Fostering Communication Skills: Exploring Turn-Taking in Early Childhood
There are many pre-linguistic skills that lay the groundwork for a child’s effective communication. Before children utter their first words, they engage in a variety of pre-linguistic skills, or non-verbal skills that emerge before a child begins to use language, that pave the way for language acquisition. In this continuation of our blog series, we delve deeper into these foundational skills, providing parents with simple play ideas to support their child's growth. Today, our focus shifts to the concept of turn-taking.
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What is turn-taking?
Turn-taking refers to the ability of individuals to share conversational exchanges or participate in activities where each person alternates their contributions. It involves listening, waiting for one's turn, and responding appropriately. Turn-taking leads to interactions with others and the ability to engage in conversation to build relationships.
Here are a few examples of turn-taking:
Sharing Toys: Children take turns playing with a toy, passing it back and forth (with you or another person). This could include racing a car down a track and stacking blocks.
Singing Together: Participants take turns singing verses or lines in a song (this works well with repetitive songs!)
Going down the slide: Children wait in line for their turn to go down the slide at the playground.
The Importance of Turn-Taking
Turn-taking is crucial for the development of communication skills, social interaction, and empathy. Children who engage in turn-taking learn valuable lessons in patience, listening, and respecting others' contributions. It lays the groundwork for successful interpersonal relationships and collaborative endeavors in the future.
Simple Play Ideas for Parents
It’s important to treat your child’s actions as if they’re purposeful and as if they’re attempting to engage with you. Here are just a few ideas of how you can support your child’s turn-taking skills.
Trade everyday items with your child: Play a trading game with your child. Use everyday items around the house and trade them with your child.
Musical Jam Session: Use simple musical instruments or household items as makeshift instruments. Take turns creating rhythms or melodies, encouraging your child to respond to your musical cues.
Building Blocks: Build a structure with blocks together, taking turns adding pieces. Each person adds one block at a time. It can be helpful for the turns to be quick in nature at first so you’re included without having to make your child wait for an extended period of time.
Turn-taking is a vital skill in the development of effective communication and social interaction. By fostering opportunities for turn-taking in play and everyday activities, parents can support their child's growth and lay a strong foundation for future success. Stay tuned for more insights and practical tips in our ongoing exploration of pre-linguistic skills!
Do you have concerns about your child’s turn-taking skills? We can help! Contact us for more information about our services.