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. If your child is attending a nursery in Hackney, you could also talk to them.
Alternatively, you can contact the Speech and Language Therapy Service to book an appointment with a Speech and Language Therapist or 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–Friday)
huh-tr.hackneyandcityhv@nhs.net
- 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
Other support services and resources
National resources
These websites are a good place to start if you would like to learn more about promoting your child’s communication through play and sharing books together:
- Words for Life activities
- Learning conversations and telling stories
- Collection of activities (CBeebies parenting)
- Communicating resources (Family Corner)
- Speech and language help for families
- Supporting parents with tops and activity ideas (PEEP)
- Helping your toddler to pronounce words correctly (Tiny Happy People)
- Talk and play activities and tips (Words for Life)
- Reading with your child (Words for Life)
- Help your toddler to extend their sentences (Tiny Happy People)
- Every day ways to support your child’s language (Tiny Happy People)
- How to entertain your child when tired and stressed
- 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)
- Download review on how learning takes place in the first five years