Help your child pretend to be a ‘postman’. As your child pretends to drive the car, talk about what they are doing and where they might be going, saying things like ‘You’re driving so fast’, ‘Let’s drive to grandma’s house’. You can stick on paper plates for the wheels and a cushion for the seat. Make a pretend car out of a cardboard box and some felt pens or coloured pencils. You could pretend you are camping and act out cooking some food and going to sleep. This helps them understand what you are saying and makes it easier for them to have a go at copying when they’re ready.ĭrape a blanket between chairs to make a den. Talk to your child in short, simple sentences. Young children learn a lot from singing the same song or looking at the same book again and again. Make reading, singing and playing fun by using lots of actions and, different voices. Older children can hold longer conversations, so slow down your speech, give them plenty of time to respond and listen carefully to what they have to say. Even with young babies, you can respond to their babbling by copying back the sounds you hear and then waiting for them to take another turn. For older children, ask them to tell the story to you, or talk about what the characters might be thinking and feeling. Picture books introduce your child to new things they haven’t seen yet in real life! For younger children, point to the pictures and say what you see. Try to do this before their attention moves on to something else – that might be within a couple of seconds for babies and toddlers. Notice what your child is looking or pointing at and talk about it.

Get down to their level and follow their lead while playing together. Play with your child with things they are interested in.

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