MeBe Learning: How to Help Your Child Develop Play Skills

Summary

This video provides valuable tips for parents to foster communication skills in their children. The focus is on recognizing and responding to non-verbal cues like eye contact, gestures, and reaching for objects. Parents are encouraged to model appropriate words or signs, create 'communication temptations,' and engage in playful activities to prompt verbal or non-verbal responses. The key takeaway is to maintain a fun, interactive environment, offer opportunities for communication, and let the child take the lead in learning how to express their needs and desires effectively.

Takeaways

• 😀 Modeling communication helps children learn appropriate ways to interact, such as through words or signs.
• 😀 Intentional communication behaviors, like eye contact and reaching, are important signs that a child is trying to communicate.
• 😀 It's essential to respond to a child's communication attempts to reinforce their engagement and learning.
• 😀 Communication temptations, such as blocking access to toys or setting up situations where help is needed, encourage communication.
• 😀 Engaging children with fun, silly activities (like putting blocks on your head) can capture their attention and prompt communication.
• 😀 Giving children choices (like offering a bear or horse) fosters communication by requiring them to request or respond.
• 😀 Setting up the environment by controlling access to preferred items or toys motivates children to communicate for their needs.
• 😀 Face-to-face positioning and animated interactions make communication more engaging for children, especially during play.
• 😀 The most important part of communication-building is having fun and ensuring the child enjoys the interaction.
• 😀 Allowing the child to take the lead in interactions and waiting for them to communicate provides natural opportunities for learning.
• 😀 The strategies discussed are based on evidence from therapy programs but are not an official training, encouraging families to seek more resources if needed.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of using eye contact, gestures, and vocalizations in communication with children?

Eye contact, gestures, and vocalizations are intentional forms of communication that children use to express their needs and desires. Responding to these actions and modeling appropriate communication helps support the child’s development and encourages further communication.

What does it mean to 'model a sign or word' in the context of encouraging communication?

Modeling a sign or word means demonstrating the correct way for a child to communicate in a given situation. This can be showing a gesture, using a word, or even combining both as a way to teach the child how to express themselves.

Why is it important to reinforce a child’s communication attempts?

Reinforcing a child’s communication attempts lets them know that their efforts are being heard and appreciated. It motivates them to continue using communication strategies and supports the development of their language skills.

What are 'communication temptations,' and how do they encourage communication?

'Communication temptations' are playful activities or scenarios designed to prompt children to communicate. These include blocking access to toys, leaving off pieces of a puzzle, or engaging in silly behavior, which encourages the child to request help or engage in interaction.

Can you provide examples of 'people games' mentioned in the script?

People games are interactive activities like peek-a-boo or tag, where the child needs a person to participate in the game. These games foster communication by requiring the child to engage and respond to the person involved.

How can controlling access to preferred toys or snacks encourage communication?

By placing toys or snacks out of reach or in containers, the child is prompted to communicate—either by making a request or asking for help—to access those items. This encourages them to use words, signs, or gestures as forms of communication.

What is the role of 'silly situations' in promoting communication?

Silly situations, such as putting socks on your hands or performing unexpected actions with toys, attract the child’s attention and create opportunities for them to engage and communicate. These playful interactions help build back-and-forth communication skills.

Why is face-to-face positioning important for communication development?

Face-to-face positioning helps ensure that the child is fully engaged and can clearly see the speaker’s facial expressions and gestures. This positioning fosters better interaction and enhances communication by making the child more focused and responsive.

What is the significance of allowing the child to take the lead during interactions?

Allowing the child to take the lead helps them feel empowered and encourages them to initiate communication. It also provides insight into the child's interests and needs, making it easier to engage them in meaningful communication.

How does this approach to communication align with broader strategies like Project Impact or Handing More Than Words?

This approach is inspired by programs like Project Impact and Handing More Than Words, which focus on building communication skills through playful interaction, modeling, and reinforcing communication efforts. It integrates research-backed strategies into everyday activities to support language development.