MAIN Kids Health Child Development Language Skills

A major wonder of raising kids is watching them learn to talk. At first, communication may be a smile and coo, then on to animated babbling (with all the earmarks of an adult conversation!), and then distinct words start to appear in the mix of babble.

As they grow, babies begin to string a few words into simple sentences like "go bye-bye", "want milk" or "my toy".

Finally declaring their independence, they usually come to arrive at the mighty "NO" by age two...if not much earlier!

By age three, parent's listening skills, and often their patience, are put to the test as toddlers begin to ask.. what? how? when? why? why? why? why?

While it's easy for parents to fall into responding in baby talk, experts advise speaking in whole sentences right from the start. Surrounding newborns throughout the day with everyday adult conversation and body language will also help later in developing social interaction & behavior and stronger learning abilities.

Language skills are as individual as personalities. Parents often compare children and may begin to worry if their child is not talking at the same age as the other kids in the playground. It doesn't hurt to check with a professional if this is the case, but many young children with extremely high IQs wait to start talking. It's seldom a cause for real concern if an otherwise well adjusted two year old who understands what is being said is not working on vocabulary. The same is true for early reading. Kids don't know that you have a timetable for their skills to develop. They will do what they need to do when they are ready.

Around the Web, find out more about helping babies, toddlers and school-age kids with communication and reading skills, and discover how building a strong vocabulary now can form a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning :

Language : Talking & Understanding - Dr Spock.com's extensive collection of tips for developing language skills - from infancy to school age - including advice for the bilingual baby, help with suspected hearing difficulties, late talkers, plus related answers to questions posed by parents.

Language Development in Children - A virtual library of resources for teaching newborns to age 8, with links to more information on developmental milestones, early reading skills, diagnosing hearing disorders and learning disabilities, suggested books on the topic.

Talk To Your Baby - UK program with extensive resources for parents, grandparents and caregivers with tip sheets on communicating with newborns to 3-year-olds, related reading activities, poems and songs, a parent's guide to television, and how to help toddlers become talkers.

BBC Parenting - Your kids - Listening and talking - A guide to the two-way street of communicating with toddlers featuring advice on showing emotional regard and interest in what they have to say, and posing questions to keep the conversation going.

Interactive Language & Reading Skills:

Online Activities at Scholastic - Non-stop entertainment featuring naming and vocabulary games for pre-k toddlers, with more advanced language arts learning for grades 1-12.

Sesame Street Games - Stories - Join Elmo, Ernie, Big Bird, and the rest of the crew for colorful and fun teaching stories for young kids, plus surf around for more activities, new parent resources.

Learn to Read - Interactive songs and stories that teach words and vowel sounds featuring Zac the Rat, Peg the Hen, Pete's Sheep and a dozen more.

also see -> ADD / ADHD | Autism | Early Childhood Education | K-12

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