speech and language activities for 3 5 year olds

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

This post might contain affiliate links. Click here for more information . Thanks for visiting!

11 Preschool Language Development Activities

June 6, 2018 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Preschool language development can strengthened by building listening and understanding skills. Each of these 11 activities are fun and playful, while also building children’s confidence while using their words.

Using language and communication with young children is crucial for their success in school and beyond. Preschool language development activities should be part of each day in the classroom, and also in the home .

In a previous post, I shared how important it is to build young children’s language development . Teachers and parents can help build listening and understanding skills by talking with them, listening to them, reading and singing with them.

When thinking about what types of activities to provide, keep in mind ways you can encourage young children to use their verbal skills. This can be done in so many fun, playful ways, building their confidence at the same time.

In this post I’m sharing 11 different types of language development ideas that work well in the preschool classroom , although they can be done at home as well.

Use singable books to strengthen verbal skills.

Recite favorite fingerplays .

Use a telephone in the dramatic play area. (Teach Preschool)

Create story baskets to encourage preschoolers to retell stories. (Nurture Store)

Play an I-spy game that encourages language participation. (Homeschool Preschool)

Provide listening activities to build language skills. (Inspiration Laboratories)

Play games that encourage speaking and listening skills . (Childhood 101)

Build letter sounds by providing rhyming activities. (No Time for Flashcards)

Encourage puppet play to create fun dialogue and interaction. (Empowered Parents)

Play group games that encourage conversation.

Add small groups to your classroom schedule that encourage preschoolers to use their verbal skills.

More activities for preschoolers:

Indoor Movement Activities

Fine Motor Activities that Involve Squeezing

15+ Playdough Learning Activities

Are you struggling with baffling behaviors? Does your child seem “too sensitive” or  “too aggressive” without warning?

Get to the bottom of what’s going on with this free download !

More ideas for young children:

Free circle time planner.

Get your FREE circle time planner as a gift when you subscribe to my free weekly newsletters.

Here is my Privacy Policy

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 25 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

• EYFS Activity

19 Activity ideas for outstanding communication and language development in EYFS

The past 2-years have been incredibly challenging, affecting our children the most. Nurseries and schools have worked tirelessly to support all children and their families through the lockdowns and restrictions. However, the impact is still unknown for our youngest children, who have sacrificed vital interaction and communication opportunities.

This article explores why, now more than ever, communication and language is important in the Early Years. Plus we have 19 activity ideas to develop speech, communication and language in your setting.

Why is communication and language development important in the Early Years?

The importance is visible across all new statutory documentation, the EYFS framework highlighting speech, communication and language as a prime area of learning and development . A misconception surrounding the Early Years is that it is preparation to begin formal schooling.

Although this is considered when increasing lengths of time concentrating and eventually table-top activities, the founders of the Curiosity Approach passionately explain that Early Years is a learning time in its own right.

These crucial years should be filled with exploration, measured risk-taking and interaction. Developing language and communication skills are essential for success beyond the nursery into adult life.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is currently in the spotlight for Ofsted , educational reform , and Special Educational Needs (SEN), finally recognising the positive impact these vital years have on progression. Language acquisition and practice increase confidence for children to engage in conversation, prompting the knock-on development of vocabulary growth and social skills.

What does communication mean in the Early Years?

Communication is so much more than talking; it is the transfer of information from one person to another. You may have heard the phrase, communication play , this is where the main features of the play itself centre around communication: role-play, joke-telling, mime games, and charades.

It’s important to create language-rich learning opportunities to support all aspects of interaction at an early age.

How to organise an outstanding speech, communication, and language provision

Organising a learning environment where communication and language can flourish doesn’t need to be expensive or difficult. There are simple ways to ensure your setting is optimising all possible opportunities for effective interaction.

The learning environment must be purposeful, with areas for role-playing and exploration regularly changed to meet the needs of the children. Outstanding nurseries follow Ofsted’s 3 I’s (Intent, Implementation, and Impact) when designing and reviewing their nursery environment. Question the role-play opportunities; are they supporting different types of play such as independent, small group and larger group play?

Ensure language-rich activities are a high priority with your team members, running personalised CPD sessions on this can be an excellent refresher for all nursery staff. For staff members who are new to the setting, possibly apprentices, organise for them to shadow an experienced staff member who can model back and forth interactions effectively.

Finally, the activities, consider all aspects of communication when planning engaging activities for the children. You may find it useful to unpick a planned session during staff meeting time or encourage your apprentice to use some of their 20% off the job hours to reflect on the even spread of communication activities. Are there enough opportunities to develop non-verbal communication, potentially dipping into easy Makaton to learn with your children?

Sign up to our newsletter for more great content insights like this!

• Practitioner
• Full Name: *
• Email Address *
• Curious? Request a Blossom demo (optional)
• Contact Number *
• Setting Name *
• Setting Type * Please Select... Nursery Montessori Pre-School Childminder
• Number of settings * Please Select... 1 2 3-10 10+
• Send me more content like this!
• We value your privacy. For more information, check out our privacy policy .
• Email This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

19 activities to develop effective communication and language provision in your nursery

As communication and language as a core area of development and learning is so broad, it is useful to create subgroups of activities to ensure full coverage of all aspects. We have collated 19 activities for you to try in your nursery setting to target all areas of communication.

Speech, vocabulary, and discussion

Most commonly, activities designed to develop interaction with peers and adults fall into this category. Encompassing all games where discussion is encouraged, these are excellent short burst games at any point in the day.

Nursery rhymes

Nursery rhymes and repetitive songs with actions are an excellent vehicle for changes of intonation in voice and encouraging simple actions. You can find more information on the developmental progress stages here.

Include all the favourite toys and teddies in their own tea party. This can be including measuring and pouring different levels and liquids for some practical life skills as well as having discussion topics and taking turns when joining in with the conversation.

Would you rather?

Needing no resources, just an imagination, these questions can be as serious or silly as you like. You can begin to see preferences and interests shine through with these questions and they are perfect for any new starters that may be a little nervous. Here are a few to get you going: Would you rather be a monster-sized ant or an ant-sized monster? Would you rather have hands for feet or feet for hands? Extend their vocabulary skills with explanations.

Microphones

These can be attached to a sound system, a plastic microphone or just a prop. Regardless of the resource you decide on, they have a stage to fill!

Surprise Box

This activity is an excellent discussion starter, it can be the hook into an organised phonics or literacy activity. Inside a box, place a mystery object, it can be linked to your story. Give the children clues about what may be inside. They can talk as a group or together with a partner.

Makeshift phone

An age-old activity, using the middle of a toilet roll or a plastic cup, attach some strong string to the end of the cup/roll. Repeat this at the end of the string to have a 2-way telephone. You can extend this by giving partner one a simple set of instructions to deliver to partner two down their new telephone.

Pompom avalanche

Requiring patience and fine motor skills, this activity includes pompoms (or any small item), chopsticks and a colander. Place the sticks in through the holes of the upturned colander and pour the pompoms on top. The children will carefully pull the chopsticks out watching the pompoms fall.

There are many different types of play , roleplay can include an end goal (catching the baddie), use of imaginary weapons or having a real-life purpose (shopping for food). Ensure your fancy dress box is fully stocked, using different textures of material for open-ended play .

Picture stimulus

Online free websites such as Once upon a picture are excellent starting points for discussions and vocabulary acquisition missions!

Comprehension of vocabulary

Story stones.

These can be made by the children themselves or can be purchased, here is an example of a story stone pack for purchase . They can be dotted around your setting for the children to find and create a story as they go.

Truly testing their comprehension of vocabulary, instructional drawing is an activity to develop fine motor skills and listening ability. This works well in small groups, an adult (or child) will choose an object, you can add additional adjectives for extension. They will call out the object and the children will try to draw what they think that object looks like.

Find me the…

When setting up for tabletop activities, you can increase back and forth conversation by engaging the children in the process. Naming the objects you will need in a list and extending the length of the list each time can also increase their working memory capacity.

A timeless game, where vocabulary understanding is key to being able to describe it well. Remind them they can use their senses by linking to rhyming sounds.

This activity works well when the children can physically see the item you are describing. The aim of the game is to guess the object in the least about of clues- the clues will get progressively easier. For example, the first 3 clues for a pencil may be: You can hold me in your hand, I can be sharp, and artists use me.

Senses and concrete experience

Musical statues.

Why not link in different cultural music to link with your focus topics? You can play the music very quietly to require quiet feet and careful listening, also working on core strength and balance for the statue pause.

Using your surroundings, find some objects that they are familiar with (you can link this game of I-spy to their current alphabet and phonics learning ). You can give clues whether the object may be up high or down low.

Feely boxes

Linking to their senses and concrete experience, place an object with texture (spikey ball, jelly, water snake) in a box that is covered with only a slot for their hands to feel. Cue the squeaks and squeals as they find the jelly texture.

Listening bottles

This is an ideal use for those recycled plastic bottles. Fill the bottles with dried rice, pasta or beans. Listen to the sounds they make; can they begin to make connections with what the sounds remind them of?

Guess the sound

Allow the children to play with a number of noisy objects (foil, recycled plastic wrapper, pasta in a bottle, wooden blocks). If they are comfortable, they can wear a blindfold and guess which item you make a noise with. This is linking their concrete experience with their senses helping the information to move into long term memory.

For more brilliant EYFS activities, check out our Ultimate guide to EYFS activities blog post and easily cover the seven areas of learning!

• Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Know someone who'd like to read this article?

More like this:.

Quality Nursery Management Software.

Nurseries across the UK use Blossom to increase efficiency across their finance, learning journeys, operations & occupancy.

• Testimonials
• Case Studies
• Nursery Cost Savings Calculator
• Nursery Management Software
• BE paid by Blossom
• Recommended devices
• Blossom On BBC
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Help Centre
• Blossom’s Blog
• Accessibility statement
• Early Years Guides

• Email a link

Content Map Terms

Speech and language milestones, ages 3 to 5 years, topic contents, related information.

Speech and language development milestones relate to two areas:

• Receptive language. This is the ability to understand words and sounds.
• Expressive language. This is the ability to use speech and gestures to communicate meaning.

A child's speech and language development becomes more advanced starting around age 3 through age 5. Receptive language skills during this period become more sophisticated. A child learns to make subtle distinctions between objects and relationships. Also, the child can understand multi-step requests. Most children also gradually speak more fluently and use proper grammar more consistently.

• Speech and Language Development

Current as of: March 1, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff Medical Review: Susan C. Kim MD - Pediatrics John Pope MD - Pediatrics Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine Louis Pellegrino MD - Developmental Pediatrics

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: Susan C. Kim MD - Pediatrics & John Pope MD - Pediatrics & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Louis Pellegrino MD - Developmental Pediatrics

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Learn how we develop our content .

Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

• About This Page
• General Feedback
• Physical Activity Services

We appreciate your feedback. Comments submitted through the form below can help us fix errors in page content, get rid of interface bugs, and update the HealthLinkBC website to better suit the needs of the people who use it.

To submit feedback about this web page, please enter your comments, suggestions, compliments or questions in the form below. To submit general feedback about the HealthLink BC website, please click on the General Feedback tab.

To submit general feedback about the HealthLink BC website, please enter your comments, suggestions, compliments or questions in the form below. To submit feedback about a specific web page, please click on the About This Page tab.

Please note that we are unable to provide general health information or advice about symptoms by email. For general health information or symptom advice, please call us at  8-1-1  any time of the day or night.

For questions about food and nutrition, please click on  Email a HealthLinkBC Dietitian .

To share this link, enter the information below and click on the "submit" button.

Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

There are many ways you can add physical activity to your healthy lifestyle, no matter your age or activity level. Ask us your physical activity question. Physical activity related questions will be answered by one of HealthLink BC’s qualified exercise professionals.

To submit your question about physical activity, please complete the form below.

For questions not related to physical activity, please use the General Feedback tab.

  indicates required fields

Language Skills for 3-Year-Olds: Speech Milestones & Checklists

• September 23, 2023

Welcome, dear parents and caregivers! Are you excited yet slightly puzzled by the world of words unfolding before your 3-year-old? You’re not alone. Language development at this age is a thrilling, intricate maze—a magical space where “Mom” and “Dad” evolve into full-blown conversations.

This guide aims to be your navigational star. Here, you’ll discover vital milestones, creative activities, and even early warning signs, all designed to ensure your little one becomes a confident communicator.

From speech delays to the wonders of bilingualism, we’ve got it all covered. So please sit back, read on, and let’s turn this developmental journey into a joyful ride for you and your child!

Language Development Milestones for 3-Year-Olds

What You Can Typically Expect

When your child hits the ripe age of three, the realm of language transforms into an exciting playground. Words and sentences flow more freely, and your little one likely shifts from mimicking sounds to crafting unique, expressive phrases. But what exactly should you anticipate during this language evolution?

Vocabulary Explosion

At three, most kids possess a vocabulary of about 200 to 1,000 words. Suddenly, ‘yes’ and ‘no’ give way to nuanced expressions like ‘I don’t want to.’

Complex Sentences

Expect sentences to expand. Your child might surprise you with multi-word sentences such as ‘ Mommy, let’s go to the park,’ demonstrating both grammatical understanding and a grasp of context.

Active Listening

Your child starts to follow simple directions and may even respond to questions with thoughtful answers. Conversations begin to feel more like two-way streets.

Basic Storytelling

Prepare for imaginative tales featuring superheroes or magical creatures! Storytelling reflects a growing ability to sequence events and identify characters.

