When you’re a parent to an infant, there are so many moments to enjoy and look forward to. The days and weeks are so precious as you enjoy their growth, get to know them, and nurture their very basic needs. Milestones are on the cusp of every stage of development. One of the most exciting milestones our infants reach is for them to say their first words. Language development is important for infants. There are ways you can nurture this through specific infant activities.
If you’re wondering how you can nurture your infant’s language development, then you’ll enjoy what we discuss below. Take a look through these infant activities. They are to stimulate their ability to talk, without rushing them.
READING AND EVENING STORY TIME
It may seem strange to read to a baby since they aren’t always aware of what you’re doing and don’t yet understand it. It’s still beneficial for them to hear your voice and the different words and sounds that are possible. Getting into an evening bedtime story routine from a young age will help to wind them down at night. They’ll know it’s time for bed. You can also show them pictures in the books and say different words to them. This will start to engage them in conversation and language.
It’s also helpful not to speak to them in a ‘baby voice’ all the time. Talk to them normally so they learn to talk with clarity and to cut confusion. Don’t avoid the baby talk, but they are learning and need to hear the words with clarity in their process.
HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM
Having conversations with your infant from the time they are a newborn until they can understand and respond to you with words will aid their communication journey.
If you can hold conversations with your little ones often, you are giving them the room to communicate their emotions. Rather than having a tantrum they may start to communicate their feelings, thoughts and needs with words.
SING SONGS WITH YOUR INFANT
Research has shown that when you sing songs to your infant you help them with language development. It does not matter whether you’re in tune or not, the sound waves in their eardrums help them to process sounds in their brains. This means that they learn to respond to sound and to start forming sounds with their mouths.
Babies reach a squealing stage where they are playing with their voices. This stage is important for their development as they are getting comfortable with their own voice and practicing talking. Allow them the room to play with their vocal cords and spend time responding to them with words, sounds and facial expressions.
NAME THEIR BODY PARTS WITH THEM
A great way to engage your infant in a conversation is to point to their body parts and tell them what they are. They will start to learn about their bodies and that things have names. This will give them confidence to try and communicate with you too. They will also have new words to practice saying which will help as they start to form words.
POINT OBJECTS OUT AND NAME THEM
Infants enjoy watching and learning more than anything else. They are good at picking things up by watching their parents, grandparents and other caregivers engage with them. When you go for a walk or sit in the garden or play with some toys, start to point to things and say what they are. You can use sounds and expressions to communicate what something is.
Using your tone of voice is also a great way to teach them when something is safe or not. You can start naming fruits and vegetables, colors and so much more by pointing and speaking.
REPEAT SPECIFIC WORDS
One of the best ways for anyone to learn anything is by repetition. It’s no different for babies and toddlers. Repetition is one of the best ways for them to catch the movements and sounds that are coming out of your mouth. As they watch you, they learn and then attempt to copy you in sound and the way they use their mouths and tongues. When you repeat words and even make facial expressions you aid them in their learning and copying process.
LOOKING FOR A GREAT SCHOOL FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT?
Look no further than All About Me! Not only do we understand the needs of your small children but we put great care and compassion into aiding them in all areas of development. We are a family-oriented daycare and preschool designed to lay solid foundations for your infants and young children in a fun and friendly environment. Give us a call today at 123-456-7891 for more information. You could also ‘like’ and ‘follow’ All About Me’s Facebook to stay up to date with our latest news and educational articles.
