Communication activities for toddlers to support speech development

Watching your toddler discover their voice as they gradually develop language skills is one of the most rewarding parts of being a parent. Every new sound, word, and gesture shows that they are growing and developing. These early years are a time of incredible brain growth, and supporting your child’s ability to communicate can create a foundation for learning and development that can boost their confidence.

Our guide includes some of the best communication activities for toddlers. These activities can improve their communication skills while introducing fun games into everyday life.

How do you support your child’s language development?

You’re already doing many things right by engaging with your child in a loving and caring way. The key is how you engage with them, as you are an essential part of your child’s language development. It’s just a case of focusing your energy and enthusiasm on the right aspects to make the most of your role.

You can find many opportunities in your daily routine. For instance, the NHS states that you should ask questions about the world around them to improve their language and understanding. For example, at meal time, hold up two options and ask them, “Do you want to try sweetcorn or a tomato?” Even if they just point, you’re showing them how to communicate and allowing them to express their opinion, which helps them feel included in what’s happening around them. Try using different words, too, as it can show them how to use more complex language. For example, instead of simply saying “toast”, you can give them a precise instruction, like “Bite the toast.” It’s a slight shift, but it introduces verbs and actions.

Don’t forget the power of narrating the world around you. Comment on what you see when you’re out and about with them. If your little one likes dogs and, upon seeing one, points and says “Dog!”, you can build on that by commenting something like “Yes! Look at that dog chasing a ball!” You’ve just confirmed their observation and given them a complete, descriptive sentence to show them how words link together.

Ultimately, it’s about establishing a connection with them between the outside world and their ability to express how they think and feel about it. As a new parent, you will quickly learn to read your baby’s motions, cries and noises. That’s the very beginning of a two-way street. When you talk to them, try to maintain eye contact so they can see your expression and your mouth. 

It’s also important to let the conversation flow – the more you communicate with them, the more they will learn. If your child tries to say a word and doesn’t quite get it right, just gently and positively say the correct word. When they say it correctly, clap and congratulate them – positive reinforcement is an excellent learning technique.

Top communication activities for toddlers

If you’re looking for ways to boost your toddler’s language skills, these engaging and simple communication activities are a great place to start!

Sing songs

Nursery rhymes have been around forever for a reason! Songs like “Old MacDonald” and “Wheels on the Bus” are brilliant because they’re rhythmic, repetitive and easy to follow. Singing any nursery rhyme together can help children learn the flow and melody of language, and if you want to make it more fun, you can add musical toys or even electronic toys, like a microphone, to make your toddler feel like a singing sensation!

Play the telephone game

This is an easy, simple child activity that uses just two plastic cups and a piece of string. To play, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup and thread the string through, tying knots to keep it in place. Have your child speak into one cup while you listen on the other, then switch roles. It’s a playful way to improve listening skills and practice simple back-and-forth conversation.

Play time with their cuddly toys

Grab a teddy bear and let their imagination run wild! Having a tea party with their soft toys or making the bear “talk” are perfect examples of pretend play. This imaginative play helps them create little stories by using their imagination to focus their communication skills on the make-believe and the magical.

Put on a puppet show

You don’t need a whole stage – a couple of socks with googly eyes attached will do wonders for them. A puppet show is a fantastic way to engage them during story time. Over-the-top voices and larger-than-life characters make them laugh and teach them valuable words and expressions that can further their communication skills.

Use interactive books

Calming activities for kids, like story time, can also be an excellent way to improve their communication skills. Interactive books can be great educational toys, as they can teach them about the world around them, with flaps to lift, textures to touch, or sounds to press. These books help make story time a multisensory experience, inviting your toddler to participate rather than just listen.

Play “I Spy” using sounds

This is a fun twist on a classic game – instead of asking them to guess an object, you ask them what animal or object would create said noise. “I spy with my little ear, something that goes ‘moo!'” It’s a game that sharpens their listening skills.

Use sign language

If your little one can’t speak just yet, encourage them to use preschool toys to help them develop their motor skills and have fun while gradually understanding the meaning of different actions. Using sign language helps toddlers connect actions with words, which can reduce frustration and lead to a much happier, more confident child. Simple signs for words like “more,” “all done,” and “milk” can help them begin to express themselves before the words come.

Dance freeze

Put some music on to help kids use up all of that extra energy! Turn it into a classic game by telling them to stop when the music does. This isn’t just great for getting the wiggles out; it teaches your child to listen for a cue and control their body in response.

Role play

Role play is a powerful tool for learning language, whether your kid is pretending to be a chef, doctor, or zookeeper. Imaginative play helps them experiment with language by giving them different scenarios in which to use words and phrases they’ve heard adults use in a low-pressure, fun environment.

Guess the sound

You can find a video of animal noises and have them identify what animal made the noise by having them point to the right picture. It’s a simple game that builds vocabulary and listening skills.

What are communication activities for nonverbal or late-talking toddlers?

Every child’s speech development journey is unique, so focusing on nonverbal communication is key if your child isn’t talking yet. These communication activities for toddlers are designed to build interaction and understanding, teaching them how to express their needs, which creates the foundations for speech. Fun and creative activities for kids that can help with their communication skills include:

• Blowing bubbles. This encourages them to use their mouth muscles and pucker their lips. The simple act of pointing and showing excitement is also a form of communication.
• Making silly faces in a mirror. This can help your child learn about facial expressions. You can copy each other’s expressions and add sounds, like animal noises, to make them giggle.
• Playing with a sensory bin. By filling a small bin with water or rice, you can hide toys and teach children to name the objects they find in it. Even if they can’t speak, it can be valuable for them to hear you identify what they’re touching and holding in the bin.
• Building with blocks. You can take turns placing a block to build a tower. This helps them understand the back-and-forth rhythm of a conversation without the need to say a word.
• Mimicking their actions and sounds. If your child makes a “ba-ba” sound, you do it too, showing them that their actions have a response and involving them in the conversation. It shows you’re paying attention to them and can help them feel included.

If you have ongoing concerns about your child’s speech, it is always best to seek professional guidance. Your child may benefit from speech and language therapy. Just contact your local GP, who can help refer your child to the correct department to get the support they need.

How do you support language development in multilingual homes?

There’s an understandable worry that speaking more than one language in a household might confuse a child or delay their English. However, you may be surprised that the truth is the opposite.

The NHS states that hearing more than one language spoken can be advantageous to children in developing their language skills. It can help your child grow and teach them stronger verbal language skills. The most important advice is to talk to your child in whatever language feels most comfortable and natural for you. When you speak authentically, you use longer, more complex sentences, which is the best model for them to learn from. Don’t be worried about mixing languages – children’s brains are very powerful, so they’ll be able to sort it out. Your loving interaction is what matters most.

We hope that you’ve found this guide useful. For more helpful tips, check out our guides on fun summer activities for kids and physical activities for kids of all ages.

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