When to start teaching baby words

First Words, Teaching Activities, and More

Written by Rebecca Buffum Taylor

When Will You Hear Baby's First Words?

The first "baby talk" is nonverbal and happens soon after birth. Your baby grimaces, cries, and squirms to express a range of emotions and physical needs, from fear and hunger to frustration and sensory overload. Good parents learn to listen and interpret their baby's different cries.

Just when your baby will say those magical first words varies greatly from individual baby to individual baby. But if your baby misses any of the following milestones in speech development, talk to your pediatrician or family doctor about your concerns.

Baby Talk Milestones

Baby talk at 3 months. At 3 months, your baby listens to your voice, watches your face as you talk, and turns toward other voices, sounds, and music that can be heard around the home. Many infants prefer a woman's voice over a man's. Many also prefer voices and music they heard while they were still in the womb. By the end of three months, babies begin "cooing" -- a happy, gentle, repetitive, sing-song vocalization.
Baby talk at 6 months. At 6 months, your baby begins babbling with different sounds. For example, your baby may say "ba-ba" or "da-da." By the end of the sixth or seventh month, babies respond to their own names, recognize their native language, and use their tone of voice to tell you they're happy or upset. Some eager parents interpret a string of "da-da" babbles as their baby's first words -- "daddy!" But babbling at this age is usually still made up of random syllables without real meaning or comprehension.
Baby talk at 9 months. After 9 months, babies can understand a few basic words like "no" and "bye-bye." They also may begin to use a wider range of consonant sounds and tones of voice.
Baby talk at 12-18 months. Most babies say a few simple words like "mama" and "dadda" by the end of 12 months -- and now know what they're saying. They respond to -- or at least understand, if not obey -- your short, one-step requests such as, "Please put that down."
Baby talk at 18 months. Babies at this age say several simple words and can point to people, objects, and body parts you name for them. They repeat words or sounds they hear you say, like the last word in a sentence. But they often leave off endings or beginnings of words. For example, they may say "daw" for "dog" or "noo-noo's" for "noodles."
Baby talk at 2 years. By age 2, babies string together a few words in short phrases of two to four words, such as "Mommy bye-bye" or "me milk." They're learning that words mean more than objects like "cup" -- they also mean abstract ideas like "mine."
Baby talk at 3 years. By the time your baby is age 3, their vocabulary expands rapidly, and "make-believe" play spurs an understanding of symbolic and abstract language like "now," feelings like "sad," and spatial concepts like "in."

Can You Teach Babies to Talk?

Babies understand what you're saying long before they can clearly speak. Many babies learning to talk use only one or two words at first, even when they understand 25 or more.

You can help your baby learn to talk if you:

Watch. Your baby may reach both arms up to say they want to be picked up, hand you a toy to say they want to play, or push food off their plate to say they've had enough. Smile, make eye contact, and respond to encourage these early, nonverbal attempts at baby talk.
Listen. Pay attention to your baby's cooing and babbling, and coo and babble those same sounds right back to your baby. Babies try to imitate sounds their parents are making and to vary pitch and tone to match the language heard around them. So be patient and give your baby lots of time to "talk" to you.
Praise. Smile and applaud even the smallest or most confusing attempts at baby talk. Babies learn the power of speech by the reactions of adults around them.
Imitate. Babies love to hear their parents' voices. And when parents talk to them it helps speech develop. The more you talk their "baby talk" with them, using short, simple but correct words, such as "dog" when your baby says "daw," the more babies will keep trying to talk.
Elaborate. If your baby points to the table and makes noise, don't just give them more noodles. Instead, point to the noodles and say, "Do you want some more noodles? These noodles taste good with cheese, don't they?"
Narrate. Talk about what you're doing as you wash, dress, feed, and change your baby -- "Let's put on these blue socks now" or "I'm cutting up your chicken for you" -- so your baby connects your speech to these objects and experiences.
Hang in there. Even when you don't understand what your baby is saying, keep trying. Gently repeat back what you think is being said, and ask if that's right. Keep offering your loving attention so your baby feels rewarded for trying to talk.
Let your child lead. During playtime, follow your child's attention and interests to show that communication is a two-way game of talking and listening, leading, and following.
Play. Encourage children to play, pretend, and imagine out loud to develop verbal skills as they become toddlers.
Read aloud. Lifelong readers come from young children who have plenty of fun, relaxing experiences of being read to out loud.

