Supporting Your Child’s Speech, Language and Communication

Learning to communicate is one of the biggest parts of early childhood.

Children learn to understand words, express what they want and need, join conversations, listen to others and gradually make sense of the world around them.

Every child develops at their own pace, and there can be a lot of variation in what is typical. Some children are early talkers, while others take a little longer. Some children understand far more than they are able to say.

At The Treehouse, we pay close attention to children’s communication because it plays such an important part in their confidence, relationships and learning.

Communication starts long before talking

Babies and young children communicate in lots of different ways before they use words.

This might include:

• eye contact

• facial expressions

• pointing

• reaching

• gestures

• sounds

• showing you objects

• taking you to something they want

• using single words or short phrases.

These are all important stages of communication.

Talking is only one part of the picture. Understanding language, listening, taking turns and wanting to communicate with other people are important too.

Talk about everyday life

One of the simplest ways to support language development is to talk with your child throughout the day.

You might talk while:

• getting dressed

• walking to nursery

• doing the shopping

• cooking dinner

• playing in the garden

• getting ready for bed.

You do not need to ask lots of questions.

Sometimes commenting on what your child is doing is even more helpful.

For example:

“You’re pushing the big red car.”

“The water is really cold.”

“You found a tiny snail.”

This gives children useful language without putting pressure on them to respond.

Give them time to answer

Young children often need longer than adults expect to process what has been said and decide how to respond.

Try asking or saying something and then waiting.

It can feel like a long pause, but giving your child those extra few seconds can make a big difference.

If we jump in too quickly, answer for them or repeat the question several times, they may not have the opportunity to organise their own response.

Build on what they say

You do not need to correct every word your child says.

Instead, model the correct language naturally.

If your child says:

“Dog run.”

You might respond:

“Yes, the dog is running really fast.”

If they say:

“Me want juice.”

You might say:

“You would like some juice.”

This allows children to hear slightly more developed language without making them feel they have said something wrong.

Follow their interests

Children communicate more when they are interested in what is happening.

If your child loves diggers, animals, dolls, football or dinosaurs, use those interests to encourage conversation.

Talk about what they can see, what is happening and what might happen next.

You can also introduce new words naturally through the things they already enjoy.

A child who loves vehicles might hear words such as:

fast, slow, enormous, engine, wheels, reversing and underneath.

Share books together

Books are a brilliant way to support communication.

You do not have to read every word.

Talk about the pictures, point things out, wonder what might happen next and give your child time to join in.

You might say:

“I wonder where the bear is going.”

or

“Look at his face. How do you think he feels?”

It is also completely normal for children to choose the same book again and again.

Repetition helps them become familiar with words, phrases and patterns of language.

Sing songs and nursery rhymes

Songs and rhymes are fantastic for language development.

They help children hear rhythm, sounds and repeated words.

Songs with actions are especially useful because children can join in even before they are confident using lots of words.

Try pausing before the final word of a familiar rhyme and see whether your child fills in the gap.

Reduce distractions when you can

Children can find it much harder to listen and communicate when there is lots of background noise.

Where possible, turn down the television or put devices aside during conversations, meals and play.

You do not need complete silence, but reducing competing noise can make it easier for children to focus on your voice.

Getting down to your child’s level can also help make communication feel more natural and connected.

Use simple language when needed

If your child is finding it difficult to understand instructions, keep language short and clear.

Instead of:

“Can you go upstairs, find your shoes, put your coat on and then come back down because we are going out?”

Try:

“Find your shoes.”

Then once that is done:

“Now get your coat.”

You can gradually increase the amount of information as their understanding develops.

Try not to compare

It can be very difficult not to compare your child with siblings, friends or other children at nursery.

Development is not always a straight line.

Children may make rapid progress in one area while taking longer in another.

What matters most is understanding your individual child and noticing how their communication develops over time.

What if I am worried?

If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language, understanding, listening or communication, please speak to us.

You do not need to wait until a formal assessment, parent meeting or progress review.

Speak to your child’s key person at any time.

It can be really helpful for us to know what you are noticing at home, because children do not always communicate in exactly the same way at nursery.

You might have noticed that your child:

• is becoming frustrated when trying to communicate

• is difficult for other people to understand

• uses fewer words than you expected

• does not seem to understand simple instructions

• has stopped using words they previously used

• rarely starts interactions

• finds it difficult to listen or take turns

• seems much quieter at home than at nursery, or vice versa.

None of these automatically mean that something is wrong.

They simply give us useful information so that we can look at the whole picture together.

What happens if I raise a concern?

Your child’s key person will listen to what you have noticed and share what we see at nursery.

We may agree some simple things to try both at home and nursery and then review how your child responds.

Where appropriate, we may involve our SENCO or discuss whether further advice or support could be helpful.

Parents and carers will always be involved in these conversations.

Our aim is never to label children or make families worry unnecessarily.

Early conversations simply help us make sure children receive the right support at the right time.

Please talk to us

You know your child best.

If something does not feel quite right, or you simply want reassurance about your child’s communication, please speak to their key person.

No concern is too small to mention.

Sometimes a quick conversation is all that is needed. At other times, sharing what you are seeing at home can help us identify that a child would benefit from a little extra support.

By sharing information between home and nursery, we can understand your child better and support their communication in a consistent way.

You do not need to work it out on your own — talk to us, and we can work through it together.