How to Communicate With a Toddler

By the time that your child is 2 years old, she can understand anywhere from 500 to 700 words and may have the ability to speak up to 570 words by 30 months, according to the child development pros at PBS Parents. Although your toddler's growing vocabulary makes it easier for you two to talk together than when she was an infant, communication isn't always easy at this age. Communicating with your toddler means understanding how her current stage of development affects what she says and how she listens. With a pinch of patience and the ability to truly listen to, not just hear, what your tot is saying, you can improve how she communicates with you and the other people around her.

Instructions

    • 1

      Use words that your toddler understands. Talking with a verbose vocabulary that includes adult types of words won't get you far with your tiny tyke. Listen to what your toddler says and utilize the vocabulary that she knows -- including common phrases such as "don't touch" -- on a regular basis.

    • 2

      Give your toddler a few new, simple words each day. Play up the fact -- according to the experts at PBS Parents -- that toddlers can learn roughly two new words daily, and point out objects around the house or in the community while naming them.

    • 3

      Read books regularly with your toddler. Interact with your tot while reading, asking him questions about the pictures or having him name the characters.

    • 4

      Question your toddler during everyday activities. Ask open-ended questions such as, "What do you think will happen if I bounce the ball on the ground?" or, "What will happen if you go out without a coat?"

    • 5

      Listen closely to your child when she speaks to you. Translate any words that feature less-than-correct pronunciation for others to understand, and correct them for her so she hears the right way that she should say them.

    • 6

      Initiate conversations. Pick a topic -- such as what he did at day care -- and start talking to him. Ask follow-up questions or help him to find the "right" words that he needs to complete a thought.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Toddler Programs In Charlotte, North Carolina
      Theres lots for little ones to do in Charlotte, North Carolina. The city offers numerous toddler-friendly activities and programs to help develop your childs body and mind while hes having tons of fun. Some of the programs include parent involvement
    • Addictions to Prescription Pills in Teen Girls
      Teen girls are slightly more likely to have a prescription drug use disorder or addiction than adolescent boys -- 1.6 percent versus 1.0 percent, according to the website of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.
    • How to Teach Early Childhood Development
      Early childhood development is the time of the most important development in childrens lives. Children go through social, physical, intellectual (cognitive), creative and emotional development. Teaching early childhood development to caregivers, teac