Nurturing Early Connections: Exploring Pre-Linguistic Skills and Joint Attention in Children
The early years of a child's life are a crucial time for development, laying the foundation for future learning and 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. Examples include, turn-taking, playing with toys, attention, following directions, and more. In this blog series, we're diving deeper into each pre-linguistic skill and providing parents with simple play ideas to support their child's growth. Our first focus is on joint attention.
The Hanen Center defines it well: “Joint attention happens when two people pay attention to the same thing and let each other know that they are sharing that moment. They do this by looking at each other, gesturing (pointing to it), and/or saying something about the thing that they are paying attention to” (Lowry, 2016). It involves the coordination of attention between a child and their caregiver, fostering a shared focus on the same thing. Typically, joint attention develops around one-year of age and continues from there.
Here are a few examples of joint attention:
Pointing: A child points at a colorful picture in a book, directing their caregiver's attention to it.
Following Gaze: A parent looks at a flying bird, and the child follows the parent's gaze, also looking at the bird.
Imitating Actions: A child imitates a parent clapping their hands, creating a shared activity and focus.
The Importance of Joint Attention
Joint attention is a crucial precursor to language development and social interaction. Children who exhibit strong joint attention skills are better equipped for communication, cooperation, and overall social success. It lays the groundwork for understanding others' perspectives and building more complex language skills later on.
Simple Play Ideas for Parents
Songs and rhymes: Interactive songs and rhymes encourage your child to look at you because they are fun and repetitive! Show your child the fingerplays for each song and rhyme, and pause when singing so that your child has opportunities to participate in the fingerplay or otherwise show you they want the song or rhyme to continue.
Bubble Play: Blow bubbles and encourage your child to follow the bubbles with their eyes. We also love popping bubbles together - either outside in your backyard or in the bathtub!
Mirror Games: Use a mirror to make funny faces, and encourage your child to imitate your expressions or imitate their expressions. Mirror games are easy to incorporate into your daily routine since you likely already have routines you’re completing in the bathroom!
Joint attention is an important skill in a child’s early development and sets the stage for effective communication and social interactions. Stay tuned for future blog posts highlighting a variety of pre-linguistic skills important in your child’s development. Do you have concerns about your child’s joint attention skills? We can help! Contact us for more information about our services.