Pretoria - March 24

Story time for babes and toddlers
How much does Mum love her little Rae? More than
seal pups and penguins love their icy home. More than
dolphins love the boundless sea or lions love to race and
roar. Even more than all the stars, the moon and the sun
combined. In fact, she loves her more than words can
even say. I Love You More by Clare Helen Welsh, R194
from Exclusive Books.
Babes and toddlers will love discovering dogs with soft
ears, a fuzzy tongue and fluffy paws in That’s Not My
Dog. Plenty of bright, bold illustrations and fuzzy, furry,
smooth and soft tactile patches on each page, the book
supports sensory and language development. R220
from Exclusive Books.
Get your tot talking
At what age do kids start talking? The short answer ... when
they’re ready. So says Childhood & Special Education expert
Nicole Mackiewicz. Their communication skills, she says, will
begin with smiles, giggles, claps and babbles before any words
make it out. But while you wait for your tot to say full words,
sentences and more, use these tips to help promote their
language development right now.
Once your child starts learning a few words, the talking
train can really pick up steam. They’ll go from babbling to
pointing at and naming things. Between 18 and 24 months
they may encounter a word spurt, increasing their vocabulary
dramatically. By age two, kids can typically string two words
together ... “mama car”.
Tips on how to get tots talking ...
Start story time early They might not understand everything
right away, but reading introduces your baby to the flow of
language. Point to and identify the pictures in the book - If
there are animals, make each animal’s noise. The illustration and
exciting sounds will keep your kid engaged and having fun.
Sing, rhyme & even dance Music is a great way to introduce
your baby to words. Babies love simple rhymes and sing-along
songs while repetition reinforces key words or phrases. Music
also introduces them to fun physical movement ... let the music
lead to a family dance party.
Play with toys that bring their world down to size Toys that
resemble familiar objects and places - like animal & people
figures and playsets - help children identify real-world concepts
up close and encourage pretend play. The First Words Puppy
and First Worlds Sis are ideal here as they also provide learning
across three stages of development for your child.
Narrate & label anything, everywhere Talk and identify
items through your everyday tasks ... “Time to get into
Mommy’s car”, and “Time to get dressed, let’s get your blue
pants on.” If they can touch it, see it and hear it, especially
repeatedly, they are making that connection between words,
concepts and objects.
Praise your little talker Positive reinforcement is key. Let your
little one know they are on the right track by keeping the
praise and encouragement coming when they identify objects
and use words correctly.
Keep some banter going Show them how to carry a
conversation by asking them questions, waiting for them
to answer and responding to their babbles or one-word
statements. Continue chatting about whatever they seem
interested in. For example, if they point at someone, say,
“There’s a person, wave hello!”.
Why isn’t my baby talking yet? So your mini-me is taking their
sweet time getting out those first words. I know, it can seem
concerning, but remember that each child is unique and will
develop their communication skills on a timeline that’s right
for them. Even if they’re not speaking, they’re still listening
and soaking up speech patterns from what they hear spoken
around them. They’re also likely learning nonverbal forms of
communication like staring at, reaching for, and pointing at
desired objects. And, they’ll start to understand you before
they’re able to answer you with their words.
18 Get It Magazine March 24