In summary, your 3-year-old’s language skills aren’t just growing—they’re soaring. Every day brings new words, sentences, and opportunities for meaningful interaction. Stay tuned because this thrilling journey of verbal exploration is just getting started!

Speech Milestones for 3-Year-Olds Checklist

This checklist helps you see what language skills most 3-year-olds have. If you find things your child isn’t doing yet, you can either practice more at home or think about talking to a speech therapist for helpful advice.

Speech Delays and Identifying Potential Issues

When to Start Worrying and Seek Help

While language development is often a joyous journey, it has bumps and detours. Recognizing potential speech delays early can make a significant difference, offering a clearer path forward.

Related:  Recognizing Developmental Delays in Children: Key Signs to Watch for

Limited Vocabulary

If, by age three, your child has fewer than 100 words in their arsenal or doesn’t form two-word phrases independently, it might signal a delay worth investigating.

Lack of Responsiveness

Should your child consistently fail to respond to their name or simple instructions, consider this a red flag. It’s not just about speaking but also understanding and reacting to spoken cues.

Clarity Concerns

While 3-year-olds might not speak with perfect clarity, most of what they say should be understandable. If deciphering your child’s speech often feels like cracking a code, it’s time to consult a professional.

Social Interaction Difficulties

If your young one shies away from social interactions or doesn’t seem to grasp simple conversational cues, they might benefit from a speech or language evaluation.

Rest assured, early intervention can be remarkably effective. What’s heartening to note is that many children with language delays catch up swiftly when given the appropriate guidance and support. This isn’t an occasion for panic but an opportunity for proactive action.

A vigilant eye and prompt action can pave the way for a smoother, more enriching language development journey. Take heart, you’re doing great!

Considerations for Speech Therapy or Language Intervention

Evaluating your options.

If you’ve noticed persistent challenges in your child’s speech or language development, it might be time to weigh the merits of professional intervention. Early help often makes a difference, as does choosing the right approach and specialist.

Initial Assessments

Screening tests are usually the first step. They can pinpoint specific areas where your child might need extra assistance.

Individual vs. Group Therapy

While one-on-one sessions offer personalized guidance, group settings can be beneficial, too, especially for social language skills.

Types of Therapists

Different experts can address various aspects of language development, from speech-language pathologists to occupational therapists.

Insurance and Cost

Most health insurance plans offer some coverage for speech therapy. Research your options, and don’t hesitate to ask providers about sliding scale fees if necessary.

Language-Enhancing Activities and Games

Fun Ways to Boost Speech and Vocabulary

You’ll be delighted to learn that boosting your child’s language abilities doesn’t have to be all work and no play. Here’s a quick rundown of playful yet effective strategies to amp up your 3-year-old’s verbal prowess.

Rhyming games not only fuel imagination but also enrich vocabulary. “Does cat rhyme with bat or tree?” Keep it light and fun!

Picture Storytelling

Provide a series of pictures and let your child create a narrative. This activity fosters sequencing skills and injects fresh words into your child’s vocabulary.

Simon Says… with a Twist

Elevate the classic “Simon Says” game by adding descriptive words. Instead of “Simon says, jump,” try, “Simon says, jump excitedly!”

Flashcard Fiesta

Turn word learning into a festive activity. Create flashcards with vivid images and words, and watch your child’s face light up as they recognize and articulate each one.

Turn everyday outings into vocabulary adventures. Spot a tree? How about discussing what makes it tall, green, or leafy?

Age-Appropriate Books and Reading Strategies

One of the most delightful paths to language mastery involves delving into the vibrant world of books. Fortunately, you need not wait for formal schooling to begin this adventure. Here’s how you can nourish a budding bibliophile at home.

To delve even deeper into the transformative power of early reading, we invite you to read our related article, “ Influence Of Reading To Children On Early Language Development .”

In this article, you’ll find comprehensive insights that illuminate how reading shapes language skills from infancy through preschool and beyond.

Tips for Effective Communication with 3-Year-Olds

Keys to Meaningful Interactions

While your 3-year-old’s language is rapidly blossoming, you might wonder how to converse meaningfully and engagingly. No need to worry! Here are some straightforward tips to ensure effective communication.

Mirror Their Language

Replicating your child’s linguistic style can bridge gaps. If they say, “Me want juice,” you can respond, “You want some juice? Let’s get it!”

Eye-Level Conversations

Literally, get down to their level. Squat or sit so you’re eye-to-eye. This simple act shows that you genuinely value their words.

Simple Yet Complete Sentences

While your sentences should be easy to understand, also aim for completeness to model good sentence structure. For instance, instead of saying, “Up!” when lifting them, say, “Let’s go up!”

Choices Are Golden

Instead of yes-or-no questions, offer choices. “Would you like apple slices or grapes?” This promotes decision-making and exposes them to different sentence structures.

Be an Active Listener

Offer nods, smiles, and brief verbal affirmations like “I see” or “Really?” to encourage them to share more.

Related:  Nurturing Child Development: The Power of Open Communication

Reflective Responses

If your child says, “I’m mad,” respond empathetically with, “You’re mad? Tell me why.” This approach validates their emotions and enhances vocabulary.

In essence, meaningful conversations with a 3-year-old aren’t merely about language. They’re opportunities for nurturing emotional intelligence, social skills, and cognitive growth. With these simple techniques, you’re well on your way to raising a talker and a thoughtful communicator.

Introducing a Second Language and Its Benefits

Have you considered introducing a second language to your curious 3-year-old? The benefits of bilingualism range from cognitive enhancements to future career advantages. And guess what? The prime time to start might be sooner than you think!

While we could dive deep into the strategies and benefits, we already have some invaluable resources. We invite you to explore our comprehensive blog posts specifically tailored to bilingualism. There, you’ll find in-depth insights, practical tips, and many benefits of raising a bilingual child.

Related Articles:

• The Advantages and Disadvantages of Bilingualism in Child Development
• Strategies for Successfully Raising Bilingual Children
• The Connection Between Bilingualism and Empathy in Children

Fostering Social Connections to Support Language Growth

Friendships as Building Blocks for Verbal Skills

You may be surprised to learn that the friendships your child forms can be vital stepping stones to advanced language skills. Human interaction and play-based communication often provide the richest learning environments.

Related:  The Benefits of Nature Play: How Outdoor Exploration Helps Children Thrive

Playdates and Language

Organize playdates with peers. Not only does this promote social skills, but it also encourages dialogues, question-asking, and real-world vocabulary usage

Team Activities

Consider enrolling your child in group activities such as arts and crafts or a sports class. These settings naturally foster interactive conversations and complex sentence formation.

Family Time

Limit screens and other distractions. Pay attention to the significance of family as the first social circle. Inclusive family discussions help your child practice listening, taking turns, and articulating thoughts clearly.

Mentor Figures

Older siblings, cousins, or family friends can serve as language mentors. Kids often emulate adults or older children, effortlessly picking up new words and phrases.

Final Thoughts on 3-Year-Old Language Development Strategies

Navigating the intricate landscape of language development for your 3-year-old can feel like a journey full of twists, turns, and delightful discoveries. From mastering milestones to enriching vocabulary through books, games, and social interactions, every step counts in molding capable communicators for the future.

If concerns arise, remember early intervention is often crucial. Consult experts, read widely, and, most importantly, engage with your child in enlightening and heartwarming ways. Your active role today paves the way for their articulate, confident selves tomorrow.

We extend our deepest gratitude for letting us be a part of this remarkable chapter in your parenting voyage. Until our next enlightening encounter, happy talking, reading, and connecting!

• Gordon, G., Spaulding, S., Kory Westlund, J., Lee, J.J., Plummer, L., Martinez, M., Das, M. and Breazeal, C. 2016. Affective Personalization of a Social Robot Tutor for Children’s Second Language Skills
• Klem, M., Melby-Lervåg, M., Hagtvet, B., Lyster, A. H., Gustafsson, E., & Hulme, C. (2014). Sentence repetition is a measure of children’s language skills rather than working memory limitations. Developmental Science, 18(1), 146-154. 
• Madigan S, McArthur BA, Anhorn C, Eirich R, Christakis DA. Associations Between Screen Use and Child Language Skills: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

Comment (1)

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Frank Malamula

The information has been very helpful

• All Rights Reserved 2023 - WOHM

Results-Driven Speech, Occupational & Social Skills Therapy Maximizing Each Child's Potential In Every Life Stage For 10 Years

Speech Milestones For Ages 3 to 5 Years of Age

Childhood development is complex. Between speech and language development, and the variability between children, it’s not always easy to tell if your child’s development is considered “typical.” If you’re worried that your child’s speech development may be atypical, here is a tool for you to use. These are the developmental milestones in speech that average children meet by certain ages.

1. Between 3 and 4 years, typical development includes:

Hearing and Understanding

• Responds when you call from another room
• Understands words for some colors and shapes (i.e. red, blue, green…circle, square etc.)
• Understands words for family members (i.e. sister, grandma, aunt, etc.)
• By 4 years old comprehends up to 5,600 words
• Understands common opposites (i.e. light-dark, fast-slow)
• Understands concepts like more/less, spatial locations like next to
• Knows full name, name of street, and several nursery rhymes
• Responds to questions appropriately
• By 4 years old, understands most preschool stories appropriately
• Answers simple who, what, where questions and asks when, how, why questions
• Uses around 1,000 words to communicate
• Labels most things in the environment
• Relates experiences by talking about what happened in the day
• Uses pronouns (i.e. I, you, me, we, they)
• Uses some plural words (i.e. toys, dogs, cars)
• Says rhyming words (i.e. cat-hat, mop-hop)
• Can sing songs by 4 years old
• Will fill the last word in a sentence (i.e. The apple is on the ______ tree)
• Begins using more complex verb phrases and connects utterances using words like “and” and conjunctions like “because”
• Begins using should, could, would
• Begins using embedded utterances (i.e. The girl who had the red dress played with me)
• By 4 years old, uses mostly complete sentences, using about 4 sentences at at time to communicate, and may make some mistakes still (i.e. I goed to Grandma’s house)
• Uses negation when talking (i.e. no, not, can’t, won’t, don’t)
• Begins using complex and compound sentences (i.e. I can eat and play)
• Uses more irregular forms (children, mice, feet)
• Uses “and” as a conjunction and begins to use “because” by 4 years old
• Uses is, are, am in sentences
• Using reflexive pronoun “myself” and pronouns “you, they, us, them, I, me”
• Begins using “is” at the start of questions
• Using plural forms correctly (i.e. runs, lights, boys)
• Socially, they can maintain a conversation without losing track of the topic and will begin to modify speech according to the age of the listener by 3 years old (i.e. will talk more simplified to a younger child), uses a lot of requests in the form of yes/no and -wh questions, and responds with structures such as yes/no/because and expresses agreement/denial, compliance, refusal.

You may want to see a speech-pathologist if you have concerns about your child meeting any of the above milestones and has difficulty responding to questions, understanding stories, and concepts, has difficulty labeling things around them, is not using more advanced grammar to communicate like negation, verbs and verb tenses, conjunctions, pronouns, asking a wide variety of questions and speaking in full, complete sentences. At this age, your child should be understood 85% of the time by others, with fewer errors in pronouncing sounds in words. If your child has difficulty engaging with peers at school and is struggling to make friends, you may want to have your child’s social skills assessed as well.

Complete This Short Form to Read More...

• First Name *
• Last Name *
• Zip Code * ZIP Code
• Speech Developmental Delay
• Learning or Physical Developmental Delay
• Trouble With Feeding

Sharing is caring!

Sign up for our newsletter and stay connected with what we are doing.

• Comments This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

• 1 to 2 years
• 2 to 3 years
• 3 to 5 years

Learning to talk: 3 to 5 years

Your child will soon be putting words together to form sentences and you can encourage them to chat by asking lots of questions.

Try to get into the habit of asking them to tell you about their day, whether that's on the way home from nursery or over dinner. Let them take the lead and enjoy what a little story teller they're becoming!

Video: Talk to each other when you're out and about

Watch dad talk to his daughter about what they see and hear on their journey to the park. He mimics the sounds of what he sees and gets his daughter to join in too.

Activities for your daily routine

Counting during mealtimes is an excellent way to teach your child about numbers.

To get started, cut the food into small pieces and count each item as you place them on your child's plate. Group similar foods together and let your child know what's on their plate and how many of each item there is.

Then, count everything as a total. For example, you could say, "You have two pieces of toast and three slices of apple. How many do you have in total?".

Don't worry if your child wants to try the food along the way. Cut some extra pieces so you have enough for the task.

Choose finger foods for counting

Choose foods that are solid and big enough for your child to pick up and count. Use your fingers to count visually and ask your child to count with you.

Prepare food together

If you’re baking or preparing food at home, get your child involved in the preparation. Let them help with counting and measuring the ingredients.

Interactive story time is a fun activity to do with your child. It helps them communicate, express themselves, and move around.

When you read a story next, try copying things from the book. For example, if the story talks about a tree, pretend to be a tree.

To act like a tree, lift your arms and move them like leaves in the wind. Make sure you have enough space for both you and your child to join in.

Set the scene

You could really bring the story to life through using audio. You could search for background music that reflects the story, for example the sounds of birds or rain.

Choose a book they know well

See if your child can fill in the gaps in parts of the story by telling you what happens next.

Out and about

Listen out for sounds and noises when you're walking or travelling together.

