Talking all day long

Ages 0 to 2 A grown-up reads and plays along · about 5 minutes

Read together

I love to hear you. I love to talk with you.

Now we wash your hands. The water is warm. Splash, splash!

Do it

1. Choose one daily job, such as a bath, a meal or getting dressed.
2. Say what you are doing in simple words, slowly: “Sock on. Other sock. Shoes!”
3. Stop and wait a few seconds. Watch for a sound, a smile or a wave. Answer back, as if they had spoken.
4. Do this in your own language, or in all three.

Talk about it

• What sound does your baby make back?
• Which job is easiest to talk through?

For the grown-up

Babies learn language from hearing it in warm, real moments. You do not need special words. You need your voice and your attention.

Do not worry about what you say. If you feel silly, remember that your child is the one listening, and they love your voice.

Mark as done

Next lesson →

Where this comes from

• American Academy of Pediatrics, “Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice”, Pediatrics 134 (2014): 404 to 409
• World Health Organization, UNICEF and World Bank Group, Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development: A Framework (2018)

Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed. Please read it before sharing it with a child.