The following ideas create opportunities for joining words together. During these activities, aim to use modelling, commenting and expanding to show children how to do this.

• Modelling means showing a child how to use language by linking words to a real-life object, action, concept or feeling.
• Commenting means adding meaning to words by talking about what you are doing in real-life situations.
• Expanding means listening to what your child says and adding another word to show them how to put words together.

Remember to use plenty of repetition and pausing so that children have time to listen and respond.

Activity ideas

Lights, camera, action!

Take photos or videos of your child and important people in their life doing different actions.

Look back at them together and encourage your child to talk about what happened.

They could also show and tell another person, such as a friend or relative, either face to face or over the telephone or a video call.

Action pictures

Find pictures of people or characters doing different actions.

Look at the picture and encourage your child to talk about what is happening.

You may need to help by starting the sentence, for example:

“The boy is…”

You can make this more fun by using a game alongside the activity, such as:

• fishing
• Pop Up Pirate
• another favourite game.

Simon says

Take turns giving instructions in a Simon Says style game.

For example:

• clap hands
• stamp feet
• nod head
• brush teeth.

Bubbles

Encourage your child to request bubbles in different ways.

For example:

• big bubbles or little bubbles?
• bubbles up or bubbles down?
• bubbles on your feet or bubbles on your hands?
• pop bubbles or kick bubbles?

Remember to use gestures or signs alongside spoken language to support understanding.

Animal actions

Use toy animals and model them:

• running
• jumping
• sleeping
• flying.

Take turns with your child to make the animal complete an action and encourage them to name it.

For example:

• cow jumping
• pig flying
• horse sleeping.

Obstacle courses

Set up an obstacle course and tell your child where to go.

For example:

• under the table
• on the chair
• on the swing
• under the slide.

Use gestures and signs to support understanding.

Take turns so your child can give instructions to you as well.

Remember

Children learn through play, so have fun and model language while you play.