Top tips: Get children talking
Strong communication skills start with rich, everyday interactions. Nursery leaders play a vital role in creating language-rich environments where every child feels heard and confident to express themselves. These simple, playful tips will help spark conversation, extend vocabulary and build confident communicators to help get children talking.
Top tips to get children talking
- Use mealtimes and other everyday routines to chat to the children about what they (or you) are doing or noticing. Remember to allow time for children to respond as they process the question and their response. Adult silence often leads to the best interactions
- When invited, join in with children’s self-initiated play. Model and extend the language used
- Model curiosity by wondering out loud. For example, “I wonder where the leaves have gone?”, “I wonder what will happen next?”
- Narrate what children are doing, for example, “You’re pouring the water very carefully.” This invites children to comment on their play without pressure
- Expand their real experiences – trips to new places, cooking/baking, gardening, exploring the natural world. Provide meaningful context for conversation and build vocabulary through hands-on discovery
- Model vocabulary rather than correcting. For example, if a child says, “Me goed to the shop,” respond back naturally, “Yes, you went to the shop,” modelling the correct form without interrupting the flow of the interaction
- Welcome and use children’s home languages. Greet them in their home language and learn a few other words and phrases to let children know that their language is valued. This supports children to feel proud of their identity and builds a sense of belonging
- Encourage children to use their home language at nursery. Talking, thinking, and playing in their home language/s strengthens understanding of how languages work and therefore helps them make sense of English. If you speak any other languages, use them in the setting to demonstrate that all languages are valued in you nursery. Make your nursery a safe space where children bring their whole selves and no language is left at the door
- Create cosy spaces for small-group chat or storytelling where children unaccustomed to speaking in large groups can build confidence to speak and share their thoughts
- Slow down and listen closely. Create a culture where all children’s voices are valued. Every single conversation supports language development.
NDNA products to help you with this tip
Quality Interactions with Babies – Live Virtual Classroom
Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.
- MyNDNA
- Tips
Similar Articles
Early years activity: Discovering the signs of winter
Take learning outdoors with our discovering the signs of winter seasonal activity. Children explore the…
Read more 
How Parkfield Nursery Supported a Colleague Through Cancer Treatment
Parkfield Nursery in Carlisle has long been known as a caring and supportive workplace. In…
Read more 