It’s Important to Talk With Your Toddler a Lot, and Here’s Why

Typically, children tend to say their first words at the age of 10 to 15 months. And the way you talk to your kid not only helps them to learn about the world around them, but it can also influence their abilities in the future. You don’t need any degree or special knowledge to help your kid get better results.

We at Bright Side would like to pay attention to talking with our children. It seems easy, but it really needs to be taken seriously.

The first step

In the first phase of the study in 2006, families with recruited children from 2 to 48 months made 12-hour audio recordings each month for half a year. Then, a special system automatically calculated the number of words spoken by adults, the number of interactions that were held between the adult and child, and the frequency of the child’s vocal output.

Important outcomes

The second stage of the study was held when these children turned 9 −14 years old. They passed both cognitive and language tests and the results showed that a higher number of back-and-forth conversations with adults, between the ages of 18 and 24 months, could predict cognitive and language outcomes.

Quality matters

Along with the quantity, the quality of communication also affects the development of a child. Another study monitored the communication of kids over 8 months of age with their mothers. It was found that those children whose mothers responded to them started to directly vocalize with their mothers, and they also produced more gestures and words.

Kids need details.

One more study found that children who received more detailed, longer answers to their questions from adults learned more. This manner of communication allows children to keep the concept and use it when performing new tasks.

How you can help a kid

In order to get your child talking, you can use your finger when speaking with them. Just point your finger at the objects you are talking about. This will make it easier for the child to understand what is at stake and they will quickly learn new words. You can also ask them to point to an object you name with their finger.

How often do you talk with your kids? How do you make them learn new words?