It’s easy to think that words and talking come naturally to children; that a child’s brain will simply develop the way it was meant to be or wired to be. But, there is much more to it than that.
With a little effort and an intention to talk to and interact with a baby on an on-going basis, a child’s vocabulary and brain will develop to a greater capacity than that of a child who hears fewer words on a daily basis. The frequency of verbal communication a child experiences shapes a child’s brain development.
Basically, babies need words. Their brains are ripe for development and everyday words are the ticket. Talk to babies. Whisper to them. Sing to them. Laugh with them. Have serious conversations with them. Read the paper out loud to them. Talk. Help them make those early connections to words. Act as if you were the narrator of the world around you. Here are some ideas.
Put “Babies need words” on your to-do list. Talk, talk, talk. From good morning sunshine to good night moon, look these children in the eye, smile and talk to them. You might find that they are great listeners.
Create a list of new words. Organize them by themes, such as animals, weather, household appliances and sports. Then share them with your baby or toddler.
Set a timer on your talking. Talk for one minute about something. Smile and be expressive. Make eye contact. When the timer goes off – silence. Wait 30 seconds while the child processes your barrage of words. Reset the timer. Do this 3 times and you’ll have shared more than 500 words in about 5 minutes! Imagine if you did that just twice a day. You’ll have shared more than a million words in your baby’s first 3 years.
Sing to your baby or with your child. I can’t sing either, but kids don’t care. To a baby, you are a star who is lovingly giving them a private concert. Repeat the chorus over and over, as you dance with them around the room – and the words will add up.
You don’t need a discount coupon to find thousands of great words in the grocery store and mall. They are all free. Slow down and find some new words to share. Singing at the supermarket is completely optional – talking to the kids is not.
Go to your local library with infants and children. Borrow some free books and enjoy daily picture books with vivid illustrations. The bonus of the public library is that you can find other parents, caregivers and children and join a community conversation.
Don’t just count the ways you love the children around you. Say them out loud. It’s okay to be silly and love them as much as every star in the whole wide universe. Remember: they need to hear those words.
And finally, listen. Eventually, your children will astound you with their words. They won’t be making them up. They’ll have heard them – from you. This is their developing brain in action. Celebrate that – with words of praise and love.
Joe McKenzie has been the director of the Salina Public Library since 1989. He holds an MLS from the University of Denver.
Learn more about the importance of reading to your children at NWKansasReads.org.