Squeak, Rattle and Roll!

Enriching Language Skills
Through Play

By Mindy Hudon, M.S., CCC-SLP

Books, books, books. You can never have enough books. Reading is a great time to be together andenrich language skills and literacy skills. Research suggests that exposing infants and toddlers to rhyming and sound play with words is critical for reading and writing success. Believe it or not, when your toddler asks you to read that same Dr. Seuss book again and again, you may actually be helping her be a better reader.

Children love to play. Play is what children do best. So anytime is a great time to play. Whether it be on the rug at home or while sitting in the waiting room for a doctor appointment, it's always the right time to play. Be prepared. Bring along favorite toys when you travel. Toddlers love repetition, so if she loved "talking teddy" last week, she will love it this week.

I know what you're thinking: When do I have the time to play? In our busy lives as parents, finding the time to play is the hardest part. If we get our children to sit with a toy for just five minutes, that gives us five minutes to empty the dishwasher or throw in a load of laundry. All I can say is try to find the time. Five minutes on the floor engaged in play with your toddler can significantly enhance her language skills. It's all about fun, so don't sit down when you're rushed or frustrated because you "have to play" and the laundry isn't done. Enjoy the time with your toddler and worry about the laundry later.

And don't go out and buy new toys just because they were mentioned here. Look through your toddler's toy box and pull out a toy. It could be a favorite toy or a soon-to-be favorite toy. It's really not about the toy. It's about you playing and talking with your toddler. So get a toy and say, "Let's play," and soon you will see the smile on your toddler's face and hear the sound of her sweet words!

Want to see more?

• Toddler Talking: Common Speech Problems in Young Children
• Late Talkers: Correctly Diagnosing Speech Disorders
• Talking Toddlers Telling Tales: Speech Milestones and Tips
  for Parents
• Talk about it!