How to Use the 4 Simple Strategies to Grow Words and Sentences!

Happy Fantastic Fridays Folks! 🌟

If your child doesn't love sit down activities, it can feel impossible to help them get talking. 

Today let's talk through simple, flexible, nearly invisible ways to encourage growth in your kiddo's expressive language: the 4 Simple Strategies. Why are these strategies the bee's knees? They're perfect for families who are busy like a mom, require zero prep (because no mom has time for that), and are sneakier than a toddler raiding the cookie jar - most kids don't even realize you're using them. Which is exactly what i needed in my house, because every time speech pathologist mom turned on my toddler laughed. in. my. face.😅

We've all been there: **your child understand everything you say, but struggles to tell you what they want for lunch.** But here's the good news - you can level up their language skills anytime, anywhere, without them feeling like they're working.

Here are the 4 Simple Strategies that'll turn you into a stealth language ninja:

Narration: Narrate life like it's a nature documentary. "And here we see the wild toddler in its natural habitat, reaching for the cookies..."

Direct Modeling: Casually say what your child would say, giving them a fill in the blank to pick from (because late talkers often need that): "Cookie, please!" and pause before following up.

Recasting: Gently echo, with polish. Child: ::::grunting and pointing:::::." You: "I want a cookie, please!"

Expansion: Build on what they say faster than a Lego master. Child: "dootie, pea!" You: "Cookie, please! ::: tiny pause::: A chocolate chip cookie please!)

These strategies are extra handy for:

• Kids who have more energy than a squirrel on espresso
• Children who'd rather stare at the wall than do something mom thinks is fun.
• Little ones who shutdown when they feel "put on the spot"

It keeps getting better though... you can adapt these to fit your child's language level like a glove. Whether you're making breakfast, enjoying a sweet snuggle, or trying to convince them that bedtime is not, in fact, optional, these strategies fit right in for kids learning first words AND kids polishing up their sentences. You just point to the next level with your strategies, elevating the skill level when they do.

Remember, the more you weave these into your daily conversations, the more practice your child gets without even knowing it. 

Can't wait to talk about the strategies more, maybe even share some stories of how I've seen them help.

We may both need tissues they're that good,

Amanda

P.S. Don't forget to give yourself a high five for being an awesome parent. You're doing great!