Using Children’s Books to Support Language Development
Reading with your child is one of the most powerful ways to support speech and language growth. If your child loves books, you can use them as a way to introduce new vocabulary, to model sentence structures, and to start conversations. Here are five simple ways to use books to boost language skills:
1. Talk About the Pictures – You don’t have to read every word, instead you can look through the illustrations together. Describe what you see using words or short phrases such as “bunny,” “blue sky” or “The fish is swimming!”
2. Pause and Wait – Give your child time to respond. This encourages turn-taking and helps your child practice forming their own thoughts. You can also use expectant pauses during repetitive lines. For example: “Brown Bear, Brown Bear… what do you… see?”
3. Repeat & Expand – If your child says “fish,” then you could reply, “Yes, a blue fish swimming!” to model longer phrases. Aim for adding 1-2 words more than the initial phrase.
4. Comment More than Question – Simply narrate what you see. Instead of saying, “What is she doing?” narrate what you see such as “She is jumping!” The 3:1 Rule is saying three comments for every one question. This ultimately reduces overwhelm and encourages more natural conversations. It provides more opportunities for your child to produce their own language without feeling like they are being tested.
5. Connect Books to Experiences – Choose themed books that tie into experiences you have planned. For example, If you just visited the zoo, read a zoo-themed story and say, “We saw giraffes too! Remember how they were eating the leaves in the trees?” Connecting stories to real-life events helps make learning even more meaningful for your child.
💬 Want more language-building tips? Book a parent coaching session or start speech therapy sessions to learn helpful strategies you can use every day during your child’s daily routines.
