Kids love having choices. It’s a chance to express their individuality and have some control over their environment. And when it comes to developing good habits, giving kids choices is critical in your baby's language development. That’s because habits are all about forming new neural pathways in the brain. And that process takes repetition. A lot of repetition. So the more times kids make a particular choice, the more likely it is to become a habit.
But here’s the thing: for kids, making choices can be exhausting. They have to think about what they’re doing and why they’re doing it. That’s why it’s important to give them some structure when it comes to developing good habits to promote your baby’s language development.
In this article we will discuss:
12 Good habits that can develop your baby's language skills
Let’s talk about 12 good habits you can teach your child and introduce them to their daily routine. Children need guidance from their parents to ensure that they are developing good habits. With these simple habits, your child can develop into a well-rounded individual.
1. Washing hands before and after meals
Washing hands is quite an easy job to do. Yet, some children won’t understand the importance of it if we don’t tell them what its for. It is our job as parents to guide them and tell them the importance of washing their hands. Washing the hands can help prevent getting sick. It also helps remove dirt and food particles that may be stuck on the hands.
2. Brushing teeth every after meals
Like washing the hands, brushing the teeth is also an important habit to teach your child. It prevents oral cavity and other teeth-related complications. Children may think it’s a burden to brush their teeth. Yet, implying the importance of it to them at an early age will make them realize that it is actually a good habit. A part of your baby’s language development is learning the basic things you do at home. When you brush your child’s teeth, it is better to do it together! This way, you can show them how it is done and what the proper techniques are. By doing this, your child will learn more about taking care of their teeth and they might even enjoy doing it!
Expand your baby's language with speech therapy
3. Eating healthy foods
Most likely, children love to eat anything crispy. They demand to eat fast food, sweets, and chips. Yet, we all know that this food is not good for our child. Although as parents, it’s easier to prepare. We should start introducing healthy food to our children. First, it is important to show them that you yourself enjoy eating such food. Second, make it fun and motivating. Prepare food with different colors to encourage them to eat healthy food! Eating healthy creates healthy eating habits that will last with them until adulthood.
4. Drinking plenty of water
Water is the most essential nutrient that our body needs. It helps to flush out toxins and it also regulates our body temperature. Drinking water is very important, especially for children. They need to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day to stay hydrated. To make sure your child is drinking enough water, put a glass of water in front of them every mealtime. You can also put a water bottle in their school bag so they can have easy access to it during class hours.
5. Going to the toilet on time
It is important for children to learn how to control their bladder. This habit should be taught to them at an early age so that they will not have any difficulties when they are older. One way to do this is to put a timer on the toilet. When they sit on the toilet, start the timer and see how long it takes them to go. The goal is to have them finish within 3 minutes. If they are able to do this, then they are doing great!
6. Washing face and feet before going to bed
Washing up is an important habit to prevent dirt and bacteria from entering our bodies! It also helps us relax and feel refreshed when we wake up in the morning. Make sure your child washes their face and feet before bed! Put a sign on the bathroom door that says “Wash up before you sleep”. You can also set a bedtime routine for your child so that they know exactly what they need to do before sleep.
7. Doing physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day
Physical activity is important for children to stay fit and healthy. It helps them develop strong bones and muscles, and it also helps them maintain a healthy weight. To make sure your child is getting enough physical activity, enroll them in a sport or take them to the park to play. You can also do simple exercises at home with your child such as running, jumping, and dancing.
8. Reading books for 20 minutes every day
Reading is a great way to improve your child’s language skills. It also helps them develop their imagination and learn new words. To make sure your child is reading every day, set aside some time for reading before bedtime. You can also put a bookshelf in their room so they can choose a book to read anytime they want.
9. Going to bed early and waking up early
It is important for children to get enough sleep so that they can grow and develop properly. Children need at least 10 hours of sleep every day. To make sure your child is getting enough sleep, put them to bed early and set a regular wake-up time. You can also put a sign on their door that says “Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!”
10. Doing homework on time
Homework is an important part of your child’s education. It helps them review what they have learned in class and it also allows you to see how well they are doing. To make sure your child is doing their homework on time, create a homework schedule and post it on the fridge. You can also help your child with their homework if they are having difficulty.
11. Do Not Harm Animals or Birds
Harming animals is a bad habit. You should discourage your kids from doing this! Make sure your child does not harm animals. Talk to them about the importance of respecting all living creatures. You can also take them to the zoo or animal shelter so they can learn more about animals.
