their pronunciation. The task is for them to associate words to objects at this stage, not correct pronunciation.

Sing songs, poems and rhymes to and with them. Encourage them to sing along. If you do not know how to sing them use the digital space; you will find the ones that suit your child’s age.

Give words to their actions. ‘You’re clapping your hands? Let’s clap our hands’ Next time when you ask the child to clap; he will know what you expect him to do.

Allow them to spend quality playtime with their peers and older siblings. This helps them know that we interact with others with words. And also build interpersonal skills.

Choose a child care centre that engages the children in activities where they would have to talk to other children and adults at the centre. Not a centre that keeps the children in their bed all day having no opportunity to talk.

Toddlers who do not have significant adults to talk to nor have the ‘serve and response’ many times in a day tend to be more quiet and withdrawn.

When should a parent be worried about their Toddler’s Speech Development?

A child with a speech delay or speech defects will likely show at least three of these symptoms on many occasions even up to age three.

The child doesn’t babble
He or she can spend long hours without making a sound

The child doesn’t imitate sounds
He or she uses monosyllabic words frequently even at age two and above

They point at objects to indicate what they want without making sound
They do not talk even when around their peers
They do not respond to sounds
They do not try to repeat words spoken to them
They do not sing along

They are socially withdrawn

What can parents do if their Toddler shows a combination of the above Symptoms?

Have them checked in with a paediatrician for diagnoses

Visit a speech therapist and follow your paediatrician and therapist’s prescription religiously
Ensure the child is not been physically, emotionally or sexually abused

Make sure you haven’t shunned them from talking severally

Some show forth’ selective speech’ symptoms- that is they don’t talk in some places. For example, a child might be talking at home and not talking at the daycare. and vice versa.

When such is the case, parents should care enough to find out why and not just shove it under the carpet. The child might be reacting to experiences of the past in those places.
Other kids might just be shy to express themselves outside the home. In this case, there is no cause for alarm, just encourage them to talk and be patient. Don’t shout them into talking; they will only go deeper into their shell.

As parents or caregivers, what are the things you did or do to keep your toddler talking? please share in the comment box. We love to hear it!https://raisinggodlyseeds.com/babiestoddlers/how-parents-caregivers-can-help-a-toddler-talk-early/

Educative. Thanks