Top Tips for Toddler Language: Speech Therapy at Home for 2 Year Olds

Toddlers with delayed language are often called “late talkers.” Parents typically notice this delay when their child has a smaller vocabulary than their same-age peers. Children with these language delays are frequently identified between 12 months and 24 months of age. This is a great time to see a speech-language pathologist, because this is when children’s brains are most ready to learn. 

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) can provide your child with an evaluation and personalized tips on how to begin teaching expressive vocabulary. I love sharing my favorite tips on how to build vocabulary at home. Here are some strategies which work well for my clients! 

1. Songs with a “fill in the blank”

Singing familiar songs your child knows allows for a predictable routine. Try pausing before one of the words to give them a chance to fill it in. If they don’t fill it in right away, continue singing. It’s all about taking the pressure off, while still making the song fun and engaging.

• If you’re happy and you know it, clap your…

• Five little monkeys jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his…

• Take it out, take it out, take it…

• Make up your own song! My go-to tunes are Frere Jacques, I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas, Old McDonald, and making up my own tunes!

2. Modeling and Pausing 

• State 1-2 words at a time which describe things in the environment. For example, if we are playing with bubbles, I might say, “bubbles!”, “pop”, “blowing bubbles”, pausing between each of these comments.

• These models show them what words they can imitate while playing with the bubbles.

• Silence allows children to process what we have said. It also gives them time to think about how they can respond. Sometimes I even count up to 8 Mississippi in my head before I get a response from a child.

• This is another great way to give them an opportunity to speak while also decreasing the pressure.

3. Routines

• Routines are great for vocabulary because the child hears the same sequence of words repeatedly. I often begin by getting them engaged in the routine first.

• After this teaching stage, I will start the routine again but pause during one of the words. During this pause, I give an expectant look at the child to see if they will fill in the word. For example, if we say “ready, set, go!” a few times before blowing bubbles, then I will try later saying “ready… set…” and give the child time to say “go!”

• These routines include both silly routines and daily routines:

3a. Silly Routines 

These silly routines are highly motivating for toddlers and allow for great pause time before the final word.

• A-choo: place an item on top of your head and pretend to sneeze dramatically, letting the item fall off the front of your head, once you say “choo!”

• Ready, set, go!: this one is easy to use with many routines. My favorite are slides, ball poppers, rockets, bubbles, and throwing toys. 

• Up up and away: I like using this with any toy that flies. Children are motivated by rockets, balls, frisbees, swings, and even throwing the child in the air.

• Peekaboo: this is great to use when hiding either an object, yourself, or having your child hide.

3b. Daily Routines

Routines in your everyday life don’t require additional time or energy. Once you add consistent words in these known contexts, children tend to pick up on the familiar words quickly. The Hanen Centre provides a great summary in this article showing how to use routines at home.  Some common words and phrases used in daily routines at home include: 

• Goodnight or night-night

• Good morning 

• Open the fridge!

• Brush, brush, brushing our teeth

• I like to eat, eat, eat, … (fill in food you are about to eat)

• All done 

• Shoes on

• Goin’ in the car

4. Gestures Paired With Words

Gestures provide a consistent visual. This visual acts as a cue to use the word. Some common gesture-word pairs I use frequently in speech therapy sessions include:

• “Yay”! While clapping your hands

• “Whee!” While putting your hands in the air

• “Mine” While pointing to yourself

• “Uh-oh” While putting your hands over your mouth

• “Bye” While waving

5. Signs Paired With Words 

Similar to gestures, signs paired with specific words can serve as a visual cue for children. Some common signs include:

• More, all done, milk, eat, ball, go, open, help, sleep, car, shoes, and home.

• Videos of these signs and more can be found through the Baby Sign Language Dictionary.

Contact me if you have any questions: alyssa@leapspeechandlanguagetherapy.com

Be on the lookout for my next blog post, Speech Therapy at Home for 3 Year Olds!

Written by:

Alyssa Pitts, M.S., CCC-SLP

California Certified & ASHA Nationally Certified Speech-Language Pathologist