If something takes your child's interest, ask them to explain what they can hear and see.

You could ask questions like "is it a loud sound?" or "have you heard it before?".

To make the task more fun, ask your child to copy the noise to see if they can recreate it.

Later on, you can ask them again what they saw and heard.

Help your child to focus

At this age, your child may be paying attention to many things at once. To help them listen, try using phrases like "Please stop, it's time to listen".

Create a story about sounds

You could get creative and make up a story together about the noisy bus you got on earlier or the baby you saw in the park.

Video: Read and talk about books together

Watch mum being led by the child’s book interests during reading time. She reads familiar books so her son can anticipate what’s coming next.

Little tips for everyday play

• start conversations by asking questions with lots of possible answers, for example, "What is your favourite toy?" and "What do you want to do tomorrow?"
• encourage them to problem solve, for example "Your favourite hat is missing, what shall we do?"
• when you're looking at picture books together, ask your child if they remember what happens or if they can guess what happens next
• chat about words that start with the same sound, for instance, words beginning with "p"
• think of as many rhyming words as you can for different objects you can see
• try role-playing games together, like shopping – set items out on the sofa, give your child a bag and some pretend money, and take it in turns to be the shopkeeper
• play a make-believe journey like going into space – make a rocket out of a cardboard box you decorate together, or cushions, and pile in a few toy passengers
• start a simple game with your child by making up a story together about their favourite toy going to the beach and encourage your child to take the lead
• play "I spy!"
• a fun way to help your child listen and learn new words is to create an obstacle course with blankets and cardboard boxes and set challenges like, "Crawl under the blanket" or "Sit in the box" – take it in turns so they can practise giving the instructions

Tiny Happy People on the BBC website has fun activity inspiration to help your child learn to talk, play and sing.

Libraries are a free way to access age appropriate books. Some also run story time sessions for parents and their children. Find your local library service on gov.uk .

Your local council may offer activities too. Find learning activities for your child on gov.uk .

Family hubs

Family hubs offer support to children, young people and their families. They provide a single place to go for support and information from a variety of organisations, making it easier to get the support you need.

They can provide guidance on issues such as feeding your baby or toddler, mental health and parenting support.

Family Hubs are currently operating in 75 local authorities across England.

How to help their speech development

• use things your child is interested in for play, follow their lead and make sure you're physically at their level while playing
• if you notice your child looking or pointing at something, talk to them about it before they lose interest in it
• picture books introduce your child to new things they haven't seen yet in real life – ask them to tell you the story, or talk about what the characters might be thinking and feeling
• make reading, singing and playing even more fun by using lots of actions and different voices
• take turns to make noises or speak – your child will be able to hold longer conversations, so slow down your speech, give them plenty of time to respond and listen carefully to what they have to say
• talk to your child in short, simple sentences, as it's easier for them to understand you and have a go at copying when they are ready
• try to use the same book or sing the same song, as young children learn a lot from repetition

Learning more than 1 language

It's important to talk to your child in the language or languages you use.

A child learning more than 1 language should babble and say their first words in the same way as a child learning one language.

It is important not to confuse this slight delay with language difficulties – most children quickly catch up.

For more help on languages, have a look at the parent's questions on the National Literacy Trust website .

Help and advice

If your child is in nursery, the nursery will continue to review their development. When your child goes to school, your health visitor will inform the school nursing team about any extra support they're having.

If your child needs extra support, your health visitor or the school nurse can help. They may put you in touch with a speech and language therapist and you may also be offered support.

Ask your health visitor for support whenever you need it, they will be able to provide tips and advice.

Remember, children learn to talk at different ages. If you are worried, speak to your health visitor or nursery key worker. Or contact your local speech and language therapy service for advice.

For more ideas on how you can help your child, visit:

• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists: Speech and language therapy
• Speech and Language UK

Early learning and development

90% of your child's brain growth takes place before they turn 5. Discover more advice and activities for ages 0 to 5 to help you make the most of every moment.

Sign up for emails

Our emails include NHS trusted advice and support, tailored to your stage of pregnancy or baby's age.

15 Interactive Language Activities for Preschoolers

By: Author Tanja McIlroy

Posted on Last updated: 7 April 2024

Categories Early Literacy

Language development is a vital part of communication in the early years. 

Children start learning language very early on in their development. Those funny cooing noises parents make to their babies are the first steps along the road of language development.

During the early years, children must develop both their receptive and expressive language .

Here are some great language activities for preschoolers.

How to Develop Language Through Activities

Language is something children acquire as they grow and learn. The best way to develop language is through interaction. 

The way to interact with your children is to spend time with them and the best learning opportunities are found during play.

This post contains affiliate links for educational products that I personally recommend. If you purchase through one of them, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the terms and conditions for more details.

15 Interactive Language Development Activities for Preschoolers

Here are some simple and fun language activities.

1. Storytelling

Books and telling stories are one of the best ways to encourage language. 

Read age-appropriate stories or just tell the story through the pictures. Start early book experiences with board books and use sensory books to encourage your children to touch and feel items in the pictures.

My absolute favourites – and most educational – are all the books by Julia Donaldson and Dr. Seuss .

• Julia Donaldson (Author)
• English (Publication Language)

• 5 beloved beginner books by Dr. Seuss will be cherished by young & old alike.
• Ideal for reading aloud or reading alone.

There is no end to the avenues you can explore, and the language you can develop, through books.

The kitchen offers many language opportunities. Here is a chance to encourage language development while you make something delicious to eat. 

Counting, weighing and measuring are all part of a baking experience.

Baking cookies with soft dough to roll and cut out is probably one of the best baking activities for preschoolers.  After you have baked your cookies you can get creative and decorate them with icing and sprinkles.

Finish off your ‘baker baker’ session with a tea party and share your cookies with the rest of the family. 

3. Construction Toys

Choose age-appropriate construction toys. Lego is one of the best toys , but perhaps your young preschooler is more comfortable with blocks. 

Here’s a great set of Lego:

• Features a wide range of bricks in 29 different colors, Special pieces include 2 different sets of eyes,...
• Special pieces encourage imaginative building with endless possibilities

Block play is a vital part of learning. Choose a good quality set of wooden blocks, like these:

• BUILDING BLOCKS FOR CHILDREN: The Melissa & Doug Standard Unit Solid-Wood Building Blocks are comprised of 60...
• MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS: Our blocks for imaginative play are ideal for introducing early math...

Construction toys give you an opportunity to talk about size and shape. Use construction toys to follow instructions and build towers or castles. Then play with what you have built.

4. Musical Games

Children love moving to music and playing musical games .

Here are some ideas:

• Play songs to dance to, and clap hands to the rhythm.
• Play musical statues and sing along to the music.
• Bring out percussion instruments if you have them.
• Make your own shakers with beans in a container.
• Learn about sound – loud and soft, fast or slow and happy or sad songs.
• Sing well-known songs to develop language.

5. Dressing Up Box

A collection of dressing-up clothes will encourage fantasy play and role play . Children can pretend to be someone else and use new vocabulary in their imaginative role. 

Find old hats and shawls at charity shops or visit party shops for wigs and funny masks. Join in the fun yourself and get dressed up.

6. Picture Books

Picture books and non-fiction books provide great opportunities for developing language.

Many picture books relate to specific themes. Looking at a page about the farm, for example, teaches a variety of vocabulary related to farms.

Find out what your kids are interested in. Look out for different themes and encourage pointing to and saying the names of the pictures. 

Picture books that have hidden items in the pictures or spot-the-difference books encourage observation skills as well as language stimulation:

• Books, Webber (Author)

• Espinosa, Genie (Author)

7. Gardening

Getting out into the garden and appreciating nature is a great way to develop vocabulary. Learning about plants and nurturing plants are valuable life skills. 

If you don’t have access to a garden, then try growing something in a pot or growing some herbs in the kitchen. A visit to a park or nature reserve will encourage learning outdoor vocabulary.

Here are some simple gardening activities for kids .

8. Puppet Shows

Playing with puppets and making up puppet shows is wonderful for language development. 

Children feel free to talk through their puppet friends. Holding a puppet in each hand is an opportunity for a conversation between the two puppets. 

Children love making up puppet shows. They can tell a favourite fairy tale using puppets and entertain the whole family.

Make your own puppets or use a set of hand puppets like these:

• ENTERTAINING PUPPET SET: The Melissa & Doug Zoo Friends Hand Puppets set contains 4 soft hand puppets,...
• SOFT-STUFFED PLUSH MATERIAL: Our fuzzy hand-puppet set is made from soft-stuffed plush material that not only...

9. Touchy–Feely Bags

This is a very good way to encourage children to describe objects. 

You need a cloth bag to put small objects into so they are not visible. Choose things around the house like a small ball, a teaspoon, a pencil and so on. 

The items are put into the bag and your child puts their hand into the bag to feel one of the items. Then the item is described to you. You have to guess what it is.

10. Sand Play and Sensory Trays

Sensory vocabulary is developed through sand play and sensory trays. A sensory tray filled with different objects encourages language as your children touch and talk about items in the tray. 

Choose things with different textures and sizes. Mix them up for sorting experiences . Look for things like buttons, corks, pebbles, pasta, blocks and Lego. 

A sandpit under a shady tree is always a talking point and an opportunity for digging, building and playing with sand toys.

11. Fun with Paper Plates

Paper plates are so versatile and there are many activities you can do and crafts you can make with them. Have a pile in store for rainy days. 

Keep a box of creative waste materials like stickers, glue, wool, felt pieces, old magazines, coloured licky sticky paper, markers and stamps.

• CRAYOLA BROAD LINE MARKERS: Features 40 Crayola Ultra Clean Washable Markers in assorted colors that offer...
• WASHABLE MARKERS: These less mess markers give parents piece of mind as they wash easily from clothes,...

• ENTERTAINING STAMP SET: The Melissa & Doug Wooden Favorite Things Stamp Set contains 26 detailed wooden...
• WASHABLE INK: This Melissa & Doug kids’ stamp set also includes 5 colored pencils and a 4-color stamp pad...

Let your kids experiment with making masks and other creative crafts.

12. Fantasy Play at Home

Creating fantasy scenarios at home really encourages language and helps children have different social experiences in the comfort of their homes. 

Here are some ideas for fantasy play:

• Set up a shop corner and play ‘shop shop’ .
• Have a tea party and invite a friend to dress up .
• Play having a wedding or party or just play ‘house’.

Join in to make it a language experience.

13. Nursery Rhymes and Fingerplays

Saying rhymes and learning fingerplays helps to develop language through repetition and memorizing the words of the rhyme. Repetition is so important in learning a language. 

Driving in the car is a perfect time to play nursery rhymes (and word games ). Singing silly songs together will increase your child’s vocabulary in an entertaining way.

14. Painting

Children love to paint and it is a great opportunity to learn about colours . It can be messy, but learning to clean up adds another dimension to vocabulary development, especially if you use fun clean-up songs .

There are many different activities using paint. Try finger painting or printing with paint. There are more examples in this article about art activities .

Painting a picture is a great way to help children express their feelings by discussing the picture.

15. Card Games

There are numerous card games available that encourage vocabulary development . Matching pairs (there’s a downloadable set at the end of the post), Snap and Happy Families , are just a few. 

Playing card games develops social interaction and vocabulary associated with the game. Before you begin the game check your children have the vocabulary to be able to use the cards. 

Tips to Encourage Language Development

The key to language development is interaction and along with interaction comes encouragement. Here are a few tips to help encourage children as they develop language.

• Pay attention to your children when they are talking to you.
• Praise good speech and vocabulary.
• Help with new words by repeating them.
• Add onto phrases or words and boost vocabulary (For example – Your child says “my ball” and you say “yes, your ball is a big ball”).
• Never make fun of mistakes – correct gently by repeating the sentence correctly.
• Use TV and screens sparingly.
• Check your children for ear infections.
• Talk about what you are doing as you go about your daily chores.
• Be a good role model.

The rate children learn new words is amazing. They are like little sponges soaking up every word they hear.

What a joy to be part of their language learning experience!

Are you a preschool teacher or working in Early Childhood Education? Would you like to receive regular emails with useful tips and play-based activity ideas to try with your children? Sign up for the newsletter!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Tuesday 16th of January 2024

Thank you so much for the information. I am sure the children will do great with some of these.

Tanja McIlroy

Wednesday 17th of January 2024

I'm glad you enjoyed this!

Tuesday 30th of May 2023

Hi, it is an interested article indeed and I agree with the praises below. I just wanted to elaborate on the topic mentioned in the latest section of the article that is card games which I believe can be ascribed to printables for preschool kids in general. As you can see in the link https://wunderkiddy.com card games also help develop motor abilities, math skills, logic and critical thinking, creativity and so on. Unfortunately printables are heavily neglected nowadays because of the growing popularity of touch-screen gadgets which are actually pretty harmful for kids of the age discussed. The article promotes low tech means of teaching and that is what I also like about it. Way to go!

Cecilia Annan

Wednesday 8th of February 2023

i see it is good for my school kids you should continue help the needy kids i needs some of video crip to teach my kids

Tanja Mcilroy

Thursday 9th of February 2023

Thanks, Cecilia!

Wednesday 17th of August 2022

Thank you for sharing the information which guide us for help young ones to develop well

I'm glad you liked it!

Wednesday 8th of June 2022

Many exciting and useful tools!

Thursday 9th of June 2022

I'm glad you like these, Kay!