If You're Concerned About a Speech Delay

Watch for any sign of a major speech delay in your baby, and talk with your doctor if you sense there's a problem. A speech delay can happen for a number of reasons, but the earlier a speech problem in babies is diagnosed, the more time you'll have to correct it and help your child reach their full potential before school age. After consulting with your pediatrician, here are things to do to help with delayed speech:

Have a hearing test done. As many as three out of 1,000 newborns have hearing loss, which can cause delayed speech development. Most states require a hearing screening in the hospital right after birth. Take your baby in for a full hearing exam by age 3 months if they don't pass the initial hearing screening.
See a speech-language pathologist. A SLP can diagnose and treat specific speech, language, or voice disorders that delay speech. Treatment may include giving parents tips and games to improve speech problems in babies and improve a child's language skills.
Consider developmental screening. Up to 17% of children in the U.S. have a developmental or behavioral disability such as autism spectrum disorder or cognitive disability. Ask your baby's doctor about screening for these developmental problems, which can cause speech delays.

What's the first step for babies learning to talk? Encourage your baby's first words with your frequent cooing, babbling, talking, and singing. Keep responding positively and showing you care. When it comes to baby talk, that's the best building block.

Tips on Learning to Talk

This article gives a brief introduction to language development and includes age-appropriate activities for children birth to 3 years old who are learning to talk.

Learning to talk is a process that starts at birth, when your baby experiences how voices can sound. By 2 years old, most babies have a large vocabulary and can put words together to express their needs and ideas. Let’s see how this process unfolds and what you can do to encourage your baby’s ability to communicate.

Learning to Talk: From Birth to 3 Months

Your baby listens to your voice. He coos and gurgles and tries to make the same sounds you make. You can help your baby learn how nice voices can be when you:

Sing to your baby. You can do this even before he is born! Your baby will hear you.
Talk to your baby. Talk to others when she is near. She won’t understand the words, but will like your voice and your smile. She will enjoy hearing and seeing other people, too.
Plan for quiet time. Babies need time to babble and play quietly without TV or radio or other noises.

From 3 to 6 Months

Your baby is learning how people talk to each other. You help him become a “talker” when you:

Hold your baby close so he will look in your eyes.
Talk to him and smile.
When your baby babbles, imitate the sounds.
If he tries to make the same sound you do, say the word again.

From 6 to 9 Months

Your baby will play with sounds. Some of these sound like words, such as “baba or “dada.” Baby smiles on hearing a happy voice, and cries or looks unhappy on hearing an angry voice. You can help your baby understand words (even if she can’t say them yet) when you:

Play games like Peek-a-Boo or Pat-a-Cake. Help her move her hands along with the rhyme.
Give her a toy and say something about it, like “Feel how fuzzy Teddy Bear is.”
Let her see herself in a mirror and ask, “Who’s that?” If she doesn’t respond, say her name.
Ask your baby questions, like “Where’s doggie?” If she doesn’t answer, show her where.

From 9 to 12 Months

Your baby will begin to understand simple words. She stops to look at you if you say “no-no.” If someone asks “Where’s Mommy?” she will look for you. She will point, make sounds, and use her body to “tell” you what she wants. For example she may look up at you and lift her arms up to show you she “wants up.” She may hand you a toy to let you know she wants to play. You can help your baby “talk” when you: Show her how to wave “bye-bye.”

