Use Verbal Routines to Help Improve Language

Verbal Routines is hands down my very favourite strategy to help children begin their journey with verbal communication. It has all the best talking strategies rolled into 1:

1) repetition
2) simplicity
3) setting a clear expectation

The key with verbal routines is to use the same phrase every time you do the same activity. You can create as many verbal routines as you want, making them individualized to your own daily routines! Here are some examples of my favourite Verbal Routines to use every day:

Remember, the key with verbal routines is to say the same phrase, in the same way, every time you complete the activity.

The target word we are helping the child learn to say is the last word in the phrase.

For example, in the Verbal Routine “Ready…Set…Go”, the target word is ‘GO’.

In the Verbal Routine: “I…see…me”, the target word is ‘ME’.

After repeating the Verbal Routine many, many, many times, start to leave a pause before the target word to see if your child will ‘fill-it-in!’.

Remember, children need to hear Verbal Routines over and over and over…and over again in order to learn the expectation! Consistency is key…so repeat, repeat, repeat! 

Make the Verbal Routines relevant to your daily life activities with your toddler. 

And maybe the MOST important thing…have fun with it!