5 ways to get your toddler talking as you read together 

Does your toddler talk over you during story time—or all the time? 🙃

This can be a sign something important is happening. They’re learning to use words to communicate their needs, wants, and opinions.

Whenever your child listens to you read, they have an opportunity to learn new vocabulary, hear the rhythm of language, and understand how a sentence is put together. These are all key receptive language skills. But research shows that reading can also be a powerful way to boost your toddler’s expressive language skills. Try these simple strategies.

1. Expand on your child’s comments

Take a moment to respond to your toddler when they interrupt. You can even use unrelated comments to bring their attention back to the story. For example, if your toddler yells out “apple” during a story that has no apples in it, you can say: “Yes, apples are delicious. Do you think Bea likes apples?” 

2. Relate the story to your child’s experience

Toddlers love to feel like they are part of the story. The key is to connect what’s happening in the book to something your child has experienced in real life. “Look, that boy is going down the slide at the park. You did that this morning! Your slide was blue.” Pause for a few seconds to give them a chance to consider the connection and respond. 

3. Provide positive feedback

Your toddler may touch the book, point at a character, repeat a word, or turn the page. When they show interest like this, offer some encouragement to keep them engaged: “Thank you for turning the page! Let’s read the next one, and you can turn the page again” or “You waved bye-bye to Max at the end. I can tell you liked this story. Do you want to read it again?”

4. Ask open-ended questions

Your toddler is learning how to respond to questions that don’t have a simple yes or no answer. Reading time can be a great chance to practice this language-building skill. Try asking, “Who was your favorite person in the story?” or point to an object in the book and ask, “What is this?”

5. Be flexible during reading time

It can be hard for toddlers to sit through an entire book. Most can only pay attention for a few minutes at a time. Finishing the story may be important to you, but it isn’t necessary for your toddler’s language development. If your child’s interest fades halfway through, consider switching to a different book, returning to a favorite page, or trying again later.

Learn more about the research

Trivette, C. M., Dunst, C. J., & Gorman, E. (2010). Effects of parent-mediated joint book reading on the early language development of toddlers and preschoolers. Center for Early Literacy Learning, 3(2), 1-15.

In this post

Book Bundles for The Play Kits

Having the right books at the right time makes all the difference during your child’s early years. Enjoy even more stage-based books—featuring real stories and families—when you add our Book Bundles to your Play Kits Subscription.

Learn more