When do children start to speak?
Some children say their first word as early as nine months, others exactly on their first birthday, and others take until their second year. In the course of the third year of life the number of words children actively adopt into their speech grows explosively. Experts currently believe that children learn their first 50 words only very slowly. Later they can learn up to 10 new words a day. This phase lasts roughly from 18 months to six years of age
Supporting language development is fun
As a rule, children enjoy talking and are very creative with sounds, words, sentences and their voice. Everyday situations can easily be used to support children in the wonderful process of language development. Many words, and also grammar and pronunciation are expanded and consolidated through active engagement: while doing a puzzle or board game, reading or being read to, looking at picture books, experimenting or singing. The possibilities are manifold
Playful support for communicative development
Promoting communicative development with dolls
Role-play offers a wonderful way to start a conversation. Especially when playing with dolls children process things they have experienced in their everyday lives and often take on the role of a parent. They often rehearse conversations or sometimes remain completely silent. Even then, however, they are narrating a story in their heads and thus expand their language skills.
Promoting communicative development through children's games
Children's language development can also be encouraged through playing together. The HABA classic Obstgarten not only expands vocabulary, language comprehension and sentence structures, it has brought children and their families plenty of fun for many generations.
Promoting communicative development with children's books
Stories encourage children to speak. That's why reading aloud is so important for language development and at the same time strengthens children in their personality and social competence. Regular reading aloud at a set time thus becomes an intense cuddle and feel-good time.
Babies can already play with pushchair books, and from the age of one children are old enough for their first board picture books with simple illustrations and short rhymes. Later they enjoy short stories and their first non-fiction books about everyday life, favourite animals, vehicles or toys.
