Infants and Toddlers: Introducing New Vocabulary for Language Development

If you are using our infant and toddler albums, you will already be talking with your child using natural language and a full vocabulary, not a truncated "baby speak" type of dialog. In this case, it will be easy to integrate new vocabulary.

As September unfolds, use the changing season to introduce new vocabulary in context as you remark on the falling autumn leaves, the beautiful colors of the maple leaves as they turn red, and the shapes of leaves as you and your child gather them.

Take a walk with your child to collect leaves. Your child can collect whatever he or she likes, but you should collect one or two specimens of each type of tree. Take them home for discussion.

Even walking holding an infant, you can embark upon the same rich dialog and introduction of vocabulary. Sit down and let your infant touch and hold the leaves as you talk.

In the first year of Primary class, ages 2 1/2 to 3 1/2, children learn to work with cards and labels that contain the names of the shapes of leaves as well as trees, flowers, and other plants, so this is great preparatory work.