The Toddler Talk Starter Checklist: 15 Speech-Language Habits That Get Your Child Talking

If your toddler isn't talking as much as you hoped, you've probably tried the obvious things. You hold up a toy and ask, "What is it? What color is it? Can you say ball?" You mean well, and so does every parent who does this. But for many late-talking or early-talking children, constant questions and demands to "say it" feel like a test, and they respond with silence, pointing, or walking away. This checklist is for parents, grandparents, and caregivers of toddlers and young preschoolers who want practical ways to encourage language during ordinary moments. It's also for anyone who has been told to "just wait," and wants something to actually do while waiting. Inside are 15 checklist items. Each one explains why the habit works and how to do it today, with examples you can copy. You'll learn why quizzing backfires and what to say instead. You'll learn which early words give your child the most power, such as more, help, eat, water, play, and all done, and why "please" usually isn't one of the first words to teach. You'll learn how to pause and wait during songs and routines so your child has room to use an action, a sound, or a word. You'll also learn how to model language, expand on what your child says, and make daily routines work for you. The result is a calmer way of talking with your child. You'll have fewer power struggles, more chances for your child to communicate, and a clear sense of what you're doing and why. I'm a pediatric speech-language pathologist and qualified orofacial myologist. I run a private practice, and these are the same strategies I coach families on every week.