Effective communication for kids is an important skill that will be useful in their life. Along with reading and writing, conversing which includes speaking and listening is essential for a child’s growth. The manner in which your child speaks and listens will make a huge difference in shaping their personality.
The most common question that parents have is how to develop communication skills in their child.
If you are one of those parents with this question running through your minds, then you have reached the right place.
In this article, we will give you 7 tips to help develop your child’s communication skills.
1. Give them enough time
A good way to develop communication skills for your child is to give them time to respond. Sometimes, in a hurry, parents tend to start talking even before their children finish their sentences. This will discourage your kids from speaking up the next time. Make sure to wait a full 5-10 seconds before you respond to your kids. They need the time to process the information.
2. Read a lot
Do not confine reading to books only. Encourage them to read any text they see. For instance, read the back of packaged food cans, advertisement billboards, posters on walls, etc. This type of reading will help with their speech and bring new words into their vocabulary.
3. Read to them at night
Along with your kids reading, it is essential that you read to them too. You might wonder what this would accomplish and where would I find the time to read to them? This is a pretty valid question. Reading to kids at night means your kids would have to listen to your reading to know how the story goes. This will give them the practice to listen to what the speaker has to say and thereby, improve their listening skills.
4. Ask open-ended questions
If you want your child to communicate better, then you need to give them the opportunity to communicate. This means asking them questions where kids can keep on talking. Use open-ended questions when you are conversing with your children. Research shows that such type of questions will improve their creative ability and problem-solving skills.
5. Appreciate their efforts
Each time your kid talks out loud and puts effort to communicate better, praise them for their efforts. When you hear them use a new word as part of their vocabulary, do not act surprised. Instead, compliment them for their interest in learning new words.
6. Let them watch knowledgeable shows
For kids, TV is their world. They learn a lot of things from what they watch on television. So, use this medium to teach them new words, better pronunciation, and different speaking styles. These types of visual aids will help them create images in their mind to relate to the words they speak.
7. Repetition is key
Repetition is key to learning. When kids are young, repeating sounds and words will help them etch the words and pronunciation in their minds. So, if there is any new word that you want your child to use in their language, then all you have to do is use it in your speech.
We hope these tips are useful to instill effective communication skills in your children. These tips will not get your child to communicate better in a day or two. Inculcate these in your daily routine and you will see your children communicating effectively over a period of time.
