Communication Opportunities

Creating communication opportunities with your child can sometimes feel difficult, but every interaction can create the opportunity for communication.

Below are some of our top tips for creating those opportunities in day to day life.

Click the link below to download the table for your own reference.

Gaining a Childs Interest

It can often be difficult to draw your child's interest, below are some useful tips and ideas for you to try at home -

• Reduce distractions in your home, e.g. TV/music off
• Watch what your child is doing and then imitate and join in
• Bring what your child looks at into your shared space
• Use what your child likes to play with e.g. bubbles/car run/paw patrol
• Use repetitive games e.g. ready, steady, go and peek a boo

Below shows a short video of an example of side by side play and how using imitation or mirroring can bring the child into shared play. Try it yourself at home and see what works for you and your child.

Understanding     

• Objects of reference    

Use objects to help child understand what is coming next, e.g. show child nappy when it is nappy-change time, show child coat when child is going out. Combine this with using single words, e.g. splash-splash when water playtime.

• Use very simple consistent language

Keep language to a minimum when talking to child, e.g. just one or two words at a time. Try to use the same words in the same situations. This will help child understand more.

•  Use gestures or signs

These visual clues will help child understand. Use simple signs like finished, more, drink, come, etc.

Imitation /Copying

Tips:

• Break activities down, so that your child only has to copy one action at a time. e.g. waving, clap hands, hands-up.
• It is useful to begin by copying your child initially to see if they begin to copy you when you do this.
• Help your child to copy you by guiding their hands with your hands (Hand over hand prompt).
• Two adults may be useful at first, one to do the action and the other to help the child to copy.

Mark Making

Mark-making doesn't just have to be with brushes and pens!

Don't just use normal paint brushes and acrylic paints to make marks. You can use a huge array of materials including:

• Your hands!
• Sponge
• Foil, cling film, greaseproof paper
• Feathers, leaves, sticks - anything from outside!
• Felt
• Pipe cleaners
• Cotton Wool
• String
• Pens, Pencils, Crayons
• Spatulas, Spoons, Forks, Whisks

 Don’t forget use hand over hand, your child’s interests and modelling to engage them.

This is important for your child’s first steps to learning how to write. 

Making Choices

• Offer visual choices with objects. Hold out one item at a time and name it. When your child reaches for the one they want say the name again, so that they hear the name with the object.
• Use only 2 choices to begin with
• Find as many ways to offer a choice as you can, e.g. snacks, toys, drinks, songs

Requesting 

Decide what motivates your child to play and communicate.                                 

Whatever your child is enjoying (crisps, biscuit, tickling, singing, being thrown in the air…) give your child a little bit, then wait for your child to indicate to you that they want some more. Your child could do this in any way – reaching, pointing, pulling/ pushing your hand, making eye contact etc. 

Use ready, steady, go games. Pause before saying “go” to allow your child to communicate during the pause.

Matching and Puzzles

•  Use matching games with pictures or objects
•  Use a range of different puzzles
• Help your child match any objects that are the same e.g. socks, shoes, spoons
• Have 2 objects that are the same e.g. socks and hand over hand prompt them to match them
• Label the pictures/objects with single words as you match
• Use lotto games of your child’s favourite toy or character to help with engagement

Building and Threading

Building

• Use motivating items to build with i.e. stacking cups, cushions, table mats, boxes or wooden blocks.
• Model building, use hand on hand support as required.
• Make it fun build and then knock down! 

Threading                                         

• Use resources that are appropriate to your child’s level of ability .e.g. bangles on a wooden spoon, simple ring stackers, moving towards using laces to thread.
• Use hand over hand prompting if required.