WELL BEINGS WITH ALYSIA

Easy Toddler Language Activities (by a Developmental Therapist)

Updated: October 21, 2023

As an infant/toddler developmental therapist, I understand the crucial role adults play in shaping toddlers’ language development. Early on, we have the power to influence their communication skills in meaningful ways.

I’m excited to share my favorite play-based, nurturing language activities that will not only enrich your toddler’s language journey but also make learning fun and interactive.

Importance of Toddler Language Development

Language development in the early years can impact a person’s ability to communicate and understand language over a lifetime. A child’s vocabulary starts to snowball during the toddler years.

As communication skills develop, parents and educators need to ensure they are creating a language-rich environment. This is also the time to closely monitor language development to catch speech and communication delays early.

Activities for 10 Months to 2 Years Old

Playing peek-a-boo.

Peek-a-boo is a classic game that’s beloved by babies and toddlers. It is one of the first social games that babies catch onto. Peek-a-boo also mimics the rhythm of  serve-and-return  communication.

Reading board books

Babies and toddlers learn language through positive reading experiences. Board books are best for early language development because they are baby-safe to explore. Caregivers can describe illustrations and connect the stories to the child’s real life.

The day will come when your toddler has a favorite book they want to read over and over. For now, you get to choose which books you love and want to read together. Younger toddlers get plenty out of a reading experience where the adult is delighted and engaged.

Discover all the best books for toddlers.

Creating quality home libraries.

Literacy skills begin with access to quality children’s books. Create a reading routine, set up a cozy reading nook, or start a weekly library tradition.

Babies and toddlers don’t need a fully-stocked bookshelf. What’s most important is to create a space in your home (and schedule!) to share joyful reading time with children.

Visit your local library or sign up for a children’s book club to create meaningful reading experiences with your toddler.

Want to create the perfect cozy home library? I have a resource for that.

Using baby sign language

Introducing a few baby signs to older infants and young toddlers helps boost language development. Children learn best when concepts combine mind and body.

If you do use baby sign language, be intentional about saying the word with the sign. This helps build the language connection for your child.

• Sensory play

I can make a spectacular argument that sensory play supports every learning domain. 

Actually, that’s probably why I started this entire website.

Anyway, sensory play is the perfect opportunity to introduce interesting new vocabulary. Take time to describe what your child is feeling, smelling, seeing, hearing, and even tasting.

Here are some fantastic sensory play ideas:

• Ice Cube Play
• Tearing Paper

Singing 

Singing is a great way to promote language development. Introduce music in whatever ways feel comfortable for you. If that means only singing to the radio, that’s fine. You can also turn normal routines into songs or sing favorite lullabies.

Trust me, you do not always need to play children’s songs. Your toddler will get more from the experience if they see you engaged and enjoying it.

Fingerplays

Fingerplays and action songs are a great way to promote language development.

• Itsy Bitsy Spider
• I’m Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee
• 5 Little Monkeys

Naming familiar objects

For younger toddlers, simply labeling familiar objects is a great way to build vocabulary. Adding descriptions is a bonus.

• “Let’s put on your yellow flower shirt.”
• “Here are the crackers. You loved these round crackers.”

Making Connections

Drawing your child’s attention to what they are experiencing and language is so powerful. This builds both language and cognitive skills.

• “Your toes feel cold. They were cold when you got out of the bath too.”
• “That was a big yawn. I yawn when I’m tired. Are you sleepy?”

Asking open-ended questions

Remember when I said “quizzing” is not a developmentally appropriate way to support language? I did that. 

However, open-ended questions are golden for language development. Even for children who are learning words, open-ended questions help boost language. Instead of you repeating the same question, you can start introducing new language?

quizzinG Questions

• What color is that?
• What animal is that?
• What is this called?

Open-ended Questions

• “The cat is gone. Where do you think she’s hiding?”
• “We cleaned up. What should we do next?”

Get my free list of open-ended questions . Memorize a handful of these and get in the habit of working them into playtime.

Serve + return conversations

Serve-and-return is taking turns communicating with your child. This could as simple as exchanging smiles.

For children who aren’t verbal yet, serve-and-return is responding to their coos, cries, and squeals.

Focusing on the rhythm of a serve-and-return conversation helps young toddlers learn how to communicate. Check out this video to learn more.

Playing with Letter Sounds + Rhymes

Playing with letter sounds and rhymes helps a toddler’s brain build language connections. Many children’s songs and books already emphasize alliteration.

You can draw your child’s attention to these sounds in everyday conversations.

“There is a bluebird. Oh it’s a buh-loo buh-ird.” 

“These flowers are fabulous. Fabulous flowers.”

You can also use alliteration and rhymes to create treasure baskets or a themed reading time. Toddlers are not developmentally ready to identify sounds on their own, but they can still begin to build connections.

Treasure Basket Ideas:

Letter d-themed :.

• Doughnut toy
• Letter D magnet

Letter S-themed:

• Toy strawberry

Books with Rhyme + Alliteration

• If You Give a Moose a Muffin
• Llama Llama Red Pajama

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

• Belly Button Book

Narrating Your Actions

Narrating your actions also promotes language development. This means describing what you’re doing as you’re doing it.

For example, “I’m putting on my shoes. I’m tying my laces. After this, I’m going to find my coat.”

You can also narrate your child’s actions. For example, “You’re putting the block on top of the other block. The tower is getting taller.”

Face-to-Face Interactions

Face-to-face interactions are how children learn to shape their mouths to form sounds and how to communicate nonverbally. Engage in face-to-face interactions with your child as often as possible. This means making eye contact, using facial expressions, and vocalizing.

Treasure Baskets

Treasure baskets are an easy way to introduce loose parts to younger toddlers. As toddlers manipulate and investigate the treasure items, you can talk about each item. This is a great chance to share new vocabulary and have conversations.

Treasure basket ideas:

• Metallic objects
• Circles + round objects
• Nature objects
• Magnetic objects
• Monochrome (all the objects are the same color)

Ultimate Loose Parts Material List

Book baskets.

This is an alternative version of a treasure basket with a the theme is a specific book.

The Pout Pout Fish

• Mirror (for practicing pouting face)
• Empty peanut butter jar
• ABC magnets

Goodnight Moon

Nursery Rhyme Themes:

• Lamb toy ( Mary Had a Little Lamb )
• Spider toy + rainstick ( Itsy Bitsy Spider )
• Watch + toy mouse ( Hickory Dickory Dock )

Baby Dolls + Stuffed Animals

For older infants and young toddlers, baby dolls and stuffed animals are often the first props in pretend play. Dramatic play becomes more complex as a child gets older and is valuable in developing language and communication skills.

At this age, they need you to model how to use toys in dramatic play. Model conversations, narrate caring for a baby doll, or have the toys act out simple social scenarios. Toddlers will be able to practice using the words and sounds they are learning.

Simple Instructions

Giving your child simple instructions is a way for them to build receptive language skills. 

• “Can you hand me that book, please?”
• “Find your shoe and bring it here.”
• “Toss that paper in the trash.”

Don’t use this activity to test how well your child can follow directions. Instead, you are using these opportunities to gently guide your child when they are confused or don’t understand a request. You are giving them the language they need to problem-solve.

• “Oh, I needed the book. You gave me the box. The book is beside it.”
• “Do you need help finding your shoe? Check under the blanket.”
• “Hey, you found the trash can. Thanks for helping me clean up the kitchen.”
• “Try asking mom where the cup is.”

Telling Stories

Telling stories builds language and can help a child learn more about their family or community.

This is a perfect activity to do while driving in a car or walking. You can tell stories from books, make up your own, or share stories from your own life. 

Art + Dictation

Asking your child to share about their artwork is a perfect way to build language. Toddlers can practice sharing what they created. Adding dictation to art helps capture your child’s words. Take a moment to write exactly how your child described it at the bottom of the art.

• “It blue.”
• “Dog.”
• “I did it!”

As children get a little older, always ask permission before writing on their artwork. You can add a post-it note or write on the back if they want you to capture their description without altering their creations.

Talking During Care Routines

Nothing more personal than the moments you provide direct care to your baby or toddler. Rocking to sleep, bathing, changing diapers, feeding, and dressing are all very intimate moments. Use these times to really connect with your children and introduce language.

Narrate While Your Child Problem Solves

This activity will make any play more language-rich. It also helps your child preserve the information they just learned.

• “Oh, that didn’t fit. Yes, try rotating the block like that.”
• “You are trying so hard to reach that. You lifted up on your tippy-toes and reached the book.”

Exploring Outdoors

There are endless opportunities for language learning when you explore the outdoors. Point out different colors, shapes, sizes, and textures as you walk. Describe the actions of animals and people you see.

Ask your child questions about what they are experiencing.

• “I see a red bird. Do you see it? It’s flying from that tree to the next one.”
• “The wind is blowing. Do you feel it? It’s so strong!”
• “That dog is so big! And he’s barking.”
• “What do you think that kid is saying?”

Counting Activities

Yes, a math activity to promote language skills. When you count with your child, you are not only teaching them numbers but also new words. As you count different items with your child, help them describe what they are seeing.

• “One, two, three, four blueberries. Can you eat one?”
• “Five flowers. I wonder if bees are eating from all five?”
• “Ten steps. Let’s see if we can take ten more.”

Describing Emotions

Labeling feelings is a great way to help your child understand and begin to regulate their emotions. It also helps them learn the words to express what they are thinking and feeling.

• “You look so happy! Did something fun happen?”
• “You seem a little sad today. Want to sit with me?”

Activities for 2 Years to 3 Years Old

Reading books about your child’s interests.

We know that reading boosts language skills. But once toddlers get a little older, they begin to seek out specific interests (e.g., dinosaurs, dogs, cars, babies, cookies, birthdays). 

Choosing books relevant to your toddler helps them get the most from reading time. Then you can also use books your child loves to bridge to other topics and vocabulary.

Asking Open-Ended Questions

As toddlers get older, open-ended questions will help expand their thinking and language. For older infants and younger toddlers, open-ended questions were a way to support cognitive skills.

Once toddlers begin picking up more words, open-ended questions can lead to engaging conversations. 

Closed, quizzing questions don’t build language and communication skills.

Avoid using questions like these too often:

• What letter is that?
• What does that animal say?

Open-ended questions inspire conversation and thinking. They require your child to use more than one word to answer. Open-ended questions also encourage critical thinking.

Try questions like these:

• “I hear a bird singing. What do you think it is saying?”
• “You worked so hard to build this tower. Now, what are you going to do?”
• “Where do you think the cat is hiding?”

I made a whole list that you can get here.  Memorize a handful of these and get in the habit of working open-ended questions into playtime.

Creating a Quality Reading Space

Creating a quality, inviting reading space sends the message that books are valuable. You want an area that is comfortable and inviting for your child. Don’t overthink it too much. A cushion on the floor next to a bin of books creates a wonderful reading space.

Imaginative Play

Imaginative games  allow your child to practice using new words in a fun and creative way.

Imaginative play for toddlers:

• Toy phones, old analog phones or cellphones, microphones
• Storytelling
• Block building

Songs + Nursery Rhymes

Children’s songs and nursery rhymes often include rhymes, alliterations, and exciting vocabulary.

Here are some ideas to add more songs and nursery rhymes to your toddler’s play:

• Post nursery rhymes near a reading area, bathroom, or changing table
• Create a  nursery rhyme book basket
• Toothbrushing song
• Clean up song
• Good morning song

Point Out Environmental Print

Environmental print is the print that surrounds us in our everyday lives. This can include street signs, labels on food, and logos. Pointing out environment print promotes language by showing your child how words are used in the world around them.

Environmental print activities:

• Point out signs on car rides or walks
• Read signs in buildings
• Talk about book titles
• Talk about recipes while cooking

Loose Parts Play

Loose parts  are any open-ended materials that your toddler can investigate and manipulate. Loose parts activities engage your toddler’s curiosity and create the perfect opportunity to introduce new vocabulary or open-ended questions.

• “This shell feels smooth, but yours feels bumpy.”
• “That’s called a whisk, and you stir with it like this.”
• “What does this remind you of?”

Sensory Play

Sensory play gives your child a chance to practice using new words to describe the sensations they are experiencing. In a toddler classroom, children gather around large sensory tables and can practice communicating with each other.

Asking your child to share their artwork is a perfect way to build language. Take a moment to write what your child described on the bottom of the art, even if it is just a word or two. Adding dictation to art helps capture your child’s words, and they get to practice communicating what they have created.

• “For mommy.”
• “That’s May.”
• “Bubble. A bubble. A pink.”

You should always ask permission before writing on a child’s artwork. You can add a post-it note or write the dictation on the back of the paper.

For art not on a piece of paper, you can fold a notecard in half and display a child’s description beside their artwork. This option works for play dough, blocks, or other 3D art.

I mentioned songs and nursery rhymes already, but this activity is for the adults who are burnt out on children’s music. I understand! Your toddler will love to share some of your favorite songs with you.

Create a playlist of songs you are comfortable sharing with your child or classroom. When everyone needs a musical dance break, use this playlist. When toddlers hear you sing along to the music, it helps them learn the words in the lyrics.

Play dough  is creative and sensory-stimulating activity. In the beginning, you should spend time modeling how to use dough. As toddlers get older, they are ready to explore dough safely. Eventually, toddlers will be ready for more complex dough activities. You can add more materials, add dough to sensory bins, or make a simple dough recipe together. 

Learn more about the benefits of play dough .

