How to Encourage Your Child’s First Words!
This is an exciting lesson! We’re going to work on encouraging your little one to say their first word! In this lesson you’ll lear:
When first words are expected
What counts as a word
How to encourage your child to say their first word
A fun at home speech therapy activity for first words + Free PDF Download with 2 more activities
What to do if you’re concerned because your child hasn’t said their first word
When do babies say their first word?
Most children say their first word between 10 and 14 months old. Babies build up to saying their first word by babbling and speaking in their own little language.
So, what exactly should you consider a first word?
When you find that your child is repeating the same word many times over to refer to a specific thing and nothing else, then that is your child’s first word. For example, your child’s first word is “Dah,” meaning Dad, if and when:
They say “Dah” only when they see their dad or want his attention.
They do not say “Dah” to refer to other people or things.
When they say “Dah,” they do not repeat the same sound many times over, such as “dah-dah-dah-dah.”
A first word is a big milestone and the beginning of a new chapter in your child’s communication!
When practicing, remember to wait and observe your child before you start talking. If you wait and your child does not do anything, model saying a word to ask for something, and wait again to see if they attempt to imitate you. You can even say the name of the item two or three times; again, repetition is critical for learning. If after two or three attempts your child does not imitate you, give them the item. Items should not be withheld just because a child does not say a word. Learning to talk isn’t easy!
3 Speech Therapy Tips To Encourage First Words
Tip 1 - Create a reason for your child to say a word
The first step toward helping your child say their first word is giving them a reason to communicate. Parents and caregivers are great at anticipating their child’s needs, so they often give their child what they want or need without waiting for the child to ask.
To practice giving your child a reason to communicate, place something they often want—like a favorite toy or snack—in sight but out of reach. Placing something out of reach means your toddler needs your help and must ask for it. As your child communicates that they want the item (by reaching, looking, pointing, etc.), you can encourage them to work just a little bit harder to tell you they want it, rather than giving them the item immediately. When you see they want the item, simply count to five in your head to allow them time to say something before you give it to them. In this case, you should not model the word for them.
Consider what other activities your toddler cannot complete without your help, such as blowing bubbles or being pushed on a swing. These are great opportunities to hold back, count to five in your head, and see if your child will make a sound or say a word to get what they want. You can also try placing an item you know your child will want inside a see-through tupperware container.
The goal of all of these scenarios is to create a situation in which your child needs to try to talk to get what they want.
Tip 2 - Temporarily withhold necessary items
The next strategy to encourage your child to say their first word is to set up situations where you withhold something they need to complete a task, as if you’ve forgotten something. For example, give them a cup but “forget” to put milk in it, or hand them a toy that is missing pieces. Holding back what your child wants gives them time to advocate for themselves by saying a word. If they gesture toward the milk, say “milk” as a statement, not a question. Then wait, giving them an opportunity to imitate you. Try this two or three times, as long as your child isn’t already frustrated. Then, give your child the milk whether or not they say the word. Practice this strategy whenever you can!
Tip 3 - Don’t focus on how the word sounds
As your child is learning to say their first word, don’t worry too much about how the word sounds. We don’t expect their very first words to sound perfect, or even good! Again, a first word is counted when your child says the same word every time to refer to a specific thing, and you clearly know what they are talking about. There are many sounds that we do not expect children to be able to pronounce as they are learning to say their first words.
Because children who are learning to talk cannot pronounce every sound, the words they say will likely sound different than when adults or older children say them. For example, my brother called me “Dagne” when he was a toddler, even though my name is Stephanie. This is a great example of a word that doesn’t sound even close to perfect. “Dagne” still counts as a word, because my brother only said “Dagne” in reference to me, he used it to get my attention or tell me to stop, and everyone knew what he meant when he said “Dagne.”
To learn more about toddler pronunciation and when most children learn to pronounce specific sounds, check out this post on toddler’s speech sounds. We also offer a free downloadable Toddler Pronunciation Guide here.
3 Activities designed to encourage toddler’s to say their first words! ↓
Using Bubbles to Encourage Toddlers to Say Their First Word
Materials:
a child-size bubble set
Pro tip:
My favorite are the Fubbles brand, No-Spill Bubble Tumbler by Fubbles. They even make mini sizes, great for toddler sized hands!
I’ve included an Amazon link if you’re interested. I have not been paid to promote Fubbles, I just think they are the best! I do earn a small percentage at no cost to you 😀
Set-up:
Make sure the bubbles are working before you begin the activity :)
Go outside if you prefer, to have a little less mess inside
What to do:
Show your child the bubble container to indicate that it’s time to play with bubbles. You are going to be blowing a lot of bubbles, and modeling the same 3 key words over and over and over. Continue the activity as long as your child continues interest.
You can take turns blowing wthi them if you want to.
What to say:
Great first words to practice with Bubbles are:
Blow
Bubbles
Pop Pop Pop
Use these words over and over within the activity. Model the word with the action, such as holding up the bubble wand and saying “blow” before blowing. Do this a few times, then the next time, hold up the bubble wand but pause before saying “blow” giving your child time to maybe try to say it themselves!
As the bubbles fly around, practice pointing them out or catching them, saying “bubble.” Every time you pop a bubble, say “POP!” Continue modeling, and allowing pause time for your child to say these key words too.
If this is going well, you could also model 1-2 of these words:
Up (to blow up high)
Me (to indicate whose turn it is)
Big (for a big bubble)
Tiny (for tiny bubbles)
Uh oh/oh no (for any spills)
3 Activities designed to encourage toddler’s to say their first words! - Free PDF download with our bubbles activity + 2 more ↓
You May Also Like These At Home Speech Therapy Tips And Activities:
Created In Collaboration By:
Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP
Stephanie Burgener-Vader, MA CCC-SLP
Melissa Sartori, MS CCC-SLP
Yvette Faire-Bostick, MS CCC-SLP
© 2020-2022. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.
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