How to Support Children's Speech and Language Development at Home: Practical Ideas from North West Speech & Language Therapy

How to Support Speech and Language Development at Home

Supporting your child’s communication development at home doesn’t require specialized tools or training—often, small, daily interactions make the biggest impact! Here at North West Speech and Language Therapy, we understand the unique needs of each child and are here to support you every step of the way. Below, we’ve compiled some practical, easy-to-follow strategies to encourage communication development at home.

1. Build Language Through Everyday Conversations

Use the natural moments throughout the day to engage in conversation with your child. Describe what you’re doing, ask questions, and show interest in their responses, even if they’re non-verbal. For instance:

• During meals: Talk about the food you’re preparing, its colours, and flavours. Ask questions like, “Do you want more?” and wait for a response, even if it’s a nod or gesture.
• While getting dressed: Describe the process—“We’re putting on your red shirt now!” This helps children learn everyday vocabulary naturally.

Tip: Try to keep sentences short and simple to match your child’s developmental level.

2. Read Together and Use Interactive Storytelling

Reading is a wonderful way to support language and communication skills, and it’s never too early to start! When reading with your child:

• Point out pictures and ask questions: “Where’s the dog?” or “What is the boy doing?” This helps them understand language and associate words with objects.
• Encourage participation: Let your child turn the pages or finish familiar lines in the story. Repetitive books can be especially good for this.
• Make it interactive: Use voices, make sound effects, and encourage your child to imitate sounds, which supports phonological awareness.

Tip: Don’t feel pressured to read every word—focus on engaging with the pictures and dialogue.

3. Play and Model Language

Playtime is one of the best ways to build communication skills. Here are some simple ways to incorporate language into play:

• Narrate their actions: “You’re putting the doll to sleep,” or “Look, the car is going fast!”
• Add new words to their vocabulary: If your child says “dog,” you can expand it to “big dog” or “brown dog.” This is called language expansion and helps children learn how words can work together.
• Engage in pretend play: Pretending to be animals, playing house, or even setting up a pretend store can introduce new vocabulary and language patterns naturally.

Tip: Follow your child’s lead in play—they are more likely to engage in activities they enjoy.

4. Use Everyday Routines to Build Communication

Routines provide predictable, recurring moments for interaction, which can support language development:

• Getting dressed, brushing teeth, and meal times are great opportunities to model language. Describe actions, make choices (e.g., “Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?”), and encourage responses.
• Sing songs together: Songs with actions (like “If You’re Happy and You Know It”) encourage movement, listening, and understanding. Repetition helps children learn the words and their meanings.

Tip: Use visual schedules if your child benefits from seeing routines laid out in pictures. This can help them understand and anticipate what’s coming next.

5. Encourage Imitation and Gesture Use

Sometimes gestures and imitation are stepping stones to verbal communication. Encourage your child to imitate actions and sounds, which can help them gain confidence in expressing themselves.

• Start with simple gestures: Encourage waving hello and goodbye or clapping hands.
• Practice imitating sounds: Animal sounds are a fun and engaging way to start! If you see a dog, you might say “Woof!” and encourage them to do the same.

Tip: Follow your child’s pace and praise their efforts, even if they’re not using words yet. Every attempt at communication is progress!

6. Be Patient and Give Time to Respond

It can be tempting to jump in if a child doesn’t respond right away, but pausing gives them the chance to process and try to communicate on their own. When you ask a question or make a comment, give a pause to let them respond in their own time.

At North West Speech and Language Therapy, we specialize in helping children unlock their communication potential through targeted strategies and customized therapy. Our team works with families across the North West of England to provide ongoing support and guidance tailored to each child’s unique needs. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can support your child’s communication development, feel free to reach out! 

Get in touch with us today to find out more about our services and how we can support your family on this journey.