Building a Communication Toolbox
When our little ones are first exploring the world, their toolbox for communication is empty. As they are exposed to new words and concepts, their toolbox slowly grows. We as parents have the amazing opportunity to help our children fill their toolbox with functional first words!
While it is tempting to jump into focusing on colors, numbers, shapes and letters early in our child’s development, doing so limits their toolbox to academic vocabulary. Consider how many things your child can communicate to you using terms like “square” or “three” as single words. When we spend time teaching our babies the names of items and action words first, we ensure that their toolbox is full of words that they can use to have their wants and needs known and met. This not only fosters better language skills early on, but also significantly reduces frustration behaviors. More ways to tell us what they need leads to less reasons to tantrum!
Here’s an example: If we are playing with blocks, and we say, “red, blue, yellow” or “1, 2, 3!” as we stack, we are placing these color concepts and numbers into our child’s empty toolbox. Our child might be able to later identify a color block if you ask, “where’s the blue one?” or say, “red!” when they see a item of that color, which will surely impress. But how often can they use that language to let us know what they need?
By modeling the names and actions within the blocks activity, (“Play blocks! Up, up, up, down!”) we are placing supercharged words in our child’s empty toolbox. These words can be used to let us know what they want (pick me up, stand up, toss up, up in the sky, play, play with blocks, blocks up,) or don’t want (put me down, sit down, blocks down, fall down). With these kinds of words in their toolbox, our children are able to more effectively tell us what they need at any given time during the day!
Being aware of our words is an easy shift we can make as parents or caregivers to make a big impact on our children’s language development. In typical development, early academic concepts like colors are not mastered until 3-4 years old; there is plenty of time to discuss all of the magic of rainbows and learn the alphabet song! Repeatedly exposing our children to words and concepts they can use to communicate with others helps to ensure less frustration, a happier little one, and a happier parent. Build that toolbox, and enjoy watching your little one’s language grow!
Jackie Anderson, MS CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and Owner of Ascend Speech Therapy, LLC. Jackie provides private speech therapy services in Ocean County, New Jersey and Monmouth County, NJ, as well as teletherapy for all of New Jersey and Maryland. www.ascendslptherapy.com