20 Effective Ways to Help Your Child Start Talking

As parents, we often turn to the internet for guidance on our child’s development. We learn that by age one, a child should say 10 words, by age two, 200 words, and by age three, 1000 words. It’s natural to worry if our little one isn’t meeting these milestones.

Marina Ishmatova’s Advice

Marina Ishmatova, a speech therapist and founder of the early development center “Ladushki,” suggests that waiting for your child to “grow out of it” or start talking in preschool may not be the best approach. Instead, she offers several practical tips to encourage your child’s speech development.

Creating the Right Environment

First, choose a comfortable and quiet place for your activities. Many mothers find that the feeding chair works well for this purpose. Schedule your activities during the first half of the day, as regular sessions are key to success.

The Power of Reading

Reading to your child daily can work wonders. Make reading interactive by pausing before the last word, allowing your child to complete the sound, syllable, or word. Discuss the pictures and ask questions. A bedtime story can be like a magic pill for language development.

Speak Naturally

Avoid using baby talk. After the age of one, try to communicate with your child as you would with an adult. Repeat new words multiple times—your child may need to hear a word 10 to 120 times before using it in their own speech.

Stimulating Situations

Create situations that encourage your child to speak. For example, give your child a bowl of soup without a spoon during mealtime. This can motivate them to ask for what they need.

Additional Tips

Remove the Pacifier: Pacifiers can delay speech development.
Develop Breathing Skills: Activities like blowing bubbles, playing a flute, or drinking through a straw can strengthen the mouth muscles necessary for speech.
Create a “Magic Bag”: Fill a small, colorful bag with animal toys. Pull them out one by one, showing only the head, and ask your child to name the animal.
Combine Speech with Movement: Use nursery rhymes and games like “Pat-a-Cake” to combine speech with physical activity.
Talk Frequently: Narrate your actions and your child’s actions throughout the day. This constant exposure to language can significantly boost their vocabulary.
Avoid Pressure: Avoid using words like “repeat” or “say,” as they can cause frustration.
Be Emotional: Respond enthusiastically to your child’s sounds and attempts at speech.
Sing Together: Listen to children’s songs and sing along with your child.
Play “Dunno”: Pretend not to understand your child’s gestures to encourage them to use words.
Develop Listening Skills: Draw your child’s attention to different sounds in the environment, both indoors and outdoors.
Encourage Sound Imitation: Associate actions with sounds, like “T-T-T” for hammering or “V-V-V” for a car engine.
Use Flashcards: Show your child pictures of objects and ask them to name the object or the sound it makes.
Use Parentalese: Speak in a high-pitched, slow, and melodic voice to make it easier for your child to understand and imitate.
Create Photo Stories: Take photos of your child doing different activities and use them to create simple sentences.
Put on Puppet Shows: Use finger puppets to act out stories, using different voices for each character.

Remember, teaching your child to talk is a labor of love that requires patience and consistency. Your love and acceptance of your child’s individual pace of development are crucial. Regular activities and interactions with your child will yield the best results. Enjoy this special time together and celebrate each new word as a milestone in your child’s journey to fluent speech.

For more information on child development, you can visit CDC’s Child Development Page.