12. Do Not Use Bad Words
Using bad words is not a good habit. It should be discouraged. To make sure your child does not use bad words, talk to them about the importance of using polite language. You can also set up a chart to track the number of times they use bad words. If they reach a certain number, then they have to do a chore for you. These are some of the many things that you can do to help your child develop good habits. This can also promote your baby’s language development. Remember, it is never too early to start teaching your child how to live a healthy and happy life. So what are you waiting for? Start today! When it comes to developing good habits, kids need both freedom and structure. Giving them choices within a set of parameters helps them feel in control. It will still provide the guidance they need to form new habits that will serve them well throughout their lives.
Speech Therapy Activities at Home
You can do speech therapy activities at home! By developing can improve your baby’s language development.
1. Play “I Spy”
Speech therapy activities at home that is a great way to help your child improve their listening skills is I Spy! To play this game, you will need to choose an object in the room. You have to say, “I spy with my eye something that is…” Then describe the object using one or two adjectives. For example, “I spy with my eye something that is soft and cuddly.” Your child will then have to guess what the object is. There is no such thing as perfect speech development toys. Any toy that can help your baby learn new words and phrases is a good speech development toy.
2. Sort objects by category
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child learn about different concepts such as size, shape, and color. To do this activity, you will need to gather a bunch of speech development toys. This can be objects from around the house. You can then sort the objects into different categories. For example, you can put all the blue objects together or all the rectangular objects together, etc.
3. Make a list of things that start with each letter of the alphabet
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child learn the alphabet and improve their writing skills. To do this activity, you will need a piece of paper and a pencil. Write down the letters of the alphabet on a piece of paper. Then help your child think of things that start with each letter. For example, for the letter “A” you can write “apple,” “ant,” or “airplane.”
4. Read stories together
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child develop their reading skills. To do this activity, you will need to find a story that is appropriate for your child’s age and reading level. Then sit down with your child and read the story together. As you read, point out words that are new or difficult to pronounce. Help your child sound out the words if they need help.
5. Draw pictures of things you see on a walk
This is one of many speech therapy activities at home that is a great way to help your child learn about their surroundings. It can also develop their fine motor skills. To do this activity, you will need a piece of paper and a pencil. Go for a walk with your child and have them draw pictures of things they see. For example, they can draw a picture of a tree, a cloud, or a bird.
6. Put together puzzles
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child develop their problem-solving skills. To do this activity, you will need to find speech development toys such as a puzzle that is appropriate for your child’s age and skill level. Then sit down with your child and work on the puzzle together. Help them if they need it, but let them try to figure it out on their own first.
7. Play catch
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child develop their gross motor skills. To do this activity, you will need a ball. Stand in front of your child and throw the ball back and forth to them. Start out slowly and then increase the speed as your child gets better at catching the ball.
8. Make a collage
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child develop their creative skills. To do this activity, you will need some old magazines, scissors, and glue. Look through the magazines and cut out pictures that you like. Then help your child glue the pictures onto a piece of paper to make a collage.
9. Plant a garden
This activity is a great way to help your child learn about nature and develop their motor skills. To do this activity, you will need some speech development toys such as soil, seeds, and small pots or containers. Help your child plant the seeds and then water them. Once the plants have grown, help your child care for them by watering them and pulling up any weeds.
10. Build a fort
These speech therapy activities at home are a great way to help your child use their imagination and develop their motor skills. To do this activity, you will need some blankets, pillows, and chairs. Help your child build a fort by draping the blankets over the chairs. Then let them play inside the fort with their toys.
So how can you give your kids the opportunity to make choices? Try using a routine chart. A routine chart is a great way to help kids understand what’s expected of them and gives them a sense of control over their environment. It also provides opportunities for repetition. This is key when it comes to developing good habits.
At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
About the Author
Mikee Larrazabal
I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with 14 years of experience working with children and adults who have communication difficulties. I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science at Cebu Doctors' University and have been helping people overcome their communication challenges ever since.
I have worked with individuals of different ages, including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, adults and seniors. I'm passionate about speech therapy and take great satisfaction in helping people overcome their communication challenges and improve their lives through better communication skills. In my spare time I like reading books, going hiking in nature and taking care of my dog Locas.