From 12 to 15 Months

Babies begin to use words. This includes using the same sounds consistently to identify an object, such as “baba” for bottle or “juju” for juice. Many babies have one or two words and understand 25 or more. He will give you a toy if you ask for it. Even without words, he can ask you for something—by pointing, reaching for it, or looking at it and babbling. You can help your child say the words he knows when you:

Talk about the things you use, like “cup,” “juice,” “doll.” Give your child time to name them.
Ask your child questions about the pictures in books. Give your child time to name things in the picture.
Smile or clap your hands when your child names the things that he sees. Say something about it. “You see the doggie. He’s sooo big! Look at his tail wag.”
Talk about what your child wants most to talk about. Give him time to tell you all about it.
Ask about things you do each day—“Which shirt will you pick today?” “Do you want milk or juice?”
Build on what your child says. If he says “ball,” you can say, “That’s your big, red ball.”
Introduce pretend play with your child’s favorite doll or toy animal. Include it in your conversations and your play. “Rover wants to play too. Can he roll the ball with us?”

From 15 to 18 Months

Your child will use more complex gestures to communicate with you and will continue to build her vocabulary. She may take your hand, walk you to the bookshelf, point to a book and say “buk” to say, “I want to read a book with you.” You can help your child talk with you when you:

Tell her “Show me your nose.” Then point to your nose. She will soon point to her nose. Do this with toes, fingers, ears, eyes, knees and so on.
Hide a toy while she is watching. Help her find it and share in her delight.
When he points at or gives you something, talk about the object with her. “You gave me the book. Thank you! Look at the picture of the baby rolling the ball.”

From 18 Months to 2 Years

Your baby will be able to follow directions and begin to put words together, such as “car go” or “want juice.” He will also begin to do pretend play which fosters language development. You can spur your child’s communication skills when you:

Ask your child to help you. For example, ask him to put his cup on the table or to bring you his shoe.
Teach your child simple songs and nursery rhymes. Read to your child. Ask him to point to and tell you what he sees.
Encourage your child to talk to friends and family. He can tell them about a new toy.
Engage your child in pretend play. You can talk on a play phone, feed the dolls, or have a party with the toy animals.

From 2 to 3 Years

Your child’s language skills will grow by leaps and bounds. He will string more words together to create simple sentences, such as “Mommy go bye-bye.” He will be able to answer simple questions, such as “Where is your bear?” By 36 months he will be able to answer more complicated questions such as, “What do you do when you are hungry?” He will do more and more pretend play, acting out imaginary scenes such as going to work, fixing the toy car, taking care of his “family” (of dolls, animals).

You can help your child put all his new words together and teach him things that are important to know when you:

Teach your child to say his or first and last name.
Ask about the number, size, and shape of the things your child shows you.
Ask open-ended questions that don’t have a “yes” or “no” answer. This helps them develop their own ideas and learn to express them. If it’s worms, you could say: “What fat, wiggly worms! How many are there?…Where are they going? Wait, watch and listen to the answer. You can suggest an answer if needed: “I see five. Are they going to the park or the store?”
Ask your child to tell you the story that goes with a favorite book. “What happened to those three pigs?” Reading spurs language development. Take him to storytime at your local library. Your toddler will enjoy sharing books with you as well as peers.
Do lots of pretend play. Acting out stories and role-playing create rich opportunities for using, and learning, language.
Don’t forget what worked earlier. For example, your child still needs quiet time. This is not just for naps. Turn off the TV and radio and let your child enjoy quiet play, singing, and talking with you.

(Note: This information was adapted, with permission, from Learning Link: Helping Your Baby Learn to Talk, by C.E. Morrisset Huebner and P. Lines, 1994, Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement.)

How to teach a child to speak: methods, games and exercises

The formation of a child's speech occurs long before he begins to speak on his own. From a very early age, the baby perceives the speech of adults, imitates it, and subsequently relies on the acquired experience. Speech development is not a process that can be left to chance - and in this article you will find out why.

