Promoting Communication and Language Development in Infants and Toddlers: Observing and Following Your Child's Lead (Part 1)

Rose Reyling
Jul 19, 2024
5 min read

Welcome to our series on promoting communication and language development in infants and toddlers! In this series, we will explore various strategies that parents can use to support their child's speech and language skills. Each post will focus on a specific technique, offering practical tips and real-life examples.

In this first installment, we'll discuss the importance of observing and following your child's lead in interactions.

What Does It Mean to Follow Your Child's Lead?

Following your child's lead involves paying close attention to their interests, actions, and communication attempts, and then responding in a way that supports and extends their engagement. It means letting your child take the reins in interactions and being an attentive and responsive partner in their play and communication.

Why Is It Important?

Research shows that children learn best in responsive, interactive environments where their interests are acknowledged and valued. By following your child's lead, you:

Encourage Communication: Children are more likely to communicate when they are interested, engaged, and having FUN!
Build Confidence: Responding positively to your child's communication attempts boosts their confidence and willingness to interact.
Enhance Learning: Children learn new words and concepts more effectively when they are linked to their current interests and activities...again when they are having FUN!
Strengthen Bond: Shared activities based on your child's interests foster a stronger parent-child relationship --its all about connection!

How to Observe and Follow Your Child's Lead

Step 1: Observing Without Directing

Spend time watching your child play without interrupting or guiding their actions.
Notice what captures their attention and how they interact with their environment.

Step 2: Recognizing Communication Attempts

Pay attention to all forms of communication, including gestures, facial expressions, sounds, and words.
Acknowledge and respond to these attempts, no matter how small.

Step 3: Join In and Imitate

Get down to your child's level and join in their play.
Imitate their actions and sounds, which shows that you are interested and engaged.

Step 4: Expand and Model Language

Use descriptive language to talk about what your child is doing.
If your child says a word or makes a sound, expand on it by adding more words.
- For example, if they say "car," you can say, "Yes, a red car!" or "Car go!"

Step 5: Follow Their Interests

Let your child choose the activity and follow their lead in play.
Offer new toys or materials based on their current interests to extend the play and learning opportunities.

Modeling Simplified Language

When expanding your child's language, a good rule of thumb is to add 1 to 2 more words than the level your child is currently using. This helps them gradually build their vocabulary and sentence structure.

Real-Life Scenarios

Scenario 1: Playing with Blocks in an Unexpected Way

Observation: Your child is using toy blocks not to build towers but to line them up in a long row across the floor.
Following the Lead: Instead of redirecting them to build, join them by lining up blocks as well. You can say, "Line of blocks."
Expanding Language: If your child says, "blocks," you can expand by saying, "Long line." or "More blocks (while adding another block to your line)."

Scenario 2: Enjoying Non-Traditional Play

Observation: Your child prefers to play with a wooden spoon and a pot, making various sounds and pretending to cook rather than engaging with their toys.
Following the Lead: Embrace their interest in the kitchen utensils. You can join by pretending to cook with them, saying things like, "Stir soup (while pretending to stir soup)." or "playing drum (while banging on a pot)."
Expanding Language: If your child says, "soup," you can expand by saying, "Hot soup!" or "Yummy soup!"

Scenario 3: Focusing on a Simple Object

Observation: Your child is fascinated by a simple piece of paper, crumpling it, tearing it, and watching how it moves when dropped.
Following the Lead: Engage with their exploration by commenting on their actions. You might say, "Crumble paper.", "Rip paper.", or "Paper falling down."
Expanding Language: If your child says, "paper," you can expand by saying, "Crumbled paper." or "Paper falling down."

Scenario 4: Reading a Book

Observation: Your child points to a picture of a dog in their favorite book.
Following the Lead: Acknowledge their interest by saying, "You found the dog! The dog says...(pause to see if your child will fill in the blank, if they do not that is okay, fill it in for them) woof woof!"
- Wait for their response and engage with their answer, but if they don't give you a response, that is okay, fill it in for them or comment on something yourself
Expanding Language: If your child says, "woof," you can expand by saying, "Yes, the dog says woof! or "The brown dog says woof."

Scenario 5: Exploring Nature

Observation: During outdoor time, your child is more interested in watching how leaves fall or ants move than playing with their outdoor toys.
Following the Lead: Sit with them and observe the leaves or ants together. Say things like, "Falling leaves (point at them).", "Brown leaf.", "I see ants.", or "Tiny ants."
Expanding Language: If your child says, "leaves," you can expand by saying, "Yes, green leaves." or "Leaves falling down."

Scenario 6: Mealtime Conversations

Observation: Your child is playing with their food, making patterns with peas and mashed potatoes.
Following the Lead: Instead of redirecting, join in by commenting on their creation. "Green peas." or "Yummy potatoes."
Expanding Language: If your child says, "peas," you can expand by saying, "More peas (and give them a few more peas)!", "Green peas.", or "Yummy Peas!"

Practical Tips for Everyday Activities

Playtime: Allow your child to choose the toys and direct the play. Be an active participant by following their actions and adding language to describe the play.
Mealtime: Talk about the food, textures, and tastes, and let your child explore and communicate their preferences.
Outdoors: During a walk or a trip to the park, let your child lead the way. Comment on the things they notice and show interest in.
Reading: Let your child choose the book and follow their pace. Point to pictures and name objects, expanding on their comments or interests.

Conclusion

Observing and following your child's lead is a powerful strategy to support their language and communication development. By being a responsive and engaged partner in their play and daily activities, you create a rich learning environment that fosters growth and strengthens your relationship. Remember, the key is to observe, respond, and enjoy the journey of discovery together.

Stay tuned for our next post in the series, where we'll explore the benefits of language modeling and how to incorporate it into your daily routine.

Call to Action

At RosyTalk, we are dedicated to helping parents support their children's communication development. If you have concerns about your child's speech and language skills or need personalized guidance, contact us a text at 815-587-4452 or email at rose@rosytalk.com. Let's work together to create a joyful and communicative environment for your child.

Feel free to share your experiences and any questions in the comments below. We love hearing from you!