What particular things I can do to help my child / young person with their understanding, talking or communication
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The resources here will help you reach the outcome: "I know what particular activities help my baby's early communication development."
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Tiny Happy People
Tiny Happy People BBC website provides a wide range of information, ideas and activities for parents to use in daily routines to help develop their baby's communication skills. It includes information about what to expect and when as well as activities and games to play to help speech, language and communication. It includes information, ideas and activities for parents of babies with SEND.
Cost: Free
Reduce screen time
Screens can often distract both babies and adults from every day interactions and communication. Try to reduce your and your baby's screen time to increase opportunities for playing and interacting together. This simple video from Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust outlines key messages using screens.
Tiny Happy People activities
Tiny Happy People BBC website provides a wide range of information, ideas and activities for you to use in daily routines to help develop their baby's communication skills. It includes activities and games to play to help speech, language and communication.
Cost: Free
Tiny Happy People SEND information
This area of the Tiny Happy People BBC website provides a wide range of information, ideas and activities for parents of babies with SEND.
Cost: Free
Parent information, advice and resources - Worcestershire
The Worcestershire Speech and Language Therapy service website provides a comprehensive range of resources, advice and You Tube videos to help parents to support their child /young person at home.
Visit the website to find:
- Information about speech, language and communication
- Free resources you can download and use at home
- Links to our You Tube channel where you will find demonstrations of activities you can do at home
- Further information about the local team, where we work and what services we provide
Cost: Free
Be face to face at the baby's level
Being face to face with babies helps them to listen, concentrate and understand the message you are sharing. It also helps you to see where the baby's focus is and what they are trying to communicate. This simple video produced by Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust shows why this is important.
Cost: Free
Sing songs and rhymes
Singing songs and rhymes together really help your baby's communication skills to grow. Nottinghamshire Language for Life have produced videos for parents and carers that you can see by clicking the playlist on this page. Visit the 'words' page to learn the words to these songs and rhymes
Cost: Free
Share books with babies
Sharing books is a great way to help your baby's talking. Making books part of your daily routine really helps to develop shared focus and communication skills. Nottinghamshire Language for Life have produced this information leaflet about book sharing as well as many other top tips leaflets to help understand how to support speech, language and communication.
Cost: Free
Switch off and talk
Babies learn from watching the adults around them, switching off devices supports their communication development. This webpage and leaflet provides you with information about why this is important.
Speech and Language UK How to support your child
This information about how to support your baby forms part of Speech and Language UK's guide to the typical stages of speech and language development. Children develop language at different rates and understanding what is typical and what you can do to support your baby can help you give them the best start on their journey to developing communication skills.
Cost: Free
Follow the baby's lead
Giving our baby a chance to play with and explore the objects and toys around them gives you the perfect opportunity to follow their lead, see what they are interested in and talk about it. Talking about what your baby is interested in shows them that you value what they are doing and helps them to make links with the words you say.
Cost: Free
TCT Universally Speaking 0-5
Universally Speaking is a booklet with information about typical communication skills, including attention and listening and understanding; interactions and speech. Use the booklet to find out whether your baby is on the right track, what helps them learn to talk and listen and what to do if you have concerns about any of their communication abilities.
Cost: Free
PEEP
Peep Communication and Language strand - evidence-based parenting programme for parents and babies together to attend together. There is a focus on bonding, attachment and the quality of the home learning environment as well as a focus on communication and language. You have the opportunity to gain 3 credits towards NOCN Learning Together at home.
Peep Early Literacy Strand - evidence-based parenting programme for parents and children to attend together. There is a focus on bonding, attachment and the quality of the home learning environment as well as a focus on literacy. You have the opportunity to gain 3 credits towards NOCN Learning Together at home.
Cost: Free
Labelling and Commenting
Using real word labels and commenting on what your baby is interested in helps them to learn new words. Here NHS Tayside's Rhyming Robin and Chatty and Charlie share information about how to do this as well as many other top tips for learning words.
Cost: Free
Copy, repeat, imitate
Copying your baby's sounds and actions shows them you're interested in what they are saying and doing, encourages them to do more and shows them how conversations and communication works. Here NHS Lothian share ideas of what you can do to help your baby's early communication skills.
Cost: Free
Greater Manchester 10 Tips for Talking
The Greater Manchester (GM) 10 Tips for Talking are ten key messages to support the development of language and communication skills for babies and young children and can be used by everyone. Each tip is designed to give families and anyone working with children some small suggestions that can make a big difference and help give children the best start. Each message is based on sound research and is delivered by children.
Cost: Free
Makaton sign and symbol resources
These free Makaton resources are available for you to access and use to support communication with your baby. These symbols and signs help you to provide extra information and clues about what you are saying as well as support the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening and understanding.
Cost: Free
Using visual support
Parents play a key role in supporting their babies language and communication skills in everyday life. Children learn about the world through their experiences and interests particularly within their play. Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust provide information and opportunities for families to learn more about developing speech and language - this video introduces how to use visual support to help communication.
Cost: Free
Watch, wait, listen and respond
Watching, waiting, listening and responding is a powerful way that we can help babies develop early communication skills. Waiting for babies to take their turn or share what they are interested in can be difficult when we are busy getting on with life. However it is key to giving babies opportunities to play the communication game. This leaflet and video from the Speech and Language Therapy Service in Greater Glasgow and Clyde outlines why and how to wait and respond. It forms part of a wider series of useful information for parents, carers and professionals.
Cost: Free
Learning more than one language
Many children grow up learning more than one language. This information leaflet from NHS Forth Valley provides you with useful information and top tips about what you can do to help your baby on their way to being bilingual or multilingual.
Cost: Free
Speech and Language Chatter Matters
This series of videos for parents and carers outlines how speech, language and communication skills develop; what families can do to support their baby; how these skills develop over time; children with speech and language needs and how to access information and support.
Cost: Free
National Literacy Trust Bilingual quick tips
The National Literacy Trust has produced a series of bilingual quick tips for parents and practitioners to help children develop good talking and listening skills. There are lots of different languages. Copies can be downloaded and shared with families.
- Say hello to your new baby
- Dummies and talking
- Talk to your baby and child in your own language
- Making the most of television
- Talking with your baby
- Sharing songs and rhymes
- Playing with your baby
Cost: Free
Family Nurse Partnership
Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) is a home visiting programme for first-time young mums and families. It will help you to have a healthy pregnancy; improve your child's health and development and plan your futures.
Cost: Free
