Is your kiddo doing that thing where they point and grunt to tell you what they want? Are they grabbing your hand, forcing you off the couch, to lead you to what they want?

That’s awesome! They are showing great communicative intent!

To get them talking, try giving them choices.

When they’re in their highchair pointing to the refrigerator, ask “Do you want water or milk?” “Do you want an apple or banana?” Or during playtime, prompt them to respond when you ask “Do you want more blocks, or should we play with the ball?”

Sometimes even if you KNOW the answer (as in, duh— this kid LOVES bananas, he’ll never go for an apple), provide them with a choice so that they get more exposures to words and eventually start to vocalize their choice.

And… don’t forget to wait….. like, really wait…..

Wait for your child to use some sort of other means of communicating besides the pointing and grunting. Maybe you can get the beginnings of a consonant (like “na” for banana).

Patience, grasshopper. Those sounds and words are close on the horizon.