Squish makes me proud every day, whether because of her cute looks, her adorable giggle or her eagerness to learn new things.

But one of the things that makes me most proud of Elsa is her impressive language abilities. She began making distinct animal noises at 7 months of age. By a year old, her vocabulary easily exceeded 100 words. Now, at 16 months, she is stringing short sentences together. The latest word she learned is Velcro. (Though I’m sure she’ll impress me with another new word after I finish work today).

My wife and I put at least some of Squish’s linguistic genius down to genetics, for which we cannot take credit.

But to the extent that we have helped Elsa on her language journey, I can think of a number of strategies we’ve employed that are worth sharing — some which are obvious, and others you may never have considered.

Here are my top 5 tips for toddler language learning.

1. Narrate your daily tasks

As a career nanny, my wife has used this strategy for years and regularly reminds me of it.

“Look. Daddy is getting the milk out of the fridge,” I tell Squish while sitting her on my hip. “Now he’s taking the lid off and pouring some milk into his coffee. Now it’s time to put the lid back on and put the milk back in the fridge.”

Maybe it all sounds a little inane, but Elsa is enthralled by the commentary. And trust me when I say it’s not long until you hear some of the words you have used echoed by your toddler in a totally different context.

2. Read to your toddler

I previously wrote an entire article on the benefits of reading to your toddler. There, I explained that regular reading time:

• Improves cognitive abilities
• Strengthens emotional bonding
• Develops listening skills
• Instills a love for reading

But the number one benefit I highlighted? You guessed it: reading boosts language development.

Toddlers don’t consult dictionaries to learn new words. One of the fastest ways to grow their vocabulary, aid their comprehension and teach them the structure of language is to read to them every day.

So what are you waiting for?

3. Stay a step ahead

Education professionals speak of something called the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). It’s a fancy name for the “sweet spot” in learning — the range between what a learner can do independently and what they can do with guidance or support.

If a learner is not challenged, they will become bored and disengaged. The same is true if they are pushed too far. Right in the middle of those two extremes is where you want to be — the ZPD.

Applying this principle to toddlers and language, simplify your speech to make it comprehensible to your toddler. But don’t simplify it so much that they have little to learn from you. In other words, always stay a step ahead of them, and you won’t go wrong.

4. Limit screen time

In general, we treat screens as an “emergency use only” tool. When we’ve been in the car and Squish is inconsolably hungry, or when we’re stuck in a waiting lounge surrounded by on-edge customers, screens have often saved the day, with low-stimulation, educational YouTube videos being our go-to.

Apart from this, Elsa rarely watches screens. Let me tell you, this takes effort. If she sees one of our phones out, she quickly scoops it up and asks to see “videos”, which we politely decline before distracting her with more productive play.

I am convinced that keeping screens away from Squish, and Squish away from screens, we have given her a big leg up with language.

The research certainly suggests this correlation. So don’t get lazy! Finding better things for your toddler to do than watching screens is one of the most important educational gifts you can give them.

5. Put mirrors up around your home

Again, my wife’s nanny career is to thank for this stroke of insight. From the youngest of ages, we sat mirrors on the floor leaning up against the wall, and spent regular, intentional time there with Elsa.

Whether for tummy time, learning to stand, identifying body parts, or these days doing silly dances and pulling faces, mirrors have been a great tool for Squish’s language development.

Mirrors build self-awareness, enable toddlers to study the shapes they make with their own mouths, and provide a unique context to hold conversations with your child that stretch them in new ways.

Best of all, you can find a second-hand mirror for next to nothing and you don’t even have to hang it on the wall. Your toddler’s new play station is ready-made, and you’ll soon start seeing the rewards as their language advances.

Is there anything I’ve missed? What toddler language learning strategies have you found helpful? Leave a comment below.

___

Image courtesy of Unsplash.