Fostering Good Communication Skills With ChildPsy

COVID lockdown and social distancing has significantly reduced the amount of social interactions children usually have and many parents are worried about the after-effects.  Luckily, there are lots of ways parents can support communication development at home too, say ChildPsy, which assesses and supports children with communication, social, behavioral and learning needs.

Have concerns about your child’s social and communication development? Email info@childpsy.com or call +852 2348 6222.

Here are three top tips to boost communication from ChildPsy!

Pick Open-ended Toys 
The toys you pick play an important role in facilitating your child’s language development. Try to give your child more open-ended toys that allow them the freedom to use them in imaginative ways. Wooden blocks, Lego, trains and train tracks, cooking sets, and finger puppets are some examples of open-ended toys. Pick toys that suit your child’s interests and create communication opportunities, such as requesting, commenting and turn taking.

Read with Your Child 
Reading together is another great way to bond with your child and help with their language development. It enables them to share their thoughts and practice spoken or written comprehension skills. Try discussing the story with them by asking questions: “Why do you think the bear is crying?” or “What would you do if you were the little boy?”. Choose books that both you and your child will enjoy and are at your child’s language level. When you read with your child often and combine reading time with cuddling and playtime, they will soon see reading as fun!

Be Spontaneous 
Communication opportunities can be created anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. Try bringing your child to different places such as shopping malls, playgrounds and country parks, and arrange play dates so they can talk with different people or learn about new concepts or ideas. When visiting restaurants, look at the menu together, discuss different food and drinks and describe the environment of the restaurant for vocabulary learning and sentence building.

ChildPsy offers a range of classes, including emotional regulation, problem-solving, and communication skills. Visit their website to find out more!