There\u2019s a reason it\u2019s such an important milestone when your toddler says their<\/span> first words, but that doesn\u2019t mean words are the only way their<\/span> language skills are growing. Toddlers get better at communicating in words, but they also get much better at expressing themselves using their bodies as they grow from one-year-olds into more-year-olds. More than that, encouraging toddlers\u2019 nonverbal communication and communication through body language is an important part of encouraging their verbal skills as well.<\/span><\/p>\n When toddlers start to get good at making their feelings known by gesturing, pointing, and asking with their eyes, it can feel like a step back from verbal communication, but in reality, a developing understanding of body language is an important counterpoint for the development of verbal language. It might seem like responding to nonverbal communication isn\u2019t a great way to encourage Baby<\/span> to use their<\/span> words, but recognizing and encouraging their<\/span> efforts to communicate through body language, signs, and pointing, as well as through words, encourages them<\/span> to keep trying new things, and boosts their<\/span> confidence in their<\/span> ability to make themselves<\/span> understood. If you understand what they is<\/span> asking for when they points<\/span> to their<\/span> stuffed kitty, saying \u201cYou want the kitty?\u201d and handing the toy to them<\/span> and is actually a great way to encourage them<\/span> to take more risks with their<\/span> language in the future, like trying new words, new phrases, and maybe even some attempts at sentences.<\/span><\/p>\n Body language as a stepping stone<\/strong><\/p>\n Body language is the first kind of language Baby<\/span> ever learned, but it starts out one-sided – when they was<\/span> younger, they started<\/span> out by instinctively physically reacting to what they<\/span> felt and wanted. The communication began when you, your partner, or another caregiver, noticed and interpreted what they was<\/span> reacting to and responded, giving your then-infant their<\/span> first understanding of the fact that they can<\/span> have an effect on their<\/span> environment, and the way they reacts<\/span> with their<\/span> body can have an effect on the world around them<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Their<\/span> language skills have grown a lot since those very first steps towards language, but your toddler\u2019s verbal skills are still pretty new, and may not feel quite natural yet. This means that, when they is<\/span> agitated, tired, or upset, they may<\/span> be more likely to fall back into communication through gestures, body language, and crying to get their<\/span> point across.<\/span><\/p>\n On the other hand, though, growing language skills often happen at the same time that body language and gestures are starting to grow more complex. The development of language is closely related to the way toddlers play in that it starts to develop at around the time that imaginative play, or \u201cplaying pretend,\u201d starts to emerge. This is probably related to the development of symbolic thinking. Words are some of the first symbols children encounter, and they can be used to describe and stand in for just about anything in the world. Once children start to understand that they can use words to indicate something as simple as more milk in their cereal, or as complex as another human being, it makes sense that they\u2019ll also start to understand that the shiny toy car in the living room is a stand-in for the giant vehicle you bring them around town in – or that blowing a kiss is a stand-in for the way they will<\/span> miss you when you\u2019re gone.<\/span><\/p>\n The main way you teach Baby<\/span> about body language is by modeling it to them<\/span>, in the way your body communicates your moods to them<\/span> when you talk. When you communicate with Baby<\/span> nonverbally, whether you mean to or not, you\u2019re teaching them<\/span> to communicate with you nonverbally right back.<\/span><\/p>\n Just like body language, you\u2019re teaching Baby<\/span> to speak every time you talk to them<\/span>. If you want to, though, you can encourage your toddler to communicate what they wants<\/span> from you in a more active way every now and then, especially if they is<\/span> a little reluctant to communicate. You can do this by encouraging Baby<\/span> to ask for what they wants<\/span>, either verbally or using nonverbal cues, by putting objects just a little bit out of their<\/span> reach.<\/span><\/p>\n This can feel kind of, well, mean, but as long as it\u2019s just something you do every now and then, not maliciously, and not to frustrate them<\/span>, but just enough to make them<\/span> feel the need to express what they wants<\/span>, it isn\u2019t going to do any harm. You can also \u201cforget\u201d parts of Baby<\/span>\u2019s routine, when you\u2019re feeding them<\/span> breakfast, or getting them<\/span> ready for bed, so that they can<\/span> notice and catch you, and let you know what you\u2019ve \u201cforgotten.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n {{ PRONOUN_BABY }}’s first word was something for the baby book, but what about the first time {{ PRONOUN_HE_SHE_LOWER }} let you know exactly how {{ PRONOUN_HE_SHE_LOWER }} felt about {{ PRONOUN_HIS_HER_LOWER }} breakfast just by the look on {{ PRONOUN_HIS_HER_LOWER }} face and the way {{ PRONOUN_HE_SHE_LOWER }} was tilting {{ PRONOUN_HIS_HER_LOWER }} head?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":235915,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ovia_author_name":"","ovia_author_prefix":"","ovia_author_image":"","ovia_content_type_id":"177","ovia_product_mode":"13","ovia_days_from_signup":"","ovia_days_from_lmp":"","ovia_days_from_baby_birth":"650","ovia_days_from_enroll":"","ovia_health_module_days_from":"","ovia_article_for_email_days_from":"650","ovia_health_module":"","ovia_legacy_id2":"","ovia_ttc":"","ovia_article_subtype":"","ovia_health_symptom":"","ovia_partner_id":"","ovia_partner_custom_group":"","ovia_legacy_category":"11","ovia_legacy_category2":"250","ovia_content_url_id":"102679","ovia_include_share_buttons":"","ovia_fertility_goal":"","ovia_secondary_module":"","ovia_trimester":"","ovia_child_age":"","ovia_share_image":"","ovia_more_menu_image":"","ovia_button1_url":"","ovia_days_from_postpartum":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"fert-category":[],"preg-category":[],"parent-category":[112,115],"fert-tag":[],"preg-tag":[],"parent-tag":[],"class_list":["post-102679","article","type-article","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","parent-category-babys-development-and-growth","parent-category-language-and-communication-development"],"yoast_head":"\nBody language supporting verbal skills<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Encouraging both verbal and body language<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nSources<\/span><\/h5>\n
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