Contents of the article:

Stages of speech development
10 ways to teach your child to talk at home
Exercises and games for the development of speech
General tips
When you need specialist help
Conclusion

Stages of speech development

The formation of speech occurs gradually, starting from birth. Knowing the approximate stages of speech development at each age, it is much easier to determine the presence of signs of a lag.

From 0 to 6 months. The baby actively listens to the speech of adults, tries to reproduce the sounds that he still perceives as a melody. He already distinguishes the voices of people who are talking to him. First, the baby masters vowel sounds, and already closer to the age of one and a half months, the consonant sounds “g”, “k”, “x” appear, thanks to which the child begins to “walk”.
6 to 12 months. At this age, the child often imitates the sounds of adult speech. Pronounces separate syllables, for example "ma-ma", "babbles". By the end of the first year of life, the first words and sentences appear. Vocabulary ranges from 2-3 to 20 words, most of which are nouns.
1 year. In a year, speech becomes active and becomes a means of interaction with adults. Together with the ability to move independently, the child accumulates knowledge about the world around him and replenishes his vocabulary, which at this age is 300-400 words. Pronunciation adapts to itself, skipping or replacing complex combinations of sounds.
2 years. By the age of two, phrasal speech is formed. At this time, the child is able to formulate a sentence of 2-3 words. Gradually, grammatical categories are mastered, such as number, gender, case. The vocabulary reaches up to 700 units.
3 years. Children of this age actively communicate with adults and peers, but still with the help of simple sentences. A three-year-old child masters the basic laws of the language and, on their basis, invents his own words. This process is called "word-creation" and signals the normal development of the child's speech. Vocabulary - up to 1000 words.
4 years. In the fifth year of life, the child "hones" the acquired skills, replenishes the active and passive vocabulary, which is approximately 2000 words. As they grow older, the child begins to pronounce all the sounds of his native language clearly and clearly.
By the age of 5, it is considered normal if the child has mastered all aspects of the language and is fluent in speech. If not, this is a reason to immediately contact a specialist.

10 ways to teach your child to talk at home

The most effective and basic way is to talk to your child as often and as much as possible. Pediatricians recommend communicating with the child even before he is born. The speech of an adult should be expressive, as babies perceive it on an emotional level. It is possible to teach a child to speak at 1 year old by abandoning sign language and completely switching to verbal communication. Use short and clear sentences, do not distort words. Speak in such a way that the child can observe the movements of the lips and try to independently apply them to his speech.
Develop fine motor skills. Stimulation of nerve endings on the fingers has a positive effect on the development of speech. Any exercises that involve the motor skills of small muscles are suitable for this method: sorting through cereals, playing with massage balls, stringing beads on a string. (You can link to an article about developing fine motor skills by writing, for example, "Learn more here.") Fine motor skills classes will help to teach a two-year-old child to speak as early as possible.
Expand vocabulary. At home, on the street, in a store, in nature, show and call the child the names of the surrounding objects. To his questions in an accessible language, explain the meaning of certain objects, trying not to overload the child's brain with complex terms. This is a natural and inexpensive way to quickly teach your child to speak at 2 years old.
Read books. Children love to look at bright, colorful pictures. Read a book to your child, while pointing at the characters, for example, a bun, a fox, a hare. Simultaneous visual and auditory perception will help you remember words faster and learn how to pronounce them. Set aside time for this activity each day to develop this healthy habit in your child.
Sing songs. As much as books, children love songs. Sing along with your child his favorite songs, learn new songs that he will like. In addition to stimulating the speech apparatus, you will provide both yourself and your baby with a good mood.
Not understanding sign language. If your child often uses gestures, replacing words with them, you need to stimulate him to the opposite. Once again, when the baby points his finger at something, pretend that you do not understand him. Try to start a dialogue by asking leading questions, but do not bring the child to hysteria if he is not yet ready for this way of communication.
Take by cunning. When reading a well-known book, intentionally replace words, for example: "I'll sit on a stump, eat a pot (instead of" a pie ")". This technique will inspire your child to listen carefully to the speech, so that next time they can tell you how to do it right. The method is perfect for teaching a child to speak at 3 years old, since by this age children are actively interested in literary works.
Repeat one after another. As a game, repeat the syllables that he says after the baby, and then offer your own version. The child will be happy to join this activity and will try to give out even more new syllables.
Remove distractions. An incessantly running TV or computer with cartoons will drown out any of your attempts to enter into a dialogue. The child needs to hear the lively, clean, correct speech of an adult. To teach a child to speak at 4 years old, you should adhere to the time limits for watching cartoons.
Show attention. Drop everything when the child comes up to you to tell you something interesting. Listen carefully, ask questions, be surprised and show your interest in every possible way. This will stimulate the desire to share with you everything that comes to mind and that you want to tell. Mutual dialogue is possible and necessary even with a small child, because it will help you quickly learn to talk.

