Language Intelligence

From Birth to 6 Months

Young babies don't understand words yet. But they know your voice and how words sound. They are learning that when they make noise something happens. This is the start of communication.

Talk to your baby while you care for him. How you talk to your baby changes as he grows. "Baby talk" is OK now. Use a soft, sing song voice when you talk to your baby. Look into his eyes. 

From 6 Months to 15 Months

Babies understand language before they learn to speak. Talk to your baby all the time. Babies "babble" and make all kinds of sounds. Your baby is practicing the sounds and rhythm of language. When your baby starts to say words, she may say baby words like "ba-ba" for bottle. Show her you are happy she is learning. It's fun to use some of your baby's own words. But it is good for your baby to hear the real words too.

When your baby babbles, answer her. Try to copy her sounds. This will help her learn to talk. Help your baby learn new words by pointing to things and saying their names.

Make your baby her own family photo book. Glue family photos on both sides of pieces of cardboard. Slip each photo into a plastic baggie. Put the zippered sides together on the left. Staple the edge. Tape over the staples on both sides. Use this book to talk about baby's family.

From 15 Months to 2 Years

Toddlers practice the sounds and rhythms of language by "babbling". Children learn to talk at different ages. They usually start by naming things: "Da-da, Ball, Doggie". Then they learn social sayings, "No!, Bye-bye, Hi!"

Sit in a dark room with your toddler on your lap. Move a flashlight slowly around the room. Name the things the flashlight shines on. Give the flashlight to your child. Name the things she shines the light on.

At 2 Years

Two year olds know about 200 words. Some start to put together 2 and 3 word sentences. They like to chant and play with sounds. Most of a two year old's talk is to themselves or adults. The word they use most with other children is "MINE!" Many two's stutter when excited. It is best to ignore stuttering. Telling a child to slow down may make it worse. Ask your child's doctor if you are worried about her speech.

Begin to have simple talks with your two year old. Be careful to talk "with" your child not "at" her. Listen to what she tells you, and add to it. Example: 

"Doggie!" -- "You see a brown dog across the street." 

Make silly mistakes. Ask: "Is this my (point to your nose) toe?" 

At 3 Years

By 3½ most children know 1200 words. They know more words than they speak. Some 3 year olds have trouble saying all the sounds of the language. Some 3 year olds stutter. It is best to relax and wait for them to say what they want. Telling them to slow down can make stuttering worse. This is the age of "Why?". Sometimes your child really wants to know "why?". Sometimes she just needs your attention.

    At 3 years, children with speech problems are eligible for speech therapy at their local schools. Call your school district's special education department for information. 

Children learn new words by hearing them in a meaningful way. Reading out loud teaches them new words they may not hear in speech. Try to talk "with" your child not "at" her. See how many turns back and forth you can get. Ask more than "yes" and "no" questions. Ask, "What do you think is going on in this picture?" Answering your child's "whys" will help her learn. If you don't know the answer say, "I don't know. What do you think?" or "Let's find out."

At 4 Years

Four year olds are learning the power of language. They try out swear words and "bathroom words." They don't always understand what these words mean. Try not to get too upset when your 4 year old uses bad language. That may make it worse. Just say, "I don't like to hear that word." Or make up silly swear words.

Four year olds like to play with language and make up funny words. They like to make up new words. Four year olds like to play with their voices. They like to yell or whisper. Four year olds still ask "Why?" a lot. Answering your child will help her learn. "I don't know. Let's find out," is a good lesson and the library is a good place to find answers.

Lotto games are picture matching games. They help with your child's vocabulary and comprehension. You can make your own lotto game. Use stickers or pictures to make lotto games. (Wrapping paper is a good source for pictures that are duplicated.) Glue 6-8 different pictures to a big card. Glue 1 picture to each small card. Show her a small card and ask, "What's this?" Then have her find the match.

At 5 Years

Five year olds have good language skills. They like to talk about lots of things. Five year olds understand a lot of words. They like to tell and hear stories, especially funny ones.

Have your child draw a picture. Say, "Tell me about your picture." Write your child's words down, just as she says them. Ask questions like, "What happened next?" if you need to.