Scavenger Hunts

A scavenger hunt is a great way to support your toddler’s love of exploring. Toddlers can name and describe the objects they find. 

Toddlers will build language as they work with an adult to name the items they are searching for and problem-solve where to find them. Adults can use open-ended questions to guide toddlers.

Access my free (adorable!) nature scavenger hunt PDFs here.

Pretend Play

Pretend play becomes more complex through the toddler years. What begins as simple object play slowly becomes a social game with established roles. For younger toddlers, pretend play is a chance to act out scenarios. Older toddlers will begin to interact with peers to role play.

Adults can promote language in pretend play by:

• Adding props with print (menus, empty food boxes or cans, or greeting cards)
• “You put that hat on and look like a chef. Chefs cook food.”
• “What else can I get you for the tool table?”

Dancing + Yoga

Connecting language to body movement is a fantastic way to promote language development. Toddlers learn best when there is a connection between their bodies and minds.

Talk about how your toddler feels or narrate their actions to add more language.

• “My heart is beating faster from that dance.”
• “When we turn upside down, the room looks different.”
• “We can feel our legs stretch when we do this.”
• “Show me some of your favorite dance moves.”

You can also introduce your toddler to dance and yoga terminology if you’re comfortable. A little research can give you simple ballet terms or names for yoga poses.

Naturally, I am a big proponent of toddlers spending time outdoors . The weather, creatures, and plants all provide a perfect opportunity to talk about new words or concepts. Your toddler’s curious brain is primed to learn during rich-sensory outdoor play.

• “We can hear birds singing.”
• “The water feels so cold on my feet.”
• “You had sand stuck to your leg.”
• “I see bees on the pink flowers.”

Talking About Weather

Weather is a golden conversation topic for toddlers. Unlike many topics associated with circle times (btw, circle time is  not  developmentally appropriate for toddlers), the weather is actually relevant to toddlers. The weather provides a sensory experience that toddlers can connect to. Talking about the weather is a chance for adults to introduce new vocabulary.

• “It’s cold today. What do you think we should wear?”
• “The rain made everything wet.”
• “The wind keeps making the leaves swirl.”
• “That sun feels warm on our face.”
• “It is hot outside this afternoon. We will take water.”

Interesting weather vocabulary for toddlers:

• booming thunder
• bright lightning
• dark storm clouds

Sorting Activities

Sorting activities are a natural step in toddler play. Once they become more familiar with objects, they are ready to sort, compare, and contrast them. Remember, each toddler will develop classifying skills are an individual pace.

Adults need to be intentional about describing characteristics, counting aloud, and using  open-ended questions  to promote language skills during sorting activities.

Sorting activity ideas:

• Sorting bears
• Rocks + shells
• Different-sized pinecones
• Muffin tins + pompoms
• Sectioned serving platters + animal toys
• Bowls + flowers
• Flat stones + round stones

Telling Stories Together

As toddlers build language skills, they will be able to start telling stories or adding to the stories you tell. Wordless books and art are great ways to build storytelling skills.

Another way toddlers develop storytelling skills is with toy animals or people figures. For younger toddlers, it helps to model how to make toys “talk” and “interact.” Setting up small world scenes can inspire more storytelling too.

Action figures and toys of favorite characters help with storytelling, but children often focus on re-creating scenes from the shows or movies. Toddlers will tap into their own imagination with more “generic” toys versus a trademarked character.

Touch + Name Hidden Objects

This is a fun, silly game for toddlers to practice describing or naming objects. Hide a few items in a pillowcase or a box with a hole cut out. Your toddler will reach in to feel an object and try to name it. If they can’t name it, ask them to describe how it feels.

I love this activity because you can do it over and over with different items. This activity will test your toddler’s cognitive and language skills in a hilarious, delightful way.

Adding a group of related items will help your toddler build classifying skills too. For example, all the objects could be types of toy vehicles, or all the items could be kitchen utensils.

Naming Emotions

Naming emotions is a powerful way to support language and emotional development. The ability to communicate is a key part of language development.

For toddlers who are just beginning to understand emotions, it helps when adults intentionally name emotions. Parents and educators should also model how to talk about feelings.

• “The baby bear in this book looks so sad. She misses her mom.”
• “I feel frustrated that I burnt supper. I’m going to take a deep breath in the other room.”
• “You seemed mad when you threw that toy. Want to sit with me and talk?”
• “You were smiling when you reached the top. You probably feel so proud.”

Helping with Meals + Chores

I’ve talked about why parents should include toddlers in daily household tasks. Essentially, I advocated for parents to stop trying to “get chores over with.” I wanted parents to mimic how teachers in early childhood classrooms will include toddlers in their daily routines.

Toddlers learn language through exposure to it. And unfortunately, household chores and routines take up a large part of parents’ time at home. Instead of toddlers  having screen time , a better option is to find ways to include them or find engaging ways for them to play nearby.

• Putting dishes in the dishwasher
• Setting plates on the table
• Playing with a kitchen prop box
• Reading books in the laundry room

Prop boxes are great for pulling out when you need a quick activity. Prop boxes are themed boxes of props for pretend play.

Some examples of a prop box for toddlers could be:

• Winter : gloves, mittens, and winter hats
• Construction : toy tools + hard hat
• Doctor : gauze, ice pack, bandaids, doctor toys
• Restaurant : notepad, menu, apron, play food

Labels on Familiar Objects

Labeling familiar objects is an excellent way to add  environmental print  to your home or classroom. Use stick-on labels, masking tape, or a label maker to label familiar items. Place the labels are your child’s eye level.

• Refrigerator

DIY books give toddlers a chance to bring their language to life. While there are plenty of homemade book options, my favorites for toddlers are to use a photo album or a binder.

Toddlers can help choose photos to put into a photo album. These photos can inspire conversations and storytelling.

Binders with plastic page protectors are the perfect way to store a child’s artwork. By adding dictation, the book of art becomes its own reading experience. Toddlers will begin to better understand that the print on their artwork is their own words and descriptions.

Writing Materials

Writing activities help toddlers understand that print has meaning. Unlike younger toddlers, who are learning to manipulate writing utensils, older toddlers are developing more advanced writing skills. 

Older toddlers will begin to scribble more intentionally, with lines of scribbles that look like cursive, well, gibberish. Toddlers will start to make letter-like forms too.

Adults can support writing development by creating writing spaces. Keep appropriate writing materials and paper available at all times.

In toddler classrooms, add writing utensils and paper to other play areas in the room. Clipboards with loose paper and a colored pencil are accessible and easy to grab-and-go.

More on Toddler Language Development

Screening toddler language development.

It’s important to monitor your toddler’s language development and contact a pediatrician if there are any concerns. There are many ways to do this. One easy option is to use the CDC Milestone Tracker . This tracker comes in PDFs or on an app . You can track of your child’s progress and identify any “red flags.”

If you notice that your child is behind in some areas, or if you have any concerns, you should contact the pediatrician. They may refer you to a local early intervention agency for a full developmental assessment (free in the United States).

Ultimately, by screening for delays and getting early help, we can ensure that all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Play and Language Development

Hello. If you have visited this website before, you probably got the impression that my personal teaching philosophy is that learning is best when it is open-ended, interactive , and filled with wonder. 

This same philosophy applies to a language activity for toddlers. At this  stage of development , toddlers are still trying to figure out the world, one object or concept at a time. They need time to explore at their own individual pace.

In most cases, a toddler who gets to spend plenty of uninterrupted time playing in a language-rich environment will develop normally. And for those children who need extra help, adding more intentional language to their play and daily routines is still the best support. 

Ultimately, toddlers who get to playfully engage with the world will develop stronger language skills and a better understanding of the world around them.

What are Language Activities?

Language activities are anything that gets your child verbally or nonverbally communicating. Language activities develop skills in:

• receptive language (understanding others)
• expressive language (communicating to others)

Tips and Strategies to Support Language Development

• Don’t quiz toddlers with questions.
• Minimize  screen time  or make it interactive.
• Instead of correcting toddlers, gently repeat the sentence with the proper word or pronunciation.
• Child: “Baby!”
• You: “Yes, a baby is playing over there.”

Toddlers are developing language at a rapid rate. The best way adults can support toddler language is through exposure to it. Engaging activities that connect the body and mind, sensory-rich play, and language-filled environments are some of the best ways to help toddlers learn. I hope these activities find a place in your home or your lesson plans.

Please leave a comment and tell me some of your favorite ways to add language to outdoor play.

More recent posts

Treasure Baskets: A Powerful Learning Tool for Babies & Toddlers

11 Powerful Benefits of Heuristic Play for Child Development

Heuristic Play: Simple, Impactful Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

Sorting and Classifying: How to Make STEM Skills Fun

Developmental Therapist

Hello, I'm Alysia (uh-lee-shuh), a developmental therapist for infants and toddlers with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and a minor in Special Education. As the founder of Well Beings with Alysia, I'm demystifying child development for parents and early educators. Learn how to introduce the play-based activities, books, nature materials, and toys I use in classrooms and early intervention. Contact me: [email protected]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

5 Great Language Development Activities

Language Activities for Toddlers by Speech Therapists

In this blog, NAPA pediatric speech pathologists list five great language development activities for 2-3 year olds/preschoolers. These activities are simple enough to easily incorporate into your daily routine, keeping your child entertained while secretly promoting language development. 

5 Simple Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development

Here are 5 language activities for preschoolers and toddlers that you can start using today. These activities will encourage speech and language development for your toddler, preschooler, and 2-3 year olds. Now, let’s tackle some language development activities! 

1. Building Blocks

Building towers and similar structures isn’t just a fun game to play; it also provides ample opportunity to work on language skills. You can introduce adjectives like “higher” and “up”, verbs such as “build” and “fall down,” as well as numbers and colors. As each block is added, take the time to explain to your child what is happening and ensure he or she uses the corresponding words to describe the action. Find more speech therapy toys we love here !

2. Role Play

Most children enjoy playing dress up games – role play will allow your child to explore his or her imagination without any restrictions. When you introduce different characters to the game, you can also introduce new words and help build your child’s language skills. If there are specific words or concepts you’ve been instructed to teach by your child’s therapist, create characters that allow you to work them in naturally.

3. Talk Your Way Through the Day

Since the goal is to have a child that is able to communicate with others using a wide and varied vocabulary, it makes sense to practice throughout the day in a range of situations. Point out things you see, hear, taste and smell and give your child an opportunity to respond and comprehend what you are saying. Talk about produce and products at the grocery store, what others are doing as you drive by them, different businesses and buildings and objects around your own house. Just remember to keep it simple and avoid “baby talk.”

4. Listen to Music

Listening to music with your child is an effective activity to encourage language development. Music has a beat and focuses on intonation, which can help with syllable awareness and other aspects of verbal communication. For some songs, you can also use accompanying books to follow along and point to pictures, or act out the lyrics from the song, which will create links for your child between actions and words.

5. Explore Books Together

It’s no secret that children love being told stories – you can use books to help develop language skills from an early age. Whether the books have pictures or not, make sure to focus on language and build associations in your child’s mind to help develop his or her language. Feel free to stop and discuss what’s happening as often as necessary, and always give your child the chance to talk about the story once the book is finished.

If you can incorporate these kinds of language development activities into your child’s routine, you will be able to make progress without having it feel like a chore — for you or your child!

Find Additional Speech Activities for Toddlers in the NAPA Blog:

• 5 Tips to Help Your Toddler’s Speech, Language, and Communication Development
• Games for Child Language & Social Skill Development
• 18-Month-Old Not Talking? Try These 5 Strategies at Home
• Encourage Speech with a Nature Walk
• Switch Adapted Toys for Speech
• Turn Taking Toys for Language Development

Providing Help For Children Experiencing Speech Delays

Many children with diagnoses such as autism , cerebral palsy , TBI , and Down syndrome often experience delays or deficits in language development. Delays in language development make it more difficult for children to communicate with family members, teachers and therapists resulting in frustration, potential delays in social development, and difficulties in academic settings. If your child has trouble learning new words, has problems stringing words together in sentences or has consistent trouble getting the message across verbally, there are things you can do to help. Recognizing and treating language delays as early as possible will allow your child to communicate effectively and set the stage for greater independence in the future. If you think your child or loved one may benefit from pediatric speech therapy at NAPA Center, contact our team today to schedule your free consultation.

About NAPA Center 

Related posts, pre-intentional and prelinguistic communication , top 5 fine motor skills toys handpicked by a pediatric ot, how to make the gait trainer more fun, privacy overview.

Speech Blubs

by Blub Blub

Browse topics

All blog posts 404

Popular topics

100+ fun activities for kids that will keep them entertained for hours! Target speech development through play and games. They won’t even know they are learning!

Learn about your baby and toddler developmental milestones! Check if you are on track, when to worry, and how to work on skills like language, potty training, and feeding!

Every child is different! Here are speech and language tips and tools for kids with learning differences, alongside information for parents provided by speech therapists.

Parenting starts with your well-being! Here is some advice on how to teach life skills, work from home, distance learning, along with tips for developing parenting coping skills.

We help kids speak no matter their speech challenges! Speech therapists advise parents about late talkers, speech delay, stuttering, apraxia, articulation, and other speech impediments.

From your first worry to your first appointment, and your last speech therapy session – find the information you need to help your child thrive and gain necessary speech skills.

