• Using rich descriptions is a way for your child to build vocabulary and to learn that more than one word can apply to a single object or event.
  • Instead of saying: “Here’s a block for you.”(Here, your child might learn the word “block”)
  • Try something like this: “Here’s another red block for you. This block is so heavy, be careful. And, look, it has three sides – 1, 2, 3.  It’s a triangle. Where will you put the heavy, red triangle?” (Here, your child might learn the words “block, red, heavy, careful, three, sides, triangle”, as well as learning that you can combine describing words into phrases like “heavy, red triangle”!)
  • Another example: Rather than saying, “Please help me move this box”, you might try, “Please help me move this empty, plastic box. ”Just adding those two words (“empty” and “plastic”) exposes your child to two new concepts.
  • Describe actions as completely as possible, too. Rather than saying, “Let’s cut these tomatoes”, try “Let’s use a sharp knife to slice these tomatoes really thin. Then we can dice them into small pieces for the soup.” (Lots of new ideas in there! “sharp”, “slice”, “dice”).
  • The more language your child is exposed to, the better.

Tip #16: The Bottom Line:
Be as descriptive as you can when talking with your child about the things you say and do!