- Make sure you are not standing with the sun or bright light behind you when communicating with your child
- Get down to the child’s level when communicating
- Encourage the child to look at your face and pay attention to you. The child will be interested in looking at you if you use various facial expressions. Play games to build on anticipation e.g. Peek a boo. Vary your voice, facial expressions and gestures to encourage the child to begin to pay attention to you
- Maintain eye contact while you communicate with each other
- Smile and nod
- Let your face show the same feeling that your child is showing
- Speak or sing a song to them
- Wait expectantly for more communication
- Use simple gestures
- When out and about name, point, name an item of interest, giving your child time to look at what you are pointing at
When talking give child time to process information. If you talk non-stop a child will become bored and “zone out”. Communication needs to be meaningful, interesting and fun - Attract child to new sounds. Stop point to your ear “listen” point and name. Home and when out and about
- If you have time warn the child when for e.g. a big lorry is coming. Stop, if possible show child approaching lorry, name lorry. Loud sudden noises are frightening
- Keep background noise to a minimum. Turn off the TV when playing and communicating with your child
- Talk to your child when changing, play making noises, tickling, use facial expressions
- Lots of action songs. Leave gaps when you sing to allow child to take a turn
- Copy child’s babble patterns and mould them into real words. “dada yes Daddy”
- Share picture books with your child. Peek and find books are great
- Make photo books of family members or to record visit to the zoo etc. A great resource to practice naming, recalling events and activities
- Share book at bed time
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