At Playscape, you'll often hear kids chatting about what they're up to, asking questions about their surroundings, listening to stories, looking at books, and singing songs. When they repeat and add more to their thoughts, they're also practicing and expressing themselves. 

You may also notice many instances of Serve and Return interactions, where one person reaches out (makes a bid for attention) and the other person responds. This back-and-forth exchange is the framework of conversation. Giving your time and attention to these interactions helps model this skill.

For younger children, these bids for attention may not be with words but could be through gestures or expressions. Though they may be non-verbal, they are still developing fundamental building blocks of connection and communication.

Looking for more inspiration at home? We love these resources:

Ideas to spark conversation with little ones
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/ideas-spark-rich-conversations-with-children

5 steps for brain building: Serve and Return
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/5-steps-for-brain-building-serve-and-return/

Reinforcing Language Skills
https://www.naeyc.org/our-work/families/reinforcing-language-skills