Parent's Academy › Activities for Kids › Language Activities › 21 Kids Activities to Encourage Speech Development

21 Kids Activities to Encourage Speech Development

SAHM Blogger, Masters in Psychology , Dallas , Texas

Jan 15, 2022 From day one, your baby is listening to you intently to eventually communicate with you. Those listening skills will then turn into eye contact, cries, smiling, giggling, babbling, and more. In fact, your baby’s first communication begins with crying.

Have you ever noticed your baby cries differently for different needs? Different cries are baby’s way of communicating with you!

But how do a baby’s cries develop into speech? By the age of one, your baby will develop both nonverbal and verbal language skills to communicate. To help your baby develop essential language milestones, here are 21 kids’ speech activities to foster listening skills and speech development for your baby!

One-Year-Old Speech and Language Milestones

During year one, most babies develop the following language milestones:

• Recognizes familiar voices
• Responds to familiar voices by smiling and laughing
• Coos, squeals, shouts
• Has different cries for different needs
• Communicates through gestures (points to a bottle to tell you he/she needs more milk)
• Repeats sound or actions/gestures
• Responds to simple instructions (“Come here please”)
• Repeats words
• Recognizes the names of common objects
• Shows interest in reading books

Take this free cutting-edge 3-minute quiz . You will find out if your child is on track with his milestones and receive a free report with a personalized plan of learning. Speech Blubs is full of activities to encourage speech development!

Let’s Encourage Your Child’s Speech Development!

Take this quiz and get a report on your child’s milestones and a personalized learning plan to start progressing with Speech Blubs!

21 Kids Activities for Speech and Language Development

1. animal jam.

Simply say phrases like:

• A cow goes ‘moo’
• A duck says ‘quake’
• A chicken goes ‘cluck’

This helps your baby recognize the names of common animals along with their unique sounds. The best part about Animal Jam is it can be done anywhere, even in the car!

2. Sound Stories

Storytime is a wonderful time to bond with your baby. But it is also a way to enrich your baby’s language development. To learn speech skills, your baby also needs to learn nonverbal communication and sounds in response to everyday things. Instead of reading through a book,  make reading fun by adding facial expressions, voice inflections, sound effects, and animal sounds .

3. Talk Back

Babies communicate by crying, cooing, and squealing to get your attention.  When he/she is communicating with you, start talking back.  If your baby coos, coo back. If baby smiles at you from across the room, smile back while saying ‘Hello’ and waving.

Babies learn through imitation. Over time your baby will not only smile, but say ‘Hello’ back to you while waving.

4. Name That Color

Everything is made of color. To help foster early color recognition,  say the colors of everything you see .

For example: Name the colors of cars passing by while taking a walk to the park; tell your baby what color clothes he/she is wearing, toy colors, and more!

Whether you can keep a tune or not, your baby doesn’t care!  Singing is a perfect way to provide a language learning opportunity  that includes voice inflections, new words, and facial expressions. So go ahead and make a silly face while singing at the top of your lungs!

6. Monkey See, Monkey Do

“Monkey see, monkey do” is all about facial expressions. Facial expressions are an important aspect of speech development because they convey emotions. Research suggests that nonverbal forms of communication like facial expressions make up 60 to 65% of communication.

To encourage increased emotions through facial expressions,  hold your baby in front of you and mimic his/her facial expressions . When your baby smiles, smile back. Better yet! Stick out your tongue, make a silly face, and watch to see if baby repeats your expressions.

7. Mirror, Mirror

Since tummy time is an essential part of a baby’s physical development,  take advantage of tummy time by using a mirror . Not only will baby enjoy his/her reflection, but each time a coo or giggle is made your baby can see where the sound is coming from and his/her facial expressions when ‘speaking.’

After a diaper change or anytime your baby is on his/her back,  take baby’s legs in move them in bicycle motions  while singing a silly song or reciting a nursery rhyme. The bicycling motion will allow baby to focus on your face while you sing or speak to her/him.

9. Face-To-Face

Face-to-face is one of my favorite fun activities for promoting speech development! Lay on the floor with your little one and face each other. Point to areas of her/his face while naming the parts of the face. This will help your baby not only learn hand/eye coordination, but early recognition of parts of the face.

Better yet, take this activity one step further by doing the following example:

• Point to baby’s nose and say ‘nose’
• Take baby’s hand and touch your nose while saying ‘nose’

Having baby touch your nose allows her/him to understand that everyone has similar body parts with the same names.

10. Repeat after Me

This simple game works best when facing your baby.  Start making babbling sounds AKA baby talk  (especially with vowel sounds) and wait for your baby to repeat them back to you. Some common coos and babbling sounds include: Oohh/aww; mamma/dada.

This type of speech normally does not develop until four months of age. So don’t be upset if your one-month-old is not catching on, just give it time. Before long you and baby will be chattering back-and-forth.

11. Say My Name

One of the biggest language developments a baby will make is learning/recognizing his/her name! While it’s different for every baby, most babies will recognize and respond to their names between 3 to 6 months of age.

To help baby along with this language development, say your baby’s name whenever possible. Some fun ways to say your baby’s name include:

• Adding his/her name to a silly song,
• Asking a question with his/her name,
• Replacing the names of book characters with your baby’s name.

To develop language babies need to repeat or ‘echo’ words. A great way to include new words and increase language skills is by adding expressive phrases to everyday situations.

For instance, if your baby drops his/her bottle on the floor say, “Oh no!”

I’ve found this activity also helps develop speech by adding sound effects to baby’s activities.  Each time your baby jumps while holding him/her, add a sound effect like “ boing, boing .” While trying to calm your crying baby, rock him/her back and forth while saying, “swoosh, swoosh.”

Over time, baby will begin to “echo” what he/she hears.

I know it seems silly, and that’s because it is! Echo is meant to be a fun learning activity for babies, so the sillier you get with sound effects and funny phrases the more baby absorbs new words, sounds, and phrases.

13. This Little Piggie

Next time, your baby is laying on his/her back, grab a foot and start saying the rhyme “This Little Piggie.” Since this game doesn’t number each of the five toes, the rhyme needs to be modified to help baby learn numbers.

Instead of saying “This little piggie went to the market” say, “The first little piggie went to the market; the second little piggie stayed home,” etc.

Another I’ve done the rhyme to help with number recognition is by saying the rhyme the following way:

• “One little piggie went to the market”
• “Two little piggies stayed home”
• “Three little piggies had roast beef”
• “Four little piggies had none”
• “And five little piggies cried wee, wee, wee all the way home”

While this may give the rhyme much more little piggies,  it still allows your baby to hear each number and count the number with each toe .

14. Carpool

Carpool is an activity that’s perfect for crawling babies! While baby is crawling, get down and your hands and knees and teach baby how to push a car or truck as she/he is crawling. Your baby doesn’t have to keep a constant hand on the car, just a little push in between crawling motions.

To include speech development,  add car sound effects ;  tell a funny story  about the car ride;  sing  “Wheels on the Bus/Car/Truck”; etc.

15. Roll-A-Ball

This game if perfect for babies who can sit unsupported and have decent hand/eye coordination.  Simply take a (medium- to large-sized) ball and roll the ball directly toward him/her.  Incorporate language skills by saying phrases like “Here is your red ball!”

Roll-A-Ball can become more advanced by helping baby understand simple instructions and responding to those instructions. Try rolling a ball over to him/her and asking him/her to roll the ball back. 

16. Count with Me

You can help your baby with learning numbers by counting out loud to him/her every day. This activity doesn’t require extra effort on your part, simply start talking and counting out loud.

The following are great ways to include number counting each day:

• Count each stair step as you carry baby upstairs,
• Count how many bananas you bought at the store,
• Count baby’s fingers and toes.

17. Disappear, Reappear

Instead of playing a regular game of peek-a-boo, try playing with your baby’s favorite toy or stuffed animal.  Hide his/her toy from view. Wait and few seconds and say “ peek-a-boo .” You can also incorporate more speaking skills into the game by adding some creative dialogue!

Examples: “Peek-a-boo! There you are . . . Mister Bear missed you so much! Thank goodness you found him!”

18. Finger Puppets

Small finger or hand puppets are an amazing way to help develop language skills for your little one! By using finger or hand puppets to tell a story you are showing baby the following language and speech skills:

• Different facial expressions  to show emotions when speaking
• Creative dialogue  between two or more puppets (similar to speaking between two people).

19. Fruits and Veggies

Much of a baby’s speech development has to do with repetitive hearing and use of everyday words. One way to help with word recognition of common fruits and vegetables is by  playing pretend with plastic fruits and vegetables .

Although baby will need to be supervised with pretend plastic food because of small pieces, he/she will learn how to recognize a banana, carrot, pear, and more! 

Also, don’t forget to count your fruits and veggies for number recognition!

20. Picture This

One of the easiest ways to help develop language skills in babies is through flashcards. Flashcards with pictures and writing  help your baby begin to recognize what the picture or action is on the card  along with the corresponding word or phrase. 

While your baby won’t say the words out loud for a while, it helps him/her to recognize the picture with the associated word. 

21. Build a Tower

Building a tower with blocks is perfect for developing hand/eye coordination. But this activity can also be used for encouraging language development in babies.

As you watch or directly help your child stack blocks,  say the color of the block along with counting the blocks  as the tower is being stacked. Many available baby blocks also have pictures in which you can describe the picture to your baby. For instance: If you have blocks with animals pictured on them, name each animal along with the sound the animal makes.

It’s a Process

Speech development is more than speaking words. It is a complex system of verbal and nonverbal communication. To express emotions and thoughts you baby will first begin to cry to communicate his or her needs to you.

After communication crying, the sky is the limit for speech development and your baby! 

But your baby needs your help along the way! The best way to develop language skills by year one is through imagination and play. 

Each of the 21 activities above combines:

• Imaginative play,
• Simple instructions for you and baby to follow,
• Activities involving both verbal and nonverbal speech.

So start playing some of these fun speech and language activities to give your baby a head start before he or she turns one!

Read more on  how to utilize kids activities  to reach developmental milestones! If your toddler already reached their wonderful twos, consider  using  Speech Blubs App  in combination with offline games for kids to build their vocabulary .

Free Assessment!

Take this quiz and get a report on your child’s milestones and a personalized learning plan.

Have a question for our Speech Therapists?

The author’s views are entirely his or her own and may not necessarily reflect the views of Blub Blub Inc. All content provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgement, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Related articles

Fantastic first words: tips to help your baby.

But how do you get from simple sounds to first words? Read some tips to help your baby learn to talk! Use Real Words Your...

Early Literacy Skills and How to Encourage Them

Literacy is so much more than just being able to read and write; it’s about understanding, listening, speaking, spelling, and vocabulary. If a child is...

Get started with Speech Blubs

Cancel anytime, hassle-free!

Speech Therapy Activities For Toddlers

When your toddler has a speech delay, it may be tough to help build confidence with their communication skills. 

Keep a calm, patient, positive attitude. The more time you spend working with your child, the better their speech skills will develop over time!

Don’t let your anxiety make them feel pressured to speak clearly.

We’ve compiled a number of activities, games, toys, and tips for you to make progress today, all in the comfort of your own home. 

Our top picks: best toys for speech delayed toddler

Toys are a great way to get your toddler involved, excited, and entertained. Having a calm, positive attitude will make speech easier… for both you and your toddler!

Try these top toys for your speech delayed child:

• Traditional, old-school toys: wood blocks, cars, legos, play dough
• Doll houses, dolls, tea sets, stuffed animals

What’s important is these toys will help your child get the ball rolling with making noises, talking, and speaking. When you join in with them, you’ll encourage language development!

How can I help my toddler with speech therapy at home? Try our top 5 games:

If you’re waiting to consult with your pediatrician or speech language pathologist about your child’s speech delay or pronunciation challenges, don’t be worried. 

There are a number of activities for you to participate in that may help your child’s speech now. Give these a try and see what works best for you and your child. Here’s our top 5 games for speech therapy at home:

• Goof off : Set the tone to relax and have fun. Get your child giggling with a goofy face, silly noise, or crazy expression. Emphasize a letter sound, maybe the /r/ sound with RAZZLE DAZZLE or /hip/ in HIPPOPOTAMUS! Use a goofy tone and get into it. Try something so crazy you can’t help but laugh! You’ll have them smiling, laughing, or happy and relaxed in no time. They’ll try to repeat you, and in turn, practice these sounds for their own speech. Use the same words over and over, and perhaps mix it up with different words using sounds your child may have difficulty pronouncing properly.
• Play the ping pong ball game : as they drink water or juice from a straw, your child’s mouth muscles will grow stronger. These are the very same muscles used for speech. Get a small ping pong ball and make it a race to see who can blow it through a goal post or down a hallway faster, using only a straw to propel the ball forward. This game can even be a competition between siblings!
• Read and repeat : find a book your child enjoys and read each page aloud to them. If they’re able, they should repeat each sentence or page after you’ve read it aloud. This repetition will be especially helpful to reinforce clear speech, including proper articulation and language comprehension over time. Before you know it, your child will be reading their favorite book to you. 
• Bubbles : Another fun game to try, blowing bubbles! Pick up a small bottle of bubbles and have your child blow away. They’ll “workout” their facial muscles used for speech, and have fun watching the bubbles fade away! You can even try this during bath time with a bottle of bubble bath. Repetition is the key to success!
• There’s an app for that : Type “speech therapy” into your App Store and you’ll find many options. Give Otsimo Speech Therapy a try. This app is designed with all kinds of games to entertain your toddler, keeping them engaged in speech activities. The product is ad-free and safe for kids, using a method known as augmentative and alternative communication.

