How to Develop Speech in 2 Year Old Children?
Children usually begin to say their first words between 6-12 months. During this period, children listen to the speech of the people around them and start to develop their language skills. However, not every child learns to speak at the same time and at the same pace. Individual differences also affect a child’s language development. What is important is to support your child to develop their language skills.
2-year-olds rapidly develop their language skills and expand their vocabulary. 2-year-olds generally begin to form their own sentences and use singular and plural words in their sentences. Additionally, their speech becomes more intelligible and they improve their ability to repeat what they hear.
However, every child is different and language development rates also vary. Therefore, I recommend that you monitor your 2-year-old’s language development and, if necessary, consult a doctor or language development specialist to assist with activities that support language development.
Here are some suggestions for speech development in 2-year-olds:
1- Talk a lot with your child and listen to him. Encourage your child’s speech and get his attention by repeating his words.
2- Do activities to help develop speaking skills. For example, offer to play with a mug and a spoon and ask your child to describe what he did.
3- Read a book with your child. Books are a great help when developing speaking skills. Describe the characters and events in the book you are reading and ask questions about them.
4- Encourage your child to play games that encourage them to develop speaking skills. For example, give your child the opportunity to use words by playing the “mine” game.
5- Listen to music and sing songs together with your child. Music supports children’s language development and expands their vocabulary.