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Fun Ways of Expanding your Toddler’s Vocabulary

baby and booksI came across an article in Babyzone, a website for parents of babies and toddlers, the other day about fun ways introduce and expand your toddler’s language skills. I was instantly drawn to the article, because my 18-month-old daughter has been so into learning new words lately. She is constantly repeating words that I say around the house. Babyzone has some fun games to introduce your toddler to new words, while building their basic language skills:

  1. Gather items around the house, such as, pencils, books, spoons, socks, blankets and so on… Go ahead and describe the objects: soft, smooth, hard, flexible, circle, red, and shiny, with the idea of introducing them to new words.
  2. Go to the library and go through the toddler magazines with your child and take some home. Read some of the articles, and play some of the activities and find out which one you child likes. Once your child has picked a favorite, fill out the registration card together and take it to the mailbox. Explain to your child that it will take a few weeks and then show up in the mail. This is a great way to introduce your child to reading and they will be excited to receive their new magazine every month.
  3. When you are talking to your child, describe things that you are doing: “I am washing the dishes, because they are dirty. I am cooking dinner, so we can eat.”
  4. Label things in the kitchen by writing the words on some paper and cutting them out and taping them to the items: sink, refrigerator, stove, faucet, cups, sink.

Going over these basic things with your toddler on a daily basis will help them expand their vocabulary.

Read the full article on Babyzone for more vocabulary-building tips.