Books don’t just provide entertainment for children. They spark imagination, help bring children and grown-ups together, and are brilliant for supporting speech, language, and communication skills too!
Whether you’re cuddled up all snug before bed, laughing at silly pictures together, or getting creative using a book in pretend play scenes, here are some top tips to support your child’s communication skills during story time.
Follow Their Lead and Interests
Raising the next David Attenborough with a love for animals? A little dinosaur expert? Or perhaps a future Formula One driver in the making?
Go with it!
Children are more likely to stay engaged and communicate when books are based around the things they already love. Whether it’s diggers, bugs, princesses, space, tractors, or sharks, following your child’s interests helps make reading feel exciting, meaningful, and fun.
London Zoo has collaborated with Make Believe Ideas for all the budding zookeepers out there, and my own little dinosaur lover is a HUGE fan of My Green and Scaly Dinosaur ABC Backpack!
Story Time Doesn’t Always Have to Look Like Sitting Down and Reading
For some little ones, especially those with shorter attention spans, interactive books can help make reading feel much more engaging and fun.
Books with pop-its, flaps, sliders, textures, sounds, or actions for your child to copy can help keep little hands busy while little minds stay focused too.
I love the Never Touch A … series, which provides sensory and tactile elements, as well as Dinosaur Kingdom, which is packed full of actions to encourage your little one to release their inner dino!
Bring Stories Into Play
Books don’t have to end when the story finishes.
You could:
- Act out favourite scenes
- Use toys to recreate the story
- Draw favourite characters
- Go on a hunt for objects from the book
- Or even include the book in your next pretend play adventure! My First Busy Shop makes the perfect cash register for your little one’s next shopping spree!
Making Story Time Even More Supportive for Language Development
Remember that you don’t always have to read every word on every page. Simply talking about the pictures, pointing to items, and naming what you can see can be hugely beneficial for language learning. I LOVE The Toddler Playbook of Everything for this!
Repeated phrases and rhyming stories help children predict what comes next, making it easier for them to join in and remember new words. You might notice your little one beginning to finish familiar lines, copy sounds, or point to favourite pictures before you even say the words.
Next time, why not try pausing during their favourite story to see if they can fill in the gaps?
Remember, reading is all about connection, sharing special moments together, and having fun! Even if your little one only joins in for a few minutes, it still counts. Those small moments spent sharing stories can help build communication skills whilst also creating warm, special memories to last a lifetime.
For more tips from The Speech Mummy, visit her Instagram Page @thespeechmummy
