The ability to communicate effectively with others is fundamental to social functioning. Children usually speak their first words at just a few months old. Throughout the infancy period and early childhood, they rapidly develop their language skills. This process occurs naturally, mainly through imitation of the way significant adults in the child's life speak. Language and communication skills are developed during everyday activities – play, listening to stories, casual conversation.

There are many games that expand a child's vocabulary, positively influence their way of communicating with their immediate environment, and also benefit their school functioning. Below are some simple exercises for everyday use.

What is it?

We ask a question, e.g., What is round? Together with the child, we come up with as many solutions as possible. Then we ask the child to pose the next question. This game can also be conducted in a competitive format, e.g., Who can answer more questions?

Poet.

Making up the rest of a poem or story. For this task, the poem "Na straganie" by Jan Brzechwa is perfect. The child can write down their suggestions or ask an adult for help.

Arrange as I do.

We sit opposite the child. Separate us with a piece of cardboard. Ask the child to make any picture with 4 blocks of different colors. Their task is to describe their construction so we can recreate it. Then we compare our pictures, check if we arranged them the same. We switch roles.

What do I see?

Prepare white sheets and crayons. Find an illustration, e.g., in a book or online. Don't show it to the child. Look at the picture and describe in detail what we see. The child draws at the same time. They can ask about details, e.g., the hair color of the character. Then compare the original picture with the one created by the child. Consider why there are differences between them, what the narrator could have done better to be understood by the child. Switch roles.

I make riddles.

Create a riddle, e.g., A fruit that is green and elongated. Adjust the content to the child's age. Then switch roles.

Stories.

Say or write down three key words, e.g., bag, shop, flower. The child's task is to create a story using these words. Then switch roles. The task can be made more difficult by adding more key words.

Opposites.

Give a word, e.g., long. Ask the child to give a word of opposite meaning. Switch roles. Repeat the game several times.

What kind?

Give any noun, e.g., bread. Together with the child, find as many words as possible describing the object, e.g., fresh, stale, big, whole grain, etc.

Funny sentences.

Our task is to make a sentence where each word starts with the same letter, e.g., The famous athlete sprained his ankle.

First, second, third...

Choose any word, e.g., oak. Say, The first oak was tall, the second oak was green... Then take turns with the child describing the next imagined trees. This game helps the child expand their vocabulary and develop the ability to describe objects, but also solidify ordinal numbers.

Pedagogue Klaudia Sokołowska-Baryś for Marioinex Education