Talking and playing together is the best way to support your child’s language development.
Why is it important?
Young children learn best through play. Children learn to link words to objects, actions and concepts through their play. They also learn about sharing, interacting, and communicating with others.
Join your child playing with whatever they are interested in. Try and let your child lead the play but add in words and phrases to describe what they are doing. By doing this you will help your child learn hundreds of new words, new sentence structures and develop their knowledge of how the world works.
First point of contact
If you are concerned about your child’s communication or language skills then you can talk to your GP or health visitor. Alternatively, go along to one of Hackney’s CATCH clinics run by the speech and language therapy team. They will listen to your concerns and give you advice about how you can help your child.
Local services and information
Hackney and City Health Visiting service
020 7683 4151 (9-5pm Monday to Friday)
huh-tr.hackneyandcityhv@nhs.net
- Activities at Hackney libraries
- Get help for your mental health (Talk Changes)
- Parenting and mental health support for children, young people and their families
- Hackney Support for Early Years (Local Offer)
Your local children’s centre will have regular stay and play and music sessions which you can go to. These are a great way of meeting other parents, getting ideas for new play activities or learning some new songs.
Get Hackney Talking
- Speech and language milestones
- Information and ideas to support children with speech and language
- Get Hackney Talking - support for all
National resources
These websites are a good place to start if you would like to learn more about promoting your baby’s communication through play and sharing books together:
- Helping your toddler to pronounce word correctly (Tiny Happy People video)
- Talk and play activities and tips (Words for Life)
- Play ideas 9-12 month old baby (Tiny Happy People)
- How to entertain your child when tired and stressed
- The toddler club - reading tips (Tiny Happy People)
- Watch me play - a play manual for parents
- Looking after your child's mental health (video)
- Look say sing play - sign up here for regular support and information
- Tiny Happy People resource bank
- Supporting bilingual babies and speaking multiple languages at home (videos)
- How toddlers learn to count (video)
- Make a sensory bottle
- Download review on how learning takes place in the first five years
Out and about ‘talk and play’ ideas
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