Describe the World
Use words to describe what your child sees, hears, touches, smells, feels, and experiences. This can be especially helpful for children with vision loss, language delays, sensory differences, or children who need more time connecting words to meaning. Keep the language simple when needed, but do not be afraid to introduce rich words like smooth, enormous, frustrated, chilly, crowded, or peaceful.
Label the Environment
Place simple labels on everyday objects around your home, classroom, or care setting. Labels can include printed words, pictures, braille, symbols, or the child’s home language depending on what supports the child best. This helps children connect language and print to real objects they use every day.
Use the Communication Style That Works Best
Children communicate in many ways, including speech, signs, gestures, eye gaze, pointing, AAC devices, facial expressions, sounds, and movement. Respond to your child’s communication as meaningful, even when it does not look like typical speech. These back-and-forth exchanges help children understand that their thoughts matter and that communication has power.
Give Extra Time to Respond
Some children need more time to process language and organize a response. After asking a question or making a comment, pause and wait before repeating yourself or moving on. This gives children time to answer through words, signs, gestures, pointing, AAC, or another form of communication.
Talk in Your Home Language
Use the language that feels most natural and meaningful in your family. Children who are learning English, children in multilingual homes, and children with language delays can all benefit from strong, loving communication in their home language. Building language in one language supports connection, understanding, and future literacy growth.
Expand What Your Child Communicates
When your child says, signs, points to, or selects a word, add a little more language. If they point to a dog, you might say, “Yes, dog. The brown dog is running.” This helps children hear more complete language while honoring the way they already communicate.
Talk About Interests
Use your child’s favorite topics as conversation starters. If they love dinosaurs, trains, animals, numbers, music, or a certain character, use that interest to introduce new words and ideas. Children often stay more engaged when literacy grows from something they already care about.
Build Background Knowledge Through Everyday Experiences
Talk through daily routines, errands, meals, outdoor walks, appointments, chores, and play. These real experiences help children understand the world, which later helps them understand stories and informational books. For families with limited time, money, transportation, or materials, everyday routines can still become powerful literacy-building moments.