Develop your child’s speaking skills and senses

Teaching your child about the outside world is a fun way for your child to get outdoors, get messy and develop their senses. It is also a great talking point for you and your toddler.

Take your toddler out doors

Taking your toddler on a picnic, get them to climb trees (under your supervision), get your toddler strawberry picking, building sandcastles, and playing in the dirt.All of these form a vital part of your toddler’s development.

By picking things up, touching different textures, smelling different smells and hearing new sounds will help to develop your children’s senses.

Ideas of places to take your children

• Local Park – great for interacting with your toddler. You can play football, climb trees, walk the dog and best of all its free.
Moors – take a picnic, play in the stream, and look at local wildlife. This free activity will guarantee you and your toddler will have a lot to talk about.

• Farm/zoo – Discuss different animals with your toddler, how do they look and feel. What noises do they make? Can your toddler roar like a lion? What animal does your toddler like best? Make a day out at the zoo with your toddler and understand what your toddler likes and does not like.
• Strawberry/blackberry picking – You must have done it as a child, so don't let your toddler miss out. Let them try strawberries/blackberries after they have picked them. Let your child feel the different textures. It’s a great way to get your toddler interested in fruit and trying new things.
• Beach – build sandcastles, go rock pooling, play in the ocean, watch the seagulls, collect pretty shells. There is loads for your toddler to do at the beach and it is a great opportunity for your toddler to feel new textures, get messy and have fun.
• Aquarium – look at the different fish and discuss the different colours/sizes. Prompt your toddler with questions to get them talking.
• Pet shop – Visit the local pet shop and let your toddler look at the different animals. Prompt your toddler into showing you what they like and which animals they don't like. Get to know your toddler and how they see the world. See if your toddler can do impressions of the different animals.
• Museum – There are loads of different types of museums – pick one you are interested in and show your toddler different experiences. There are lots of interactive museums as well, which means your toddler can get their hands stuck in – its amazing how much your toddler will learn and remember.
• Train ride – take your child on a train. The motion of the train and different sounds will have different affects on different children, so see how your toddler reacts. Try different trains; for example see if there is a steam train running near you. Use the time to talk with your toddler. Talk about the scenery and maybe even eat your lunch on the train.
• Pottery and painting – put your toddler in some old clothes and take them to make pottery or paint pottery. Your toddler will love getting messy and feeling different textures. When painting, discuss the different colours and use it as an opportunity to teach your child their colours as they paint.

All the above ideas are great opportunities for you to bond with your toddler and encourage your toddler to talk, with out them feeling pressured into talking.

Let your child explore the world. Let them touch and feel different textures. Let them learn colours and shapes in an interactive environment. They have many years ahead of them where they will be in a classroom and learning out of a book. Let your toddler see the world, learn, interact and develop their senses.