December 1, 2008

Prof: Give infants, toddlers the gift of language this holiday season

"Holiday decorating and family stories lend themselves to conversations that provide rich context to a child's developing language skills," says George Hollich, an associate professor of psychological sciences. "Most parents talk business with their children, with instructions like, 'Put on your coat' or 'Eat your peas,' but parents who keep a constant running commentary - 'Look at the tree with lights' or 'What color is that present?' - tend to have children with larger vocabularies."

Parents also should engage more with their child when talking, especially by making eye contact, says Hollich, who is director of Purdue's Infant Language Laboratory. "Not only does this help the child hear better, but it strengthens the social connection which is at the heart of communication."

Look for activities that are imaginative, such as playing dress-up, as well as reading storybooks and even telling stories.

"Children like order, so tell a narrative. First, we're going to drive to grandma's house. Then, we're going to eat dinner, and then open presents."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children younger than 2, but when older children watch holiday movies, their parents should use the shows as a springboard to talk about a theme or activity, he says. If the cartoon characters decorate cookies or play in the snow, then the parents and child also can do the same.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu  

Source: George Hollich, (765) 494-2224, ghollich@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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