That's Quite the Vocabulary!

By the age of three, children should have a vocabulary of 200-300 words.  Speech has always been a concern in our house with our little guy.  He didn't start talking until really late and even now that he does talk, he doesn't talk as well as other kids his age.  But it's a work in progress, and I know that he will grow out of it (either on his own or with help if needed) so for now, we just enjoy his little "sentences" and "funny words"! 

But 200-300 words seems like a lot of words!  We have a lot of books at our house, including lots of the "First 100 Word" books.  There are many in the series.  So I sat down and read some of those books with my son.  He was able to name (in his own language) more than 200 of the items and he could POINT to way more than that.  I think the most important thing that parents need to know is that under the age of three, it's not important HOW the children say their words, it's that they have their own words for 200-300 items.  Age three is when we would start to worry about HOW they are saying them.  So keep this in mind when you are reading with your children.  And if you don't have the "First 100 Words" books in your house - I recommend getting them, beacuse they are wonderful, but if you can't or don't want to, then choose any books and point to all the pictures.  Talk with your child while you read instead of just reading the words on the page.

How else can you increase your child's vocabulary?

•  Talk to your child.  In the car, at the store, on a walk, at supper time.  Don't let those special moments slip away from you.
• Read every day.  In the morning, afternoon or before bed - whatever works for you.  But read at least one book with your child EVERY DAY
• Avoid all baby talk.  When your child tells you he wants his "baba", you respond with the correct, "Oh, you want your BOTTLE?  Here you go."
• Teach your child Nursery Rhymes
   
 
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