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Tools for Talking 18-24 months: Expanding on toddlers' words

When your toddler is around 18 months old, you might start noticing them using more words and putting some of these words together to make short sentences.

At this stage, you might be wondering what you can do as a parent to help your child's language continue to grow.

What's the best way to respond to them when they put two words together? Should you respond in full sentences? Or keep your language simple at their level?

We asked the experts to explain their top tip for helping toddlers develop their language. Watch the video below to find out what they said.

What is expansion in language learning?

Expansion is a really easy tool to help develop your child's language skills.

When your child says a word or phrase, listen carefully and expand on what they talk about.

If they say a word, try to add to it and turn it into a short sentence. Repeat what they said with one extra detail or a more complete structure.

  • If you child says, â€Ćŕ´Ç˛µ!” You can say, “Yes, big dog!”
  • If your child says, “Coo moo” You can say, “Cow goes moo!”

This is a great technique to use when your toddler is really engaged, perhaps during an activity together or at lunchtime. You don't need to use this tool all the time when you're talking to your toddler.

It's important for your child to hear you speak in your every day voice too.

A mum and her son sit on the sofa and chat together.
Listen to their words or the gestures they use to communicate with you and expand on what they talk about.

Top tips for expanding toddler's language

When you’re using the expansion technique, try and keep in mind the language level that your child is at:

  • If your child isn't vocalising words yet, try and emphasise one word at a time in your daily routine: “Milk”, “Eat”, “Clothes”
  • If they’re confident saying one word at a time, you can repeat a 2-word phrase back to them: “Eating lunch”, “More milk”, “Green clothes”
  • If they're talking in simple phrases, you can start narrating in fuller sentences: "That's a blue car", "We're hanging up the washing"

Your child is listening and learning all the time. When you repeat and expand their language at the right level, their brain is working out how different words connect and link together.

Don't expect your child to repeat you, they won't be at this stage straight away. But their brain is always making new connections, and this is a great way to help them pick up the new skill.

Activities to help expand your toddler's language

The activities below are the perfect opportunity to try out language expansion with your toddler. They're fun and easy to do, and lots of them can become a part of your everyday routine:

A mum and her son sit on the sofa and chat together.
Listen to their words or the gestures they use to communicate with you and expand on what they talk about.

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