When working with 20-month-old children, there are many activities you can use to help them improve their speech. While there is no “one size fits all” approach, there are a number of activities that will enhance the development of your child’s speech.
You need to be creative when coming up with activities for 20 month olds who are learning how to talk. Be sure to incorporate both formal and informal learning opportunities into your speech therapy sessions.
The following list includes some fun and engaging activities that you can provide for your 20 month old to help him or her develop better speech skills:
- Use a puppet or stuffed animal as the focus of your play. Comment on the body part that you want the child to mention, such as “look at the hippo’s ears.” Then have the child practice saying “hippo” after you have said it several times.
- Sing songs and rhymes with repetitive lyrics during which you can encourage your child to participate in the singing by using “echoing” techniques.
- Play games like Tic Tac Toe or Connect Four where an adult speaks one word at a time and the toddler must repeat what he hears before he has a chance to move his game piece on the board.
Speech therapy activities for 20-month old toddlers will differ greatly from those of an infant. A typical 20-month old toddler can have extensive speech and communication skills, but they may not be able to express themselves in a way that others can understand. The speech therapist who is responsible for working with the 20-month old toddler should use several activities to help the child develop their speech skills.
There are several goals to focus on during a session with a 20-month old toddler. Children learn by watching and imitating what they see. Therefore, it is important for the therapist to provide the child with materials that will help them practice certain words and phrases. For example, the therapist might use flashcards with pictures of different animals on them. When the child points to an animal, the therapist should say its name and reinforce that word by saying it over and over again. In this way, the child will start learning new words and phrases.
Another goal for a speech therapist working with a 20-month old toddler is to improve their listening skills. Some toddlers are easily distracted and are unable to pay attention long enough to understand what someone is trying to tell them.
A 20-month-old child with a speech delay should undergo a number of speech therapy activities. When working with this age group, the SLP must first understand that the child may not have the ability to communicate using words yet. Instead, the SLP should work on encouraging the child to use alternative forms of communication, such as body language and gestures.
To begin speech therapy for a 20-month-old child, it is important to find out exactly how delayed the child’s communication skills are. The best way to do this is by having the parent or caregiver fill out a questionnaire. The SLP may then observe the child’s play in order to identify any possible delays in communication skills. The SLP should also observe how the parents address their child in order to determine any possible areas of concern.
The SLP should also familiarize themselves with other services which may be available to assist them with treating this age group. For example, if speech therapy does not seem to be helping improve the child’s communication skills, it may be time for them to receive physical therapy treatment for motor delays or occupational therapy treatment for fine motor delays.