You want your child to build a larger vocabulary. You notice your child has difficulty following directions. You watch your child with friends and want him to get better at conversations with peers and social skills. You hope to build your child’s confidence and advocacy to express themselves for needs and wants. What can you do at home to help build these skills naturally? Build connection, skills, and memories with your child from the comfort of your living room.
Turn simple family activities into natural opportunities to build communication.
1. Play with a favorite object/toy. Sit next to your child while they are playing. Let your child lead the interaction. Play along with your child and use phrases such as:
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- “I see that”
- “What do you think?”
- “Please”
- “Thanks”
- “Your turn”
- “Whose turn is it?”
- “Can I have”
- “Show me”
- Use these phrases to model communication for phrases your child can use in this natural setting. This teaches your child how to successfully use these skills during a preferred activity.
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2. Pick out a favorite book. At a relaxed time (no time pressure), have your child pick out a favorite book. Let him/her page through it. If your child wants to read it, allow them to. If they want you to read it, show excitement in their choice of book. Get comfortable and cozy and make it a peaceful positive bonding moment. Comment casually while reading.
- “I see”
- “I wonder”
- “What do you think”
- explain vocabulary terms that your child may not yet know
- talk about the characters (who is it, what are they doing, how are they feeling)
- describe the pictures on the page (sizes, colors, comparisons, use vocabulary of next to/by/in front/under/over)
3. Grab a simple game. Think outside the box and go with a card game (or pick a simple board game). Grab a common card game (Go fish, Uno, Blink, Crazy 8s). Have fun while practicing:
- turn taking (my turn, your turn)
- learning colors and numbers
- vocabulary
- practice eye contact and being engaged socially. Turn your body towards your child. Put your phone away. Engage in the play and model good game playing social skills.
4. “I’m thinking of” game.
Build imagination and expressive language by playing “I’m thinking of”. Ask your child to think of an object in the room. Ask questions such as:
- Is it (color)
- Is it bigger than/smaller than
- Ask about it’s category: is it a food item, furniture, clothing
- Is it in the (choose a room) living room/kitchen/bedroom…
It can be easy to practice communication skills with everyday games and toys. Turn your daily simple activities into opportunities for your child to practice and build communication skills. Sharing these experiences with your child will create deeper connections, bring out skills, and make memories from the comfort of your living room. Have fun playing!
Follow https://www.facebook.com/resourcesforfamiliesandeducators for more posts, strategies, and inspiration to support our neurodivergent youth. Contact Stacy Triplat Consulting for personalized and practical parent and child coaching to build communication and social skills.