What to expect
Your toddler may be speaking more clearly now.
They are beginning to use the word “no” more often to show their independence.
Listen carefully and you may begin to hear your child say two-word phrases like “more milk,” “all gone,” and “go bye-bye.”
They are probably starting to show their independence by doing things for themselves.
Parenting tips
The best way to promote language skills is to use reflections. For example, if your child says, “we have two dogs.” You say, “yes, we have two dogs.” If your child says they have two foots, you say, “yes, you have two feet.”
Use reflections to let your child know you have heard them. You also can use reflections to model how to say words correctly and to model exceptions to our grammar rules.
Language learning takes practice!
If your toddler is talking and getting better at creating sentences, enjoy their success. If you are concerned about language delays, talk to your child’s doctor, nurse, or early childhood teacher.
Discovering language
Your toddler will start to discover the rules of language. For example, they discover when to add an “s” to indicate many things, such as dogs instead of dog. If your child says they have two foots instead of two feet, they are inventing new words to follow those rules. Your child is smart! It is our language that doesn’t always follow its own rules.
Did you know that…
📙 Toddlers have their own pace for learning language. At this age some toddlers use long sentences while other toddlers use short sentences. They differ in when they reach each milestone.
What can you do?
Puppet Play
Your child will love to do puppet play with you. You can put on a puppet show based on your toddlers’ favorite story or nursery rhyme.
You can make puppets out of old socks or gloves. You also can act out stories with their favorite stuffed animals.
Puppets are great for teaching children about feelings and how people get along with each other.
Playing with puppets
You or an older child can show your toddler how to use puppets.
Talk for the puppets; act out a short rhyme or story.
Then give your toddler a chance to try it. They will catch on quickly!
Suggest you and your toddler each use a puppet or stuffed animal to act out their favorite nursery rhyme or storybook.
Puppet play is a great way for your toddler to practice language.
Action rhymes
📙 Sing the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and use their fingers to be like the spider
📙 Play “This Little Piggy” with their toes
📙 Teach them how to do “Ring around the Rosie”
📙 Lead them in “Pat-a- cake, pat-a-cake baker’s man”
📙 Use their fingers to teach them “Five Little Monkeys”
📙Show them how to do the “Hokey Pokey”
Additional benefits
Puppet play and action rhymes not only teach language but are rituals that build connections and create a sense of safety and belonging.
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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