Language difficulties: daily activities

It is important to maintain the sense of fun in the activities you do with your child. It is also important to emphasize that language is a skill that is constantly solicited day in and day out. Imagine how frustrating it can be for a child to have to constantly be confronted with their difficulties. Therefore, keeping a balance between the moments when your child is free to play and when they must work on the various aspects of their language difficulties is critical. Remember, you are their parent and not their therapist.

Here are three ways how you can interact with your child, maintain balance and, above all, have fun!

• Set aside some time to do the activities that your child likes to do. Choose the ones that they are good at, that they feel they are good at, and that put their language skills to practice. These types of activities will help them develop a good sense of self-esteem and enhance the parent-child relationship.
• Engage in activities that will serve to improve their language skills, but use their favourite ones as a point of departure. For example, if they like to craft, use crafting to practice making sentences, "I am gluing the eyes," or to learn to name the different colours. If they like to go to the park, make the most of your time there to practice using action verbs, "I am running, I am climbing, I am sliding," or using terms related to spatial concepts, "Go under the slide, climb up the slide, go down the slide, and go into the tunnel."
• Make the most of daily living tasks to motivate your child to speak. While dressing them, name each clothing item and their colour, and practice making relevant sentences. While giving your child a bath, name their different body parts and practice instruction comprehension, "Raise your arm," or "Raise your leg." While you are preparing meals or sitting at the table, name the different foods or use action verbs, such as mixing, cooking, cutting, etc.