What do speech therapists do for toddlers?

If you’ve never had a speech therapy session before, you may be wondering exactly what to expect.

How does it work? When it comes to sessions, we have a process to ensure a perfect fit for you, your toddler, and your speech language pathologist.

• Your experience begins with an introductory call to determine if we’re a good fit for your needs
• Techniques may include signing or typing, analyzing facial muscles to improve speech or articulation, altering tone, and other approaches to help your toddler improve communication skills
• Our sessions take place over Zoom: therapists interact with clients and engage in practice skills, games, repetitions, and other activities to overcome speech challenges
• Therapists will often provide homework for you and your toddler to practice together between sessions, truly integrating you into your child’s speech therapy
• Each client’s program is unique to their specific needs and goals, but most consist of 12-week modules, with two 30-minute sessions each week
• At the end of each module, our team will reach out to ensure you’re on track with your goals and progress

How do I find the right speech therapist for my toddler?

Since this person will be working with your toddler, it’s important to do your own research. Consider the following traits when selecting your child’s speech therapist.

• Personality: is this someone my child will enjoy being around? Are they someone I trust? Do they seem patient, understanding, and kind? Do they love what they do?
• Clarity: is the instructor clear? Do they explain their process? Do you and your child understand what they’re saying, what to expect from each session, and what kind of progress you’re making?
• Experience: Speech language pathologists receive extensive training to work with a variety of people experiencing complex communication disorders — you’ll want to ensure whoever you choose to work with has experience and passion for working with children.
• Schedule: is the therapist available on a schedule that works for you and your family?

When should a toddler start speech therapy?

It’s critical for your child to hit their 1 year old speech milestones . If you’re concerned about their progress, seek professional help.

If you believe your toddler has a speech delay, express your concerns with your pediatrician. They’ll recommend an assessment with a speech language pathologist, an expert when it comes to speech communication.

We encourage you to schedule your introductory call today for a no-pressure consultation on personalized virtual online speech therapy for your toddler.

You might also like

Speech and Language Activities for 3 to 5 year olds

• Bubbles: Bubbles focuses on requesting more, using the b, m, g, p, w sounds, following a routine and imitating words and sounds. Practice saying or signing “open” and “bubble”. Say “Ready, Set, Go!”. Blow bubbles. Say “wow” as the fall. When bubbles land, start popping them and say “pop” each time. Before the next round of bubbles, ask “more?”
• Books: This activity focuses on naming and identifying vocabulary, following routine and emergent literacy skills. Show your child the book. Practice saying “book” and “open”. Point to one picture at a time, say the name of the say the name of the object. Repeat the name 5-10 times while pointing to it. Encourage your child to point to the picture while you name it. Track print as you read. Once your children becomes familiar with the book, as them to point to the pictures, say “Where is ___?”
• Puzzles: By playing with puzzles, you can address naming and identifying vocabulary, following routines, requesting and following 1 or 2-step directions. Show your child the puzzle. Name each animal/object on the puzzle. You can also say the noises they make too. Take the pieces off and give them to your child. Ask for each item from your child, say “I want ___” “___ please!” If they have trouble picking it out, point to it and show them your open hand. Give your child a puzzle piece followed by the command “put on”, you may need to gesture where the piece should go.
• Toy Cars: Playing with toy cars increase naming vocabulary, following routines, requesting, imitating environmental noises and using the “b” and “m” sounds. Put toy cars on the ground or table. Have one car for you and one for your child. Point to and name it frequently saying “car”. Pretend to drive around. While you drive, make the “vroom” noise. Encourage your child to imitate you noise. “Drive” your car towards your child’s while saying “beep-beep!” Flip cars over and say “uh-oh”. Pretend to crash cars while saying “boom!” “crash!” While driving stop suddenly and say “stop!”, pause and say “go!”
• Playdough: This activity focuses on following routines, basic concepts (on/off), naming/identifying vocabulary if using a playdough mat, naming colors and basic verbs. Show your child different color tubs of playdough. Name the colors, encourage your child to name the colors. Ask them which color they want. Encourage them to request by signing/saying “more” or “please”. Get the playdough out, practice acting out. Modeling basic verbs (ex: roll, push, smash, cute, etc.) using the playdough. If using playdough tools, you can create different objects/animals/people. Name each thing that you make.
• Pretend Playhouse Kits/Costumes : These toys are so cool and have come a long way since I was dressing up in my brother’s clothes or cutting up my dad’s shirts. These kits are great for building vocabulary and acting out familiar and unfamiliar scenes. This is also a great way to talk about feelings (i.e. feeling sick or hurt with a doctor set) and asking and answering wh questions.

There are so many great toys for this age group! The blog from our first post in this series is also another great resource for this age group. Check it out here .

Submitted by Jenn Parsons, GiGi’s Playhouse Quad Cities Program Managers and Speech and Language Pathologist

Recent Posts

2 Communication Settings

3 Things to Know about Communication Boards

5 Benefits of Confidence

• Next »

After you get him on the run, you’re able to just observe the booth together with the scope and throw him a few times after he jumps again.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Speech Therapy For a 3-Year-Old: How To Get Started

Are you wondering if your 3-year-old might benefit from speech therapy? There are many reasons a child between 36 and 48 months needs speech therapy. Maybe your child only has a few words, and you want them to be able to say more. Or maybe your child has many words, but you're concerned about their pronunciation. Your child's doctor may have even told you that they think your child would benefit from speech therapy because there is a concern for a speech or language delay.

Whatever the reason you want to help your child, there are some things you should know before getting started with speech therapy. This article will share tips on finding the right speech therapist and starting treatment. We'll also answer some common questions about speech therapy for 3-year-olds.

3-Year-Old Speech and Language Milestones

What does speech therapy for a 3-year-old look like, how to get started with speech therapy for a 3-year-old, how can a speech pathologist help your child develop language and speech, 10 speech-language therapy ideas for 3-year-olds at home, frequently asked questions, how connected speech pathology can help.

Before we dive into how to get started with speech therapy , let's review some common 3-year-old speech and language milestones.

By understanding what is developmentally appropriate for your child's age, you can better determine if they would benefit from therapy. Remember that this is only a guide, and every child develops differently.

First, let's define some terms:

Speech is the actual production of sounds to form words.

Language is the system we use to communicate. It includes understanding words ( receptive language ) and using words to express our needs and wants ( expressive language ).

Now that we've defined some terms let's look at common speech and language milestones typically achieved by 36 months.

Expressive Language Milestones

Says between 250 and 1000 words

Understood by familiar people about 75% of the time

Puts three or more words together to make a simple sentence

Uses a variety of pronouns, such as "I," "me," "you," and "we," correctly when talking

Names common objects

Answers simple questions such as "what color is this?" "where are your shoes?"

Uses past tense -ed verbs, for example, "walked" and "biked."

Verbally expresses emotions, for example, "happy," "sad," and "mad."

Holds a basic conversation

Receptive Language Milestones

Follows simple two to three-step directions such as "Bring me the book and sit down" or "Walk to the door, say hello, and wave."

Understands adjectives such as "big" and "little."

Can answer basic questions such as "What color is this"? Points to common body parts when asked.

Can listen to a 10-15 minute long simple story and answer questions about it.

If your 3-year-old is not meeting these developmental milestones , they may benefit from speech therapy. It's always best to consult with your child's pediatrician or a certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) if unsure.

Now that you know some common speech and language milestones for 3-year-olds, let's discuss what speech therapy looks like for this age group.

Speech therapy sessions usually last 30-60 minutes, and the number of sessions per week will depend on your child's individual needs.

In general, younger children (3-5 years old) may need more frequent sessions (2-3 times per week) than older children (6 years and up), who may only need therapy once a week.

Speech therapy for 3-year-olds is usually conducted playfully, as this is how young children learn best.

Therapy may involve both structured and unstructured activities. Structured activities are planned out in advance by the therapist and are usually more focused on specific goals. Unstructured activities are less planned and more open-ended, allowing for more natural communication.

Both activities are essential in helping your child reach their speech and language goals. Some examples of structured and unstructured activities that may be used in therapy include:

Structured Activities:

Flashcard games

Book reading

Repetition exercises

Motor planning activities

Unstructured Activities:

Pretend play

Conversations

Songs and nursery rhymes

As you can see, speech therapy for 3-year-olds is usually conducted in a fun and interactive way to keep your child engaged in the activities and make learning new skills more enjoyable.

If you think your 3-year-old may benefit from speech therapy, the first step is to consult with your pediatrician.

Your child's doctor can conduct a developmental screening to check for any delays or disorders and then make a referral to a certified SLP if necessary.

During the speech and language evaluation, the speech pathologist will assess your child's current level of functioning and develop a treatment plan tailored to their individual needs.

Working with a speech pathologist is one of the best ways to help your child learn, remember, and use new words and phrases. Your speech therapist can teach you to model correct language use and how to expand your child's language abilities.

Parent coaching provided by a speech pathologist is often used to teach speech and language skills to children 36-48 months.

Some 3-year-olds may also need help learning to make specific speech sounds . Speech therapy is delivered through sound production activities, such as saying tongue twisters or making silly faces. Articulation games are also a great way to practice specific sounds. Your speech pathologist can teach you how to help your 3-year-old move from gestures and sounds to actual words.

A speech therapist can show you what most motivates your child regarding vocabulary and language development.

Reading and writing are essential literacy skills that your child can start to develop at three years old. Reading skills are important for three-year-old children as they move into pre-kindergarten and eventually grade school.

A speech pathologist can work on developing your child's phonological awareness, which is the ability to hear and manipulate individual sounds in words. Teaching phonological awareness includes being able to identify rhyming words and break words down into syllables.

You can encourage these skills by reading stories together, writing down simple words and phrases, and playing letter recognition games.

These are just a few examples of the types of services that a speech therapist may offer. Speech therapy can make a big difference in your child's life by helping them develop the skills they need to communicate effectively. With the proper support, your child can reach their full potential.

As a parent, you may wonder how to help your 3-year-old child with speech-language therapy at home . With a bit of creativity, there are many things you can do ! Here are some great ideas to get you started.

Use Songs and Rhymes

Songs and rhymes are a great way to engage your child in speech-language therapy at home. Make up new words and songs using your child's name. Singing with your child can help with memory, attention, and following directions. Plus, singing and rhyming are just plain fun!

Examples of songs that encourage language are The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and Old McDonald Had a Farm. Try to find songs that are interactive and involve movement. The interaction with your child while singing will help keep your child's attention while also allowing them to burn some energy.

Turn Chores into Games

Turning everyday tasks into games is a great way to work on speech-language goals and get things done around the house.

For instance, you can turn setting the table into a matching game by saying the name of each item as you put it in its place.

When getting dressed, name the clothing items. For example, "First, we'll put on your shirt. Then, we'll put on your pants."

Or, you can work on following directions by giving your child one-step instructions to complete a simple task, such as "Please put your shoes away." As your child gets better at following directions, you can increase the complexity by adding more steps.

When cooking, describe what you're doing. For example, "I'm chopping the carrots into small pieces."

When cleaning up, name the items you're putting away. For example, "Please put the blocks in the box."

Create a Communication-Friendly Environment

One way to encourage your child's communication development is to create a communication-friendly environment at home. You want to provide ample opportunity for conversation and visual aids to help with understanding.

Try to make sure there are plenty of things around the house for your child to point to and name. You can also use picture books, magazines, and other print materials to help stimulate conversation.

Play Games with Your Child

Games are another great way to engage your child in speech-language therapy at home. Games can help with social skills , following directions, turn-taking, and vocabulary development.

Many familiar children's games can be easily adapted for speech-language therapy purposes. Examples of games include:

Simon Says  – This classic game is great for following directions and listening skills.

I Spy  – This game can be played with any object and is a great way to work on vocabulary development.

Do as I Do  – This game is perfect for imitating actions and sounds. It's also a great way to practice turn-taking.

Red Light, Green Light  – This game is great for following directions and listening skills. It can also be modified to work on other speech-language goals.

Play with Your Child's Favorite Toys

Toys are a great way to have fun with your child while helping develop their speech and language skills. Use toys that encourage your child to imitate sounds, words, and phrases.

Puppets are a great way to engage your child in speech-language therapy at home. They can help with turn-taking, following directions, and expressive language skills. Puppet shows are also a great way to encourage your child to use their imagination.

Make it a Family Affair

One of the best ways to help your child with speech-language therapy at home is to make it a family affair. Enlist the help of siblings, grandparents, and other relatives. The more people involved, the better!

During family play, enhance your child's language skills by taking turns and making up rules for different games as you go.

Visit the Library

Visiting the library is a great way to work on speech-language therapy at home. The library is a treasure trove of books, games, and DVDs designed to help with speech and language development.

The library is also a great place to find ideas for other activities you can do at home. As you travel to the library, point to and name different items you see.

Many libraries also have story times and other events for children. These are great opportunities to work on social skills and listening comprehension.

Take Advantage of Technology

Several great apps and websites can help with speech-language therapy at home. Many of these are free or have free trials.

Some great apps for speech-language therapy include:

Articulation Station:  This app is excellent for working on articulation skills.

Language Builder Cards:  This app is perfect for working on vocabulary development.

First Then Visual Schedule:  This app is great for visual learners and can help with following directions.

Speech Blubs:  This app is an excellent tool for various speech-language goals.

