Toddler play: why it’s important for language development

Play is the main way that young children develop, learn and explore the world.

Playing with your toddler creates many opportunities for you to interact and talk together. And the more you play and talk together, the more words your toddler hears. This also gives your toddler the chance to learn how sounds, words and conversations work. This improves your toddler’s language skills and helps their brain develop.

When you spend time talking and playing together, it strengthens your relationship with your toddler. And a strong relationship with you is essential for development because it gives your toddler the confidence to keep exploring and learning.

What to expect: toddler language development

Toddlers learn new language skills over time and at different ages. But here’s what’s happening for most toddlers between 12 months and 3 years.

Between 12 and 18 months, toddlers can probably say a few words and know what those words mean. In the next few months, your toddler’s vocabulary will grow. Your toddler can understand more than they can say. They can also follow simple instructions like ‘Sit down’.

Between 18 months and 2 years, most toddlers will start to put 2 words together into short ‘sentences’. Your toddler will understand much of what you say, and you can understand most of what your toddler says to you. Unfamiliar people will understand about half of what your toddler says.

By 3 years, your toddler will  be able to speak in sentences of 3 or more words. Strangers can probably understand at least three-quarters of what your toddler says.

Talking can be frustrating for toddlers. They can have so much to tell you but can’t quite get the words out. Trying and making mistakes are important parts of learning. Your toddler will get there eventually with your support.

Find out more about language development between 1 and 2 years and language development between 2 and 3 years.

Language development happens in the same order in most toddlers. Small differences are usually nothing to worry about. But if you’re wondering whether your toddler’s language development is on track or you feel that something isn’t quite right, it’s good to get help early. Talk to your child and family health nurse or GP.

Play ideas to encourage toddler language

Toddlers respond best to encouragement and interest. So when you’re playing with your toddler and encouraging them to express themselves, focus on having fun together and letting your child lead play.

The more words you expose your toddler to, the more words they’ll learn. Here are ideas to get plenty of words into everyday activities and play with your toddler:

• Talk about the ordinary things you do each day – for example, ‘I’m hanging these clothes to dry outside’.
• Respond to and talk about your toddler’s interests. For example, if your toddler is pretending to drive a car, ask your toddler where they’re going, whether it’s a big or little car and so on.
• Read with your toddler, sing songs and recite nursery rhymes.
• Play with toys that your toddler likes – for example, trains, tea sets, blocks, simple puzzles or soft toys. This will often get your toddler talking.
• Repeat and build on your toddler’s words. For example, when your toddler says ‘train’, you can say, ‘Yes, it’s a big red train’. When you build on what your toddler says, you’re helping them build their vocabulary and learn conversation skills.
• When your toddler is ‘talking’, show that you’re listening by smiling, looking at your toddler, and getting down to your toddler’s level – for example, by joining them on the floor.
• Leave time after you talk to give your toddler a chance to reply. Your toddler might not always have the right words, but they’ll still try to respond. This helps toddlers learn about conversation.
• Point to and name body parts and clothing, or make it into a game – for example, ‘Where is Teddy’s mouth?’

If you’re raising multilingual or bilingual children, it’s a good idea to speak your heritage language in your home. Learning more than one language has many benefits for children.

Screen time, digital technology use and toddler language

Current national and international guidelines recommend that children under 2 years shouldn’t have screen time other than video-chatting with people they know. This is because very young children learn and develop best through everyday experiences like physical play, creative play, reading and social time with family and friends.

For children over 2 years, a balanced approach to screen time and digital technology use can be part of a healthy lifestyle that supports your toddler’s learning and language development. And when you share screen time and use digital technology with your toddler, you can talk together about what you’re doing and seeing.