Little Miss Chatterbox or Mr Quiet?

We all know that every child is unique, and that they grow and develop in different ways. As parents, we’re always on the lookout for that first milestone; when our little one takes that first wobbly step, or utters their first word (which, of course, is always “mumma” or “dadda,” depending on which parent witnessed that all important moment)!

And as the parenting blogs and experts all say, there’s no right or wrong time for a child to start doing any of these things. It’s a gradual process, and that’s especially true as far as learning to talk goes.

Speech development in pre-school children can vary significantly. Think of the famous Mr Men books. We’ve all come across an extrovert Little Miss Chatterbox, who can hold a conversation in their sleep. Or a more reserved Mr Quiet, who expresses themselves through actions rather than words, or via an older sibling who natters away on their behalf.

There’s no doubt that good listening and speaking skills are vital to making friends and being successful at school and in later life. That’s why we’re taking steps to help our children, at the earliest possible stage, begin to communicate effectively.

Jess is our new Language Lead at Tollerton Playgroup. She has done some training to help us develop different activities that encourage our children to communicate through fun and exploration.

We’ve also brought in a professional Speech Therapist, Katie, from East Midlands Speech Therapy Specialists, to support those youngsters requiring a little extra help in developing their conversational skills.

Feedback from parents about these two initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. We’ll continue to use our blog to keep you updated on what else we’re doing to help your little ones become “Yakka Dee,” that friendly CBeebies character who encourages children to talk, talk, talk!