Exercises and games for the development of speech

Finger games

Favorite activity for all kids. Aimed at the development of fine motor skills and, as a result, the formation of speech. Learn small rhymes with your child, for example, "Magpie Crow. " Connect finger movements that your baby will be happy to repeat. Such games improve fine motor skills and help to teach the child to speak correctly.

Articulation exercises

The small muscles of the mouth in childhood need to be trained, as they may not be sufficiently developed. To strengthen them, daily articulation exercises are required. Sit with your child at the mirror to control the correct execution of the exercises. Follow the movements of the lips and tongue, showing the child an example for his independent work.

Exercises for the development of speech breathing

It is important to teach a child to breathe correctly, starting from the moment of his speech development. The air released by us during the pronunciation of speech is the source of sound. Many simple and easily accessible exercises are aimed at developing breathing, for example: blow on a dandelion, inflate a balloon, blow soap bubbles.

Music games

You can teach your child to speak with the help of music games. When children sing, the assimilation of sounds, syllables and, ultimately, words is easier for them. Musical games can be organized in several variations: with musical instruments (spoons, drum), songs with onomatopoeia of animals, songs with the simultaneous execution of simple movements.

Didactic games

There are a huge number of games and methods using didactic material. And almost all of them can be applied to the development of speech. The game "Magic Bag" is great for developing speech skills. Rules of the game: in the bag there are objects of various shapes and sizes. The child is invited to feel to choose an object and describe it. Pronunciation of the signs of an object reinforces speech, and also helps in the formation of initial mathematical concepts.

General advice

In the development of a child's speech, it is important to be guided by the general principle "Do no harm". It must be remembered that each child develops according to his own individual model and it does not always adapt to the described stages of development. We recommend adhering to principles that apply in general to the entire process of raising and developing children.

The principle of play form. For a child of preschool age, the leading activity is the game. The more interesting the lesson is built, the more involved the child will be in it. Don't force me to play. Get interested instead.
The principle of mutual dialogue. Talking to children is not a waste of time, as it might seem at first glance. Bring the child to a dialogue, keep up a conversation with him, tell and listen carefully. Communication is the most effective way to teach a child to speak early.
Problem acceptance principle. It is difficult to admit to oneself that the child has any problems. However, the sooner you start working on the bugs, the faster you will get the result. Do not be afraid to turn to professionals if you see that independent work does not bear fruit.
The principle of accepting individuality. Your child is already a separate person, even if he is just starting to stand on his feet. You should not compare him with peers who are already telling poems with might and main. Instead of criticizing, praise every achievement of your child and then he will definitely speak.

When the help of specialists is needed

When a problem is discovered and the right ways to solve it will help prevent further lagging behind the child. It is necessary to be patient, aim for a positive result and give your child a chance to painlessly enter the social world and learn to exist in it.