Several websites offer printable worksheets and other resources for speech-language therapy. Some of our favorites include:

Speech And Language Kids

Super Duper Handy Handouts

Make Take & Teach

Mayer-Johnson Boardmaker Online

Read Together Every Day 

Reading books can help improve a child's speech skills at home. Reading can help with attention, comprehension, phonological awareness, and storytelling skills.

When selecting books for speech-language therapy, look for books with repetitive phrases or text, simple plots, and bright illustrations. When reading stories , point to the pictures and name the objects.

Some of our favorite books for 3-year-olds include:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

Do Arts and Crafts Activities Together

Arts and crafts activities are a great way to engage your child in speech-language therapy at home. They can help with following directions, turn-taking, and fine motor skills. Many resources are available online for arts and crafts projects designed explicitly for speech-language therapy. 

When selecting arts and crafts activities for speech-language therapy, look for open-ended activities that you can do in many different ways.

Imaginary Play

Imaginary play is an excellent way to help your child practice new speech and language skills. When playing make-believe, your child can practice using new words and phrases. Imaginary play can also help turn-taking, following rules, and problem-solving skills.

Some great ideas for imaginary play include:

Pretend to be animals

Have a tea party

Play store or restaurant

Visit the doctor

Puppet Shows

1. Can speech therapy for a 3-year-old be done virtually?

Yes, many speech-language pathologists (SLPs) offer virtual therapy . Virtual therapy provides many of the same benefits as in-person therapy and can be done from the comfort of your home.

The parent coaching model, where an SLP provides guidance and support to parents working with their child at home, is well-suited for online delivery.

2. Is it too early to start speech therapy for a 3-year-old?

No, it is never too early to start speech therapy. If you are concerned about your child's speech or language development, consulting with a licensed SLP is best.

3. Can a 3-year-old be a late talker?

Yes, a 3-year-old can be a late-talker. Late talking can be caused by various things, such as hearing loss, developmental delay, speech disorders, or being a late bloomer.

If you're concerned that your child is not meeting language milestones, it's best to have them evaluated by a speech therapist. Early intervention can correct late talking, so getting help is essential if you think there might be a problem.

4 How do I know if my 3-year-old has a speech or language delay?

There are a few ways to tell if your 3-year-old has a language or speech delay. If your child has trouble pronouncing words correctly, understanding what other people are saying, or communicating their needs, they may have a delay.

If you're concerned that your child has a speech or language delay, it's best to consult with a licensed SLP. They will be able to assess your child's skills, identify factors that can affect speech development, and provide guidance on the next steps.

Connected Speech Pathology offers speech therapy services for 3-year-olds. We provide parent coaching to help you support your child's development at home.

Connected Speech Pathology's therapists are experienced in working with 3-year-olds with speech and language delays. We will work with you to develop a treatment plan tailored to your child's needs. Our therapists' backgrounds and experience allow us to provide high-quality, evidence-based therapy that is effective and fun.

If you're interested in speech therapy for your 3-year-old, contact us today to schedule a free consultation. We would be happy to answer any questions.

About the Author

Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.

Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment ( LSVT ) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.

How To Find A Public Speaking Coach: Helpful Advice

Speech therapy for vocal cord dysfunction (vcd).

The Do’s and Don’ts Of Home Speech Therapy Toddler Activities

I’m practicing speech at home, but how do I know if I am doing it right? 

We are all our biggest critics! If you are practicing speech at home, you deserve to pat yourself on the back. 

But I’m sure you still want to know if you are doing it the best way or the right way? 

Well, as a speech therapist , I would argue that there is no best way or right way to do therapy. That’s because different strategies are more impactful for different children. And different children learn better in some speech therapy activities for toddlers compared to others. 

However, there are some particular habits to avoid when it comes to teaching your child new speech and language skills at home, and that’s what this post is all about. 

It’s important because we know learning to talk is a marathon, not a sprint. We want you and your child to enjoy learning speech at home and avoid burning out. 

After learning about the Do’s and Don’ts of speech therapy activities for toddlers, I want to share some of my favorite speech therapy games to play with toddlers.

The Do’s and Don’ts Of At Home Speech Practice

When to practice.

DO  - Do practice at a time when your child is routinely rested, pleasant, and well fed. Think about the time of day that your child is most cooperative on a consistent basis, and create a routine of practicing speech then. This is important because your child will learn new skills when you have their attention and they are having fun. Playing a game, like Peek-A-Boo or playing with cars, for speech therapy with toddlers is one of the best ways to keep them attentive and engaged.

DON’T  - Don’t practice when your child is overly tired, upset, sick, hungry, or in need of a diaper change. All of these things make it hard for young children to learn because it makes it harder for them to pay attention and have fun during your practice. 

How Long To Practice

DO  - Do practice for as long as your child is having fun and paying attention. For young children that usually means practicing for 10 to 30 minutes at a time and not longer. Practicing for shorter periods of time is a good idea because it usually means more quality practice over more consecutive days than if you were to try to practice a few hours each day. 

DON’T  - Don’t practice for more than about 30 minutes at a time. And don’t continue practicing speech if your child has become upset and you can’t quickly calm them down. It’s unlikely that your child will learn speech and language skills when they are upset.

**When appropriate, other developmental specialists will support attention and play skills in young children to help prepare them for speech therapy. It’s important for your child to have fun playing with you before you practice specific speech skills at home. 

What To Practice

DO  - Do pick one or two specific things to teach at a time. As parents and speech therapists, we are better teachers when we focus on just one or a few skills at a time. Plus, you’ll likely notice progress faster if you're paying attention to less things. 

DON’T  - Don’t try to do everything at once. While it’s tempting, it’s never a good plan. Here we can think about the parable of The Tortoise and the Hare. Practicing one skill at a time will likely get you to your goals faster than rushing to practice everything at once :) 

Having A Plan

DO  - Do think of a few options for your at home speech practice. For example, you could be ready to practice during a book, playing with a truck, or building a block tower. Thinking of a few options ahead of time can help you get in practice when things don’t go according to plan A. 

DON’T  - Don’t worry about practicing during one particular activity. You can build speech and language skills during any activity your child enjoys! Better to abandon your plan and have fun! 

What To Look For When You Practice

DO - Do look and listen for your child to communicate in the way they already know how. In the beginning you may have to show them how to communicate in a new way 10 or 100 times before they try it on their own. And once they’ve learned a new way, you’ll be looking for them to communicate in both the new and old ways. 

DON’T - Don’t look or listen for your child to communicate in a new way the first time you sit down to practice (although they could surprise you!). Understanding that it might take a week or more to learn a new skill helps avoid disappointment or feelings of not doing it right if your child doesn’t learn right away. 

So here’s our list of great habits for at home speech & language practice:

Practice when your child is in a good mood

Practice for shorter more frequent periods of time (10-30 minutes a day)

Learn one (or two) new skill at a time

Think ahead of a few activities you could use for practice - Remember, any activity can be a toddler speech therapy activity!

Look and listen for your child to communicate in new ways after they’ve had days of practice (although they might pick up new skills more quickly)

Now let’s talk about my favorite games to play with your toddler when you are practicing speech therapy at home

When it comes to practicing speech at home, you can turn anything into a game . I want to share with you some of my favorite made-up games for toddlers that are great for practicing speech therapy at home. 

My hope is that you’ll see there is no right or wrong and you’ll be excited to make up your own speech therapy games using your toddler’s favorite activities. 

The Dumping Game

This may be my favorite of all toddler speech therapy games because you can play it with anything and you get tons of practice with new words. 

Toddlers love putting things in and dumping them out! For the dumping speech therapy game, we are going to use different items to fill up a basket, bucket, bag, or container with and then dump them out. The trick is to pick an item(s) to fill your bucket with that you want your child to learn the name of. 

For example, if you want to teach your child the word “spoon” you could get all the spoons from the kitchen (big mixing spoons, and noisy metal spoons). Fill up your container with spoons and say “Spoon” every time you put one in and talk about those spoons when you dump them out. 

Pro tip: I know this might feel torturous at first, or you might feel exhausted by saying the same word so many times over. I get worn out by narrating everything too! I always find it helpful to set a 5 or 10 minute timer on my phone and I commit to saying the word (“spoon” for example) as many times as I can in those 5 minutes. Once the timer goes off, I’m free to go back to talking normally.

2. The Laundry Sorting Game:

Including your toddler when you are folding your laundry is a great way to practice speech and language! Your clothes may have a few more wrinkles, but your toddler may also learn some new words! 

As you fold the laundry, have your little one sort the clothes by putting them into piles based on who the clothes belong to. Talk about the items as they place them into each pile, “Mama’s socks.” “Daddy’s socks.” “Bodhi’s socks.” Laundry is the perfect activity because everyone will have multiple socks, undies, shirts, etc. and you will have tons of opportunities to repeat the same words over and over. This repetition is what helps little kids learn new words!

Now, you might be wondering how laundry could possibly be a game. The cool thing about little kids is that they generally get excited about what we are excited about. If you act like laundry is fun and get excited while they are sorting clothes into piles it can be the most fun game ever!

Pro tip: If your toddler puts the clothes in the wrong pile, you can blame it on the clothes rather than making your child wrong. It might sound like this, “Silly socks! You are Bodhi’s socks. Go in Bodhi’s pile, not Daddy’s.” 

3. The Copy Cat Game:

Toddler’s have great imaginations and they often like to be in charge. One of the most fun games you can play with your toddler to practice speech therapy at home is the Copy-Cat Game, where you copy whatever they do and talk about it. 

This is a great speech therapy game because you are following your child’s attention. When you are both paying attention to the same thing you have loads of opportunities to talk about whatever it is that you’re both doing. And we know that attention is a key ingredient for learning new skills! So when you talk about what you are doing as you’re doing it, it’s more likely for your little one to understand or say a new word.

I know the Copy-Cat game may sound overly simple, but I think it’s a great reminder not to underestimate the power of “the little things” in making a big impact on your toddler’s learning!

Here are some other questions that parents ask about speech therapy toddler activities:

What are some language activities for toddlers? 

The truth is that every activity is a language activity for toddlers! They are always listening, watching, and learning from the world around them. 

If you are looking to pick one or a few activities for dedicated at-home speech and language practice time, I always recommend your daily activities. Here are some daily activities you may choose for practice:

Getting dressed

Brushing your teeth

Snack time, breakfast, lunch, or dinner

Going for a walk

Feeding the dog

Every daily activity can be a language activity for your child. And daily activities are the best because you can be sure to practice day after day; it is the repeated daily practice that will help your little one learn new words and language skills. 

How do I help my 2-year-old with speech therapy?

The best way to help your 2-year-old with speech therapy is to practice a little bit every day. Research has shown that 10-30 minutes of daily practice at home can significantly improve a child’s ability to learn new communication skills and build their vocabulary. 

How can I help my toddler with speech therapy at home?

The key to helping your toddler with speech therapy at home is to find a practice activity they enjoy. When toddlers are having fun they are paying attention, and we know that attention is essential for learning new skills. Here at Toddler Talk, we also provide online speech therapy for toddlers.

Finding ways that you can teach your toddler speech skills at home during activities they already like is the best way to help with speech therapy at home. To learn more about how you can use everyday activities to teach your toddler speech and language skills, check out our free Foundations of Speech Course: Start Now!

 Written by: Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP

The content offered on ToddlerTalk.com is for informational purposes only. Toddler Talk is not engaged in rendering professional advice, whether medical or otherwise, to individual users or their children or families. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor, speech language pathologist, or other health professional. By accessing the content on ToddlerTalk.com, you acknowledge and agree that you are accepting the responsibility for your child’s health and well-being. In return for providing you with information related to home speech and language practice, you waive any claims that you or your child may have as a result of utilizing the content on ToddlerTalk.com.

"My 2 Year Old Doesn't Listen!" - Try These 3 Things

The "magic" school bus speech activities.

Glosso Speech Language and Educational Services

Making a difference one client at a time since 1995.

Speech Therapy Milestones for your 3 to 5 year old

Are you concerned that your 3, 4 or 5 year old may need speech therapy? Here are some key milestones to use to better understand whether your concerns should be investigated further.

Your child’s speech and language development from ages 3 to 5 years old can be separated into two categories.

• Receptive . This is their ability to understand words and sounds
• Expressive . This is their ability to use speech and gestures to communicate.

Speech and language development becomes more advanced beginning around age 3 and can continue through the age of 5. Receptive language skills – or their ability to understand words and sounds – become more sophisticated during this period. She or he should be able to make subtle distinctions between objects and relationships. They should be able to understand multi-step requests. Most children also gradually speak more fluently and use proper grammar more consistently.

Review the table below to better understand how your child’s receptive and expressive language should be developing between 3 years and 5 years old. You can often provide helpful hints to exercise their skills. For example, you can ask your 5 year old son “Is that Bobby’s mom?” and then later ask him “Who is that?”

It is important to remember that there is no correct starting time for these skills and children develop differently. If you are unsure, be sure to talk to your physician or a qualified speech therapist. Our professional speech therapists offer free screenings via Zoom – signup below if you are interested in finding out more.

Are you concerned about your child’s speech development? We are qualified speech therapists and can help. Contact us and receive a free screening on Zoom.

One thought on “ speech therapy milestones for your 3 to 5 year old ”.

• Pingback: Helping your 4 to 6 year old’s speech development – Glosso Speech Language and Educational Services

Comments are closed.

Discover more from Glosso Speech Language and Educational Services

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading