Learning to talk
Talking, understanding others and
knowing what to say are really
important skills. They help children
make friends, learn and enjoy life
to the full.
Going from babbling baby to
talkative toddler seems like a
miracle, but your child needs YOU
to help make this happen because
they will learn most things from you.
Babies communicate with us
from birth, their cries let us know if
they are hungry or uncomfortable.
They smile and look at us when we
are talking and as we talk to them,
they start to understand the simple
words that we say. Their first words
appear at 12 -18 months, they may
not sound like adult words, but as
you listen you will begin to know
what they mean.
As toddlers grow, so do the number
of words that they understand
and use. Understanding words
happens first, and using these
words comes next.
After their first word, toddlers build
up to about 100 words that they use
one at a time. Next, they listen to you
and learn how words link together,
they begin to put two words together
in small sentences and later they
will use longer sentences.
As they get older, they start to use
longer sentences. They will learn
and use lots of new words and
will talk about what they have
done. They will start to ask lots of
questions and enjoy listening to
what others are saying. They find
some sounds difficult to say, but
most adults will understand them.
All of these skills help children get
ready for school.
But remember, learning to talk
can be difficult
Some children find talking and
listening harder than others.
They might find it hard to understand
what words and sentences mean.
Some struggle to find the right
words and sounds to use a put them in order.
These children
may need extra help.
If you are worried about your child,
talk to people you know and who
know your child. The pre school are always here to help.
The stages in this leaflet will help guide you but remember, every child is different
and if you’re still worried, go with
your instinct.
Talk to someone who can help, for example a speech
and language therapist, a health
visitor or GP.
You can also visit the
I CAN website to find out more
about communication and language
in children – www.ican.org.uk.
In the meantime, to help get you
started, follow the guidance and tips
in this leaflet.
2 years
• Children understand longer
sentences like ‘your shoes
are upstairs’.
• They are starting to use lots
of single words – 50 or more.
• They are starting to put some
words together to make
sentences, like ‘teddy gone’ or
‘Daddy’s ball’.
• They can play alongside other
children. They might be starting
to share, but it’s quite hard
for them.
3 years
• Children are using longer
sentences, like, ‘I’m gonna
Nana’s’ or ‘I’m gonna get a
toy car’.
• Children may stumble over their
words and repeat themselves.
• They are beginning to understand
question words like ‘who?’,
‘what?’ and ‘where?’
• They enjoy playing games with
other children and know all about
taking turns.
4 years
• What your child says can be
understood even by people who
don’t know them well, but they
might still find some sounds hard
to make, like ‘l’, ‘y’, ‘sh’ and ‘ch’.
• Children ask lots of questions,
especially ‘why…?’
• They are beginning to understand
colour, number and time words
like ‘show me three fingers’,
‘we are going tomorrow’.
• They can use their words to tell
you about how they are feeling
and about their ideas.
Handy Tips
Talking and playing with your child
is good for them and makes life
easier for you. These simple tips
will help.
Get your child’s attention
Face your child or sit down with
them.
Say their name before you
start speaking. Talk about something
you can both see in front of you.
This helps them to learn what
words mean.
Have fun together
Use actions, sing, make noises
and funny faces. Don’t be shy,
being a bit silly helps get their
attention and makes them laugh.
Comments not questions
Asking lots of questions can feel like
it’s a test. Make it a conversation.
Comment on what they are doing
and what is happening.
Talk to your baby right from
the start
Babies love to hear your voice and
see your face when you talk to them.
Talking is easy
Just chat about what you are doing
or what they are interested in.
Be aware of background noise
Music, noisy video games and the
TV are a big part of our lives, but try
to make some noise-free time so
that your baby can hear what you
are saying.
Give them time to think
Children need more time than adults
to think about what they’ve heard,
and to decide what to say back.
Give them time to respond, and look
at them
Use simple language
Keep your sentences short.
For example, “Food time now” or
“Wow, you’re building a tower”.
Repeat what you say
It’s good to say the same thing over
again. Babies and toddlers need
to hear words and sentences lots
of times to understand them and
learn new words.
Make it easier for them to listen
Turning the music, radio or TV off
helps children focus on your words.
Build on what they say
Adding one or two words to what
they say helps your child onto the
next stage of talking. So, if your child
says “bus” you say “Yes, big bus”.
Speak in your home language
It’s important for children to learn their
first words and sentences in their
home language. Your child will learn
in English later, at nursery and school.
Make it easier for them to talk
Dummies can get in the way of talking.
Try to keep them just for sleep times.
Take it out to talk.
Show them the right way
Young children often make mistakes.
Show them that you understand,
rather than asking them to repeat
words correctly. Say the word or
sentence again correctly for your
child. If they say “Look at the dod”,
you can say “Yes, it’s a dog”.
Copy what they say
Repeat back sounds, words and
sentences. Whether its “la la” or
“Oh, you liked the banana?”, it shows
you’re interested and that sounds
and words . Whether its “la la” or
“Oh, you liked the banana?”, it shows
you’re interested and that sounds
and words are important.
Comments