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Communication is an integral aspect of cognitive development in children. This makes language development the fundamental aspect of enabling learning. Both early childhood educators and parents play a big role in encouraging language development within preschoolers. The basic listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are the keystones to all other academic learning and acquiring skills.

Language development is something children acquire as they grow. Language Development starts as early as the Infancy stage from 0 to 12 months and progresses throughout from listening to speaking within just a couple of years; around 3 years of age.

By the time they start to repeat the words and then start connecting words with objects around them. The best way children can develop language during Early Years Care and Education are through interactions, therefore, spending time with them and doing activities to create situations is the best learning opportunity that you can provide them.

Top 5 fun ways to encourage language development in children:

1. Reading

Reading to children can encourage listening in them, which is the first stage of learning about the language. While kids do observe elders when they grow up, and mostly the way we speak around them majorly impacts their language learning process, reading to them can amplify and increase the pace too. Reading can also be a daily part of their life such as bedtime stories. But as parents, you can also make a point to read to your children every day. With this, you can also encourage your child to repeat words in the book.

2. Rhymes

Rhymes are the all-time favorite of all children. Before they understand story and non-musical sentences, rhymes, and music help children to get connected with each word. When they enjoy the music it makes it easier for them to repetitive words and chants them. Plus, hearing rhymes promotes good listening skills, memory retention also develops speech.

3. Word games

Word games can be played with children to expand their vocabulary. It can start with simply pointing out items/objects at home. To build their ideas about objects and their functions you can define and share details about the words as you go along. Games such as scrabble and Pictionary can encourage vocabulary development and communication skills within children.

4. Telephone Game

Language and communication skills within children can be promoted organically through fun activities such as telephone games. With a toy telephone, you can motivate little playtime while engaging them in conversation. You can start by teaching them how to say ‘hello’ while answering the phone call. With this activity, speaking skills can be very well developed within them. Not to mention, conversational activities are the key to good communication skills and language development.

5. Role Play

Roleplays are an essential activity in children learning process, not just for language development, role play or pretend play allows children to expand their imaginations and their capacity to expand and express. Role-playing is undoubtedly auseful way children can relatelanguage and words the way it is used in the real world. This eventually makes them learn the language applicability.

The Conclusion

Language development is an essential part of children’s growth. Parents being the primary caregiver can encourage children to speak well, also provide a healthy and fun learning environment where young children get the opportunity to can unleash their creativity and expand their linguistic skills. while we guide our children to develop their basic skills, it is imperative to be patient too, as some children pick it instantly while some children take some time.

For teachers who are keen to develop their proficiency, course in Early Years Care and Education can help in building the key teaching strategies where, educators can help children how to express their thoughts, feelings, and actions in better ways through the use of words and thus face the world with confidence as they grow.