How to support your baby or toddler at home

“What parents do is more important than who they are” (Research study 2008)

Studies have shown that what parents do with their children at home can have a positive and long-term impact.

Some of the key activities that have been shown to help are:

• Reading and sharing books
• Going to the library
• Going on visits
• Playing with letters & numbers
• Singing songs & rhymes
• Drawing & painting
• Playing with friends

Physical development

It is important for children to be physically active.

Ideas to help achieve their physical milestones:

• Help with dressing but let your child do the last steps, e.g. pulling up the zip after you have started it off
• Give them lots of opportunities to be active and practise running, jumping, balancing, climbing and swinging
• Encourage them to walk, scoot or bike to nursery or childminder
• Support your child to use tools with one hand e.g. scissors by putting your hand over theirs to help and then gradually reduce your help
• Encourage your child to pick up small items e.g. beads, small stones
• Do lots of mark making e.g. with paints, chalks and water, especially on upright surfaces like walls or easels

You can find some other ideas on physical activities for different ages, and tips for keeping your child active on the Healthier together website.

Understanding words and talking

Understanding words and talking is important for learning but also for being able to express yourself and not get frustrated, and for making friends. Try and take turns talking with your child.

Ideas to help achieve their understanding and talking milestones:

• Music, singing and rhymes are good for attention, listening, remembering and learning words
• Try and label emotions as they have them e.g. “you look a bit sad” “I think you might be worried because we’re going somewhere new”
• Make comments about what they are doing rather than ask lots of questions
• Children often need extra thinking time. Try to wait for 10 seconds before carrying on talking
• Share books and talk about the pictures
• If your child doesn’t always use the right word, just repeat it back correctly e.g. “I goed to the park” “you went to the park, that sounds fun”
• It is important to use your own language at home. Information on using and speaking more than one language can on the benefits of multilingualism in the family

Find ideas on how to develop your child's language skills, with lots of activities and play ideas by BBC Tiny Happy People.

Speech and Language UK are an organisation helping children learn how to talk and understand words. Visit Speech and Language UK.

Personal, social and emotional

Start for Life provides advice for pregnancy, birth, and parenthood, and tips and activities you can do with your child. Visit Start for Life.