When considering different language learning activities for young children it is imperative to understand the different cognitive milestones that are associated with every age. Knowing what your child is expected to be able to accomplish can set reasonable guidelines and benchmarks for the kind of learning that you attempt. For example, by the age of three, a child is expected to have an active vocabulary of approximately three hundred to one thousand words, and be able to to speak in sentences of about five to six words in length. At this age children chatter quite a bit, and attempt to imitate adult speech. The milestones change with each stage of development and growth. Therefore, assess your child's cognitive and social progress before selecting a language development activity for them.
A popular example of a language development activity is a camping trip with your child and his/her friends. Besides language development, children will also engage in extended dramatic play and develop useful socialization skills. A camping trip allows for active communication between the adults and the children, as well as among the children. Some activities involve discussing how sleeping and eating outdoors compares to doing the same inside the home, naming the different trees and plants and telling ghost stories around the campfire. This activity is easy to plan and execute, and is especially effective when combined with the reading of a book about camping prior to the trip.
For children under the age of one, the most critical language development task involves building their vocabulary. There are numerous natural and intuitive activities that allow a parent or care-giver to help a child master new words, both verbally and cognitively. One way to do this is to repeat sounds associated with various activities. When the baby is eating, repeatedly say "mmmm" to emphasize the early development of the m sound. Imitate the baby's vocalizations and gestures and name the objects that you see as you stroll through the neighborhood. Call attention to the different sounds in your environment--when you go to the beach, draw the baby's attention to the sounds of the ocean, the birds and the wind. This will all assist in the development of language skills.
Creating opportunities for communication is important when children get older, and the best way to do this is to provide them with interesting experiences that they are happy to discuss later. If the child is interested in super heroes, let him look at age-appropriate comic books, and follow that with a discussion where the child spends most of the time talking about the story, asking questions and discussing things that are of interest to him. Doing this involves understanding and anticipating the child's needs and interests, and creating an environment where those interests are exploited and developed into a communication opportunity.
It is perfectly natural to try and measure your child's intellectual development through visible and apparent behaviors, however, those are not always ideal indicators. For example, it is easy to assume that a social and highly verbal three year old is intellectually superior to a quiet shy child of the same age. While this may be the case, it is not necessarily so, and the only way to tell is to have both children professionally tested. Therefore, if you are concerned by your child's language development, consult a specialist for a personal assessment.