Incorporating Speech and Language in Routines: Brushing Teeth

Routines are the perfect opportunity to work on your child’s speech and language because they’re activities you’re already doing. Brushing teeth is a routine that you’re going to be doing everyday (hopefully twice!), which makes it a great time to practice language skills. Incorporating these tips and strategies can help improve your child’s language skills, while getting in quality time with your child! Here are just a few:

Narrating:

  • When brushing teeth, try to start by narrating what is happening as before, during, and after brushing. You can take this time to model vocabulary, expanded language, sequencing, and other concepts. Modeling language is key to helping your child learn and use more language themselves!

Vocabulary:

  • While brushing teeth, take the time to practice naming items your child needs to complete the task. You can also practice naming actions and spatial concepts.

Songs:

  • Adding songs to routines can also help increase your child’s independence; they will learn the steps necessary to complete the teeth brushing routine through repetition. There are a number of songs about teeth brushing to try, or even make up one of your own! Singing a familiar song, counting forwards or backwards, or saying a nursery rhyme can also help ensure your child is brushing for an appropriate amount of time.

Requesting:

  • Try setting up the area for teeth brushing in a way that facilitates language and offers the opportunity for requesting! Place items a little out of reach, forget to put out a necessary item, or maybe only give a tiny bit of toothpaste. These are just a few ideas that can help target requesting during the teeth brushing routine.

Language Expansion:

  • If your child is not using words yet, try to have them imitate actions. If they are using mostly single words, repeat and add on. This will encourage longer sentences as your child’s vocabulary and communication skills increase!

There are so many activities throughout your day where you can embed language learning. Applying some of these strategies when brushing teeth can help increase your child’s language skills in a fun and natural way!

Do you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development? A comprehensive evaluation with a speech language pathologist can help identify any specific areas of needs and develop a treatment plan to support your child’s speech and language needs. Contact us for more information.

Hillary Guest