What to expect
Your toddler may prefer to use certain words over and over. They might like object words such as “dog”, “ball”, or “doll”, while others will prefer to use words such as “bye-bye” or “again.“
Both types are fine for learning language.
Parenting Tips
Show your toddler pictures of the objects and tell them the names of the objects. When you show them the objects that you are talking about, it will help them to begin to say the words.
The number of words your toddler knows will grow faster when you ask them questions and have them respond. For example – “Would you like some juice?
Try to get your toddler to use words instead of pointing. For example, if they are pointing at a cup say, “Can you say cup?”
Explain what they are doing. For example, “You are drinking juice from your cup.”
One-word sentences
Toddlers at this age will often use one-word sentences with a gesture to create a whole thought. For example, your toddler might say “milk” while pointing to the sippy cup, which means, “I want some milk.”
Your toddler can use one-word sentences to ask for something (ball), to greet someone (“dada”), to protest (“no”).
Toddlers may also say words simply for practice.
Did you know that…
📙 The more you talk with your toddler the more words they will learn.
📙 Toddlers are more likely to learn words when you talk to them about things they are watching or doing.
What can you do?
Describe and fill in missing words
Notice what your child is interested in and use words to describe those things or activities. For example, if they point to a cow say, “That is a cow. We get milk from a cow.”
Help your toddler build their language by filling in missing words
and using complete sentences. For example, when your child says “cookie” while pointing to the cookie jar, you might respond by saying, “Oh, you want a cookie to eat.” This will help your child’s one-word speech grow!
Picture books
When you read to your toddler, point to and name pictures in books. For example, you might point to a picture of a duck and say, “See the duck. This duck looks just like the ones we saw at the park.” Soon your child will start naming things.
Create a picture book
Your toddler’s favorite book might be one you make yourself!
📙 Print off photos of family members, pets, and other things
around your home and yard.
📙 Create a book with the pictures using heavy paper, such as
cardstock, or tagboard.
📙 Glue or tape each picture onto the paper. Label each picture with large print.
📙 Punch holes on the left side of each page and tie the pages
together with colorful yarn or use a folder with metal rings for the book cover.
📙 Read this book (and others) often with your toddler!
Let your child handle and “read” books on their own. Keep a special low shelf or crate for your child’s books.
Updated by Nancy Schultz and Robert Nix, PhD., UW-Madison/Extension based on material written by Carol Ostergren, PhD and Dave Riley, PhD.
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