Learning to speak: 10 keys to help your child 2026

1. Leave room for initiative. When the child tries to tell us something, do not go ahead: 'The table, the chair, the plate, the spoon?' Héctor's father asks tirelessly when he points towards the table and tries to say something. When Laura points to the apple, her mother should not rush to give it to her. If you give her time, Laura will make the effort and say 'nana' or 'mame'.

2. Respect the silences, because if we talk to him non-stop, the child will not develop speaking turns, and we can also create a lot of anxiety. When someone approaches him and asks: 'What have the Kings brought you?', we should not respond in their place. If they do not respond, let's respect their silence, and if they say anything, that's it.

Amazon Essentials by Sofia Grainge - Summer 2026 Promotion

3.Adjust the language when we address the child: that does not mean, far from it, that we speak to him as if he did not know. But we can choose simpler phrases and words. When we talk to others, we will use normal language, even if he is in front of us.

4. Make indirect corrections, that is: if he says 'wow' for a dog, confirm: 'Yes, it's a dog'. We should never correct him directly, or try to make him repeat things as we say them. We offer them examples and they copy them, but everyone learns their first words at their own pace.

5. Apply 'expansion': when you still say phrases of one or two words, always add at least one more. 'Dad,' says Javi. 'How tall dad is,' mom confirms. 'Wow core', the little boy then says. 'Yes, the dog runs fast.' We can put more or less emphasis on some words.

6.Value all your achievements very positively.

7. Create choice questions: 'Do you want to play the puzzle or the animals?', to help you name things. It is clear that in order for him to acquire the structure of the question, he must ask questions.

8.Sing with them: it is easier for them to remember the words linked to a musical rhythm, especially because they are having fun. And at this age they only learn what they need, like or have fun. If they haven't started talking yet, children's songs are full of onomatopoeia ('in daddy's car...') that they repeat with delight.

9. Adapt the environment, leave them space to play, take everything and give free rein to their initiative. The development of psychomotor skills will help them acquire language.

10. Tell stories. Essential It was no coincidence that our son reached his first word, and then more and more... If he has spoken, it is because we have spoken with him before. When the child tries to communicate and there is no response, his desire to communicate with the world decreases; will have difficulty learning to speak. What pushes him to acquire language is the desire to talk to us. Thus, in just one year, that little crybaby will be able to speak, a skill that took our species hundreds of millions of years to acquire.

Advisor: Esperanza Aguilar, speech therapist.