Most children will:
- Understand the concepts of "in and out", "off and on".
- Point to several body parts when asked.
- Use at least 20 words consistently.
- Respond with words or gestures to simple questions - "Where's teddy?", "What's that?"
- Demonstrate some pretend play with toys - gives teddy a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat.
- Make at least four different consonant sounds - p, b, m, n, d, g, w, h.
- Enjoy being read to and looking at simple picture books with you.
- Point to pictures using one finger.
Toddlers like it when you:
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Let them touch and hold books while you point to and name the pictures.
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Use real words instead of baby talk - "give me" instead of ta ta or "bottle" instead of baba.
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Take the time to listen to them - they want you to hear all of their new sounds, words and ideas.
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Give them simple directions to follow - "Go find your red boots".
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Use lots of different words when you talk to them - opposite words like up/ down, in/ out; action words like "running", "splashing"; and descriptive words like "happy", "big", "little", "clean", "dirty".
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Encourage them to play with other children - at the library, play groups, park.
Source: Your baby's speech and language skills from birth to 30 months. Government of Ontario, 2007.