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Supporting communication at home

Everyday ways to build communication at home — comment more than question, follow your child's lead, reduce noise, use expansion, and turn ordinary moments into language opportunities.

10 min read

Last updated June 2026

Supporting Communication at Home

Home is one of the best places to support communication because language can be built into daily routines.

Everyday support

  • Talk during everyday activities
  • Comment more than question
  • Follow the child's lead
  • Give choices
  • Read together
  • Sing songs and nursery rhymes
  • Use gestures
  • Repeat key words
  • Expand what the child says
  • Play turn-taking games
  • Use visual routines
  • Give processing time
  • Reduce background noise
  • Create reasons to communicate

NHS Best Start in Life guidance says everyday moments like cooking and playing help children learn to talk and build skills for friendships and wellbeing.

Comment more, question less

Too many questions feel like a test. Instead of:

  • "What colour is this?"
  • "What's that?"
  • "What are you doing?"

Try:

  • "You've got the red car."
  • "The dog is running."
  • "You're mixing the paint."
  • "The bubbles popped!"

Comments give children language without pressure.

Follow the child's lead

Join what they're interested in rather than directing the play. If the child loves cars, talk about cars. If they love dinosaurs, use dinosaur words. Children communicate more when they're interested.

Use expansion

Add a little more to what the child says.

  • Child: "Car." → Adult: "Red car."
  • Child: "Dog run." → Adult: "The dog is running."
  • Child: "More juice." → Adult: "You want more juice please."

Reduce background noise

  • Turn the TV down
  • Pause music during conversation
  • Get the child's attention first
  • Speak face-to-face if helpful
  • Avoid shouting from another room

Activities by age

Babies and toddlers

Peekaboo, nursery rhymes, copying sounds, bubbles, action songs, naming body parts, board books, animal sounds, cause-and-effect toys.

Preschool

Pretend play, role play, building blocks, story sacks, "ready, steady, go" games, treasure hunts, cooking together, puppets, choice-making games.

Primary age

Storytelling cards, barrier games, board games, sequencing pictures, charades, "describe and draw", vocabulary hunts, conversation dice, memory games.

Teenagers

Conversation starters, planning a trip, debating safe topics, role-playing interviews, explaining favourite interests, phone call practice, self-advocacy scripts.

Speech, language and emotional regulation

Children need language to understand and express emotions. Teach feeling words: happy, sad, angry, worried, scared, frustrated, excited, tired, confused, embarrassed, lonely, overwhelmed, calm, safe, uncomfortable.

Useful tools: feelings cards, emotion thermometer, body maps, social stories, calm-down cards, naming adult feelings out loud, books about emotions.

Do

  • Accept all communication
  • Give processing time
  • Use visuals
  • Keep language clear
  • Follow the child's lead
  • Model language naturally
  • Celebrate communication attempts

Don't

  • Force speech
  • Say "use your words" during distress
  • Rush answers
  • Mock unclear speech
  • Ignore gestures or AAC
  • Ask too many questions
  • Make communication feel like a test

Key message

Small steps matter. Support matters. Every voice matters — whether it's spoken, signed, typed, pointed to or shown.

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