Q: How can I help my daughter's speech?


One of the best ways to build your child’s vocabulary is to narrate your daily activities. As you go about your day, describe what you are doing and point and label everyday objects and actions. As you narrate your day, you will be exposing your daughter to new vocabulary, and teacheing her that words are used to communicate needs, ideas and desires. Reading books to your daughter is another great way to expand her vocabulary. It is important to note that there is a lot of variation in children’s speech at this age. In the next year her vocabulary will continue to grow, and by the time she is 3, she will have a working vocabulary of 200 or more words. By this point she will not only be able to carry on a more sustained, sophisticated conversation, but you will be able to understand most of what she says.
Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.