Reasons to start working on the development of speech together with a speech therapist, neurologist and other specialists:

after 8 months the baby does not respond to calls to him;
nasal voice appears;
there is not enough air to complete the phrase;
during a conversation there is increased salivation;
at 2 years old, the child speaks only in syllables;
at 3 years old, the child still tends to speak only in simple words;
at the age of 4, the sense of syllable was not developed and the words were distorted.

Conclusion

Children's development centers "Baby Club" have been helping parents in the development of children since 2000. Our mission is the harmonious development of the child and his formation as an independent person.

Baby club teachers will find an individual approach to your baby. And a rich environment and a children's team will help the child quickly enter society and start talking. Contact our centers, because preventing a problem is easier than dealing with its consequences.

How to teach a child to speak on their own

To help a child speak, parents will need to find and read the methodological recommendations of speech therapists, because adults play the most active and responsible role in the development of a child's speech.

The main stages in the development of speech in a child

0 to 6 months

The child listens to the speech of adults, remembers and tries to reproduce the sounds of human speech. It distinguishes one voice from another, but the sounds are perceived as a melody.

Gradually there are more different intonations and emotions that are heard in his speech.

The first sounds for a child are vowels: a, y, o, ya. Then, at 1.5 months, k, g, x are added, hence the “hum” appears - a combination of all these sounds.

6 to 12 months

The child often and actively reproduces sounds, repeats individual syllables in the form of babbling and tries to pronounce the simplest words of several syllables. At this time, most often parents hear the long-awaited "ma-ma" and "pa-pa".

1 to 1.5 years

The kid imitates adult speech, learns to express his desires. The words are still very simplified, but the vocabulary is actively replenished. Usually by the year the child actively uses about 10 words.

From 1.5 to 3 years

At this time, the baby tries to build long meaningful sentences so that others understand him.

From 3 years

There is a noticeable progress in speech development. The child constantly interacts with the world, begins to ask questions “when” and “why”, use different parts of speech, as well as plural and singular.

When to teach a child to talk

Children do not start talking all at once, as if by magic. Some quickly grasp new words and begin to speak before the age of one, for some it takes much longer, since everyone has their own pace of development.

It is normal for a child to not speak very well at 2.5 or 3 years old. If you can see that the baby is learning new words and constructions, just doing it more slowly than some of his peers - everything is in order. If you are concerned about this issue, then you can always consult a pediatrician and a speech therapist, and not torture yourself with questions, and the child with an unreasonable burden in mastering speech.

How to teach a child to speak: a step-by-step guide for parents

Even newborn babies react to the voice of their parents and subside precisely because these sounds are close, dear to them. You can't wait a year to start active language learning. From the first days, children perceive speech, singing, hooting, mime and other sound interactions well. It is important to monitor your own articulation and intonation.

Read fairy tales to your child or get ready for your own affairs by reading to him excerpts from articles and books - “synchrophasotron” and “clubfoot bear” will be equally unfamiliar and incomprehensible to the baby, so your diction plays the main role at this stage.

All further tips help to teach a child to speak at 2 - 3 years old, and the described exercises can be complicated as they are mastered.

Tell your child about everything

How often and how much you talk to your baby will depend on his success in mastering speech. You need to constantly talk, and also give him the opportunity to respond. This allows the baby not only to understand the intonation and rhythm of speech, but also to slowly realize the meaning.

Accompany all daily worries with your baby with words. For example, name items of clothing when you are changing your little one; when you bathe, stroke and pronounce the names of body parts.

Onomatopoeia

Already during the first six months, the baby will always listen carefully to the conversation of adults. Therefore, your task is to monitor your speech. Children are very sensitive to intonation. Therefore, try to always speak calmly in the presence of a child, do not allow disputes in raised tones! Toddlers are disturbed by too loud sounds.

It's good if during the game you organize listening to fairy tales recorded on audio cassettes or disks, which are accompanied by music, children's songs, poems or just the speech of the actors.

