Read a short storybook with your preschooler on a daily basis. Rather than doing all the reading yourself, encourage the child to take turns reading with you. Don’t limit this activity to merely reading. Extra activities allow your child to engage the text while practicing verbal skills. For example, before reading, ask your preschooler to guess the premise of the story based on the title. After finishing the book, ask him to retell the story in his own words.
Play naming games with your preschooler. For example, when you are at the grocery store, challenge your child to name the kinds of fruit you find in the aisles. You can even stay at home and simply name household appliances or kitchen utensils. Extend the game by asking her to name additional items that belong to the same category. Games like this will reinforce categorical concepts and expand your preschooler’s vocabulary, which increases her confidence in her verbal skills.
Provide opportunities for your preschooler to speak up. Pause frequently after speaking to give him time to respond during conversations. Ask him questions about his day, opinions and interests. Open-ended questions are more likely to yield longer answers. If he still provides short answers, prompt him to elaborate. Try not to talk too fast. Slow your speech and speak clearly; not only is it important for your preschooler to understand you, but he can also mimic your pronunciation and vocabulary. Be a good role model for your child.
Praise your preschooler for talking. In addition, be an active listener and show an interest in what she is saying. Your encouraging words and feedback will boost her self-esteem and reinforce the idea that her opinions are important. Offer definitions when specific words confuse your preschooler, especially when you are reading books. Use the word in a context that she will understand. If she feels frustrated with a word or concept, remind her that even adults have room to improve their vocabularies.