Three-year-olds are of an age where their language abilities are becoming more sophisticated and adult-like. It's important to nurture this development in order to prepare them for their schooling and life in general. The most important aspect of developing language skills is to constantly interact with children.

Here are some suggestions on how to support language development in 3-year-olds:

Talk To Children

Constantly talking to children by commenting on activities and events is crucial for supporting early language development. When children hear language used within functional contexts (such as what needs to be bought at the shops), their understanding of words and their meanings increases. Model grammatically correct five-six word sentences.

Repetition

Emphasise and repeat single words, phrases and sentences for children to imitate. Simplify language so that three-year-olds are able to attempt to copy what adults say. This is an important opportunity for children to learn how to structure sentences.

Books

Use books to teach new words so as to help build language and literacy skills. By joining the local library and regularly borrowing books, children will consider reading to be a normal everyday actitivity. This is best achieved when they see others also borrowing books and reading frequently. Children imitate what they observe.

Reading

It's important that children become comfortable with books, so that it's easier for them when they start school. Three-year-olds wouldn't be expected to read, however, having a story read to them daily will support their language and general learning skills. Look at books with children and discuss the pictures on the pages. Once children are familiar with particular books, they will be able to "read" them to others by using the illustrations as prompts. That's why it's good to buy and borrow books with engaging illustrations and simple language that children will easily recall.

Scrapbook Diary

Use a scrapbook to make a “diary” with children. Adults can write a sentence about an activity that they did and children can draw a picture or stick in anything that relates to what’s being described.

Music

Sing and dance with children, as music assists language development

Toys

Provide early development toys that encourage creativity and stimulate the imagination. These may include books, musical instruments, crayons, colouring books, scrap paper for drawing/cutting/pasting, farm sets, dressing-up clothes, tool sets, cooking/tea sets, dolls, and boxes/blankets for cubby houses. Consider joining a local toy library to reduce the cost of buying toys, as children tend to frequently want to play with "new" toys.

Outdoor and Water Play

By playing outdoors, there's the opportunity to support gross motor skill development as well as language. Have fun playing in sandpits and water. Set up obstacle courses which require children to practise listening and following instructions.

Social Language Development

Join a local playgroup/preschool that encourages children to play together and with toys that they may not have themselves. This is also a valuable opportunity for parents to have conversations with other adults rather than just children.

By the age of three children should be progressing well with the language development in preparation for their academic education. If children appear to be struggling, seek further advice on language development, including that of a speech-language pathologist.