Everyday Verbal Routines To Use To Get Your Toddler Talking

Hi friend! If you’re struggling with getting your toddler to talk I have recently found success in using verbal routines during the day with my son. If you are new to my blog, my amazing son Isaiah is 2.5 and has a speech delay. He is also presumed by our states early intervention team to be on the Autism spectrum. He currently has about 50 words and phrases and we have been working on getting him to start saying 2-3 word sentences. In my search to help get more vocabulary in front of my son I came across verbal routines and how Speech Language Pathologists use them in therapy sessions with kiddos. I was instantly intrigued!

What Are Verbal Routines? By definition a verbal routines are consist of words that are repeated at a predictable time during an activity. A verbal routine occurs any time a person says the same words, in the same way, for the same things, every time a specific activity occurs. For example, the verbal routine we have been working on is “Ready, Set, Go!” When Isaiah is playing with his cars or train set. During our play I would model the phrase and pair it with the action of me pushing the cars. When it was his turn I would say it then too! We introduced this phrase maybe three weeks ago and now he has finally caught on and says it himself! He says this routine while running too which is something he deemed appropriate when he stops and and begins running again- he did this on his own!

I believe the key to getting verbal routines to work is to repeat them as often as you can when it’s appropriate. Model the phrase and pair it with the action! Below is a list of verbal routines you can use during your day with your child sourced from 1SpecialPlace.com

Activity

Repeated Phrases

Waking up:Good Morning, Wake up time../ Rise and Shine

Bed Time: Let’s clean up! Its time for bath../ Water is ready lets take bath

Getting dressed/Diaper change: Let’s get dressed/ Let us get ready for the day!

Meals: I am hungry! It’s Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner time

Naps: Im tired, lets snooze/ Lets take a small nap now

Going out: Yay! I want to go out/ Let’s go out in the car..

Playing: Let’s play together

Praying: Fold your hands /Bow your head/ Lets say a prayer

Bedtime: Good night, Its bedtime/ Sleepy time, let’s tuck in bed..