You can also imitate the voice of animals. Meowing, barking, crowing is better than being silent! All this onomatopoeia develops the speech organs of the child.

Don't be afraid to look stupid when you draw vowels: pouty lips, rounded mouth, exaggerated articulation helps you understand how sounds are pronounced and try it for yourself.

From the age of 1.5 you can speak with normal articulation and not limit yourself in words: not just clothes, but already a dress, panties, scarf, etc. Do not be afraid to use complex and unusual words, like a giraffe if it occurs in a book or in pictures once. All this is also training and helps to distinguish one object from another.

Simplified repetition

From 2 to 3 years old, the baby actively develops physically, so it is important that he memorize words in conjunction with actions. Let at first it will be very simple abbreviated verbs from one ending. But you should not give in and learn this childish language yourself! Speak in normal adult words and try to accustom the child to this. Then everything should move smoothly to the study of the properties of objects - shape, color, structure. This helps the child to speak, as he begins to reach out to your level in speech.

An important point: do not use only verbs, you need to create a connection between words and use different parts of speech: a cat drinks, a dog runs, a bug flies, etc. Oppositions work well - dog / cat, runs / lies.

Make it a rule when talking with the baby to be on the same level with him, and not to talk down. By sitting down with your child, you will show that you enjoy talking to him, and his chatter means a lot to you. Let's also understand that you do not agree with his mooing or poking his finger. Repeat after him his words, albeit still not entirely clear, at the same time pronouncing them correctly, as they should sound.

Playing with sounds and syllables

Singing songs, watching and listening to cartoons and children's songs have a positive effect on the child. Games in syllables, search for synonyms, and just a description of reality - everything can be represented as a game. You can come up with entertainment whether you're on the bus or sitting in the park.

The question “what is this” or “what does this shadow look like” trains fantasy, memory, speech and helps to interact with the world.

Development of fine motor skills

Finger and palm games - patties, magpie-crow and many others also contribute to the development of speech. Items of different textures and different sizes also help in this matter. Don't be afraid to give your child beans, pasta, or fruit - with your supervision, these can all be great and safe toys.

Don't forget to knead your baby's fingers and give them a massage.

It may seem very difficult to figure out how to teach a child to talk, and you will definitely miss some subtleties. Yes, even within the same family, children's speech training takes place in different ways. You yourself will learn, try the methods recommended by experts and develop your own unique methods that will suit your child.

Teaching a child to speak individual letters: l, w, g, p

Many parents wonder how to teach a child to say the letters “r”, “w” and others, because due to insufficiently developed articulation, children replace more complex processes to simple and understandable.

For minor problems with the letter “l”, the “horse” exercise works well when the child learns to click his tongue. This helps improve airflow and improve tongue mobility.
To work on the letter "sh" or hissing, you need to show the following exercise: the tongue stretches to the lower lip and at the same time its sides rise. Lip stretching exercises and chewing movements will be useful. Try pronouncing the sound on yourself, and you will be able to convey this movement.
The letter "r" has the greatest difficulty. It is necessary to show the correct position of the lips and tongue and train it every time, remind, help and be patient if it goes badly.
The same applies to the letter "g" - slow pronunciation and observance of the technique while buzzing will help to master a complex sound in a playful way.
For all letters there are collections of tongue twisters and rhymes for training, which are easy to find on the Internet. Repeat them with your child so that he sees the correct articulation.

Additional tips:

watch your bite! Frequent sucking on a pacifier or pacifier can lead to articulation problems. Now they sell special nozzles for bottles with a small hole, they help to engage the lower jaw, which means they better form the correct bite.
fingers in the mouth also interfere with bite formation, so be careful not to keep them in the mouth for too long.

Defects in speech: when a speech therapist is needed

If at the age of three your baby does not speak or stutters, this is a reason to turn to a speech therapist for advice and then, under the supervision of a professional, build a correction. If the child suddenly stops talking, then this is also an issue that needs to be addressed with the help of a specialist.