Better Speech-Language-Hearing Month
30 Days of Speech & Language Tips for Parents
Speech doesn’t start with words—it starts with connection, attention, and play.
These 30 simple tips will help you support your child’s communication development at home, one small step at a time.
The Building Blocks of Communication
Communication develops in layers.
Before children talk, they must first learn to connect, attend, and interact.
🔹 WEEK 1: FOUNDATIONS OF COMMUNICATION
These are the foundational skills children need before they begin talking.
🧩 DAY 1: Why Speech Starts BEFORE Words
Speech does not start with talking.
It starts with connection.
Before children say words, they must learn how to:
• look at people
• share attention
• take turns
• interact
These are called preverbal skills, and they are the foundation of communication.
👀 Day 2 – Eye Contact
Eye contact is one of the first building blocks of communication.
Children learn language by watching your face, your mouth, and your expressions.
👩👧Day 3-Joint Attention
Joint attention is when you and your child are focused on the same thing.
This is critical for language development.
👈 DAY 4: Pointing
Pointing is a HUGE milestone.
It shows your child:
• wants to communicate
• is sharing attention
• understands others
🔁 DAY 5: Turn Taking
Communication is a back-and-forth interaction.
Turn-taking starts LONG before talking.
🎯 DAY 6: Cause & Effect
Children learn that their actions make things happen.
This builds communication.
🪞 DAY 7 : Imitation
Children learn to talk by copying YOU.
👉 Try this today:
Get face-to-face with your child and simply interact.
Smile, talk, and wait for a response.
👉 Try this today:
Get down to your child’s level and talk face-to-face. Make it fun—use silly faces and exaggerated expressions!
👉 Try this today:
Point to something and say,
“Look! A dog!”
Then wait and see if your child looks.
👉 Try this today:
While reading a book, point to pictures and label them.
Help your child point too.
👉 Try this today:
Roll a ball back and forth. Say:
“My turn!” → “Your turn!”
👉 Try this today:
Play with bubbles or a toy that activates when pushed.
Pause and wait for your child to signal they want more.
👉 Try this today:
If your child makes a sound, copy it!
Then pause and wait to see if they copy YOU back.
🟦 Why This Matters
These early skills—like eye contact, joint attention, and turn taking—are the foundation for speech and language development.
When these skills are strong, language grows more naturally.
🔹 WEEK 2: ATTENTION & LEARNING
DAY 8: Why Attention Matters
If a child cannot focus, they cannot learn language.
Attention is the gateway to communication.
👉 Try this today:
Turn off background noise and play with ONE toy together.
DAY 9: Attention Spans (What’s Normal?)
Toddlers are NOT meant to sit still for long.
Example:
• 1 year: ~1 minute
• 2 years: 3–6 minutes
• 3 years: 5–8 minutes
👉 Try this today:
Keep activities short and engaging!
DAY 10: Reduce Distractions
Too much auditory or visual ‘noise’ = less learning.
👉 Try this today:
Turn off the TV, put away devices and clear all toys but a total of three during playtime.
DAY 11: Follow Your Child’s Lead
Your child learns best when they are interested.
👉 Try this today:
Instead of directing play, join what THEY are doing.
DAY 12: Narrate What They Do
This is called parallel talk.
👉 Try this today:
“You are building blocks.”
“Car goes fast!”