Universal Information, Resources and Advice

Ideas to develop your baby or child’s communication skills. Find strategies, activities and resources that will help your child develop understanding, talking or communication skills. The resources and activities might be things you choose to do yourself at home. They might also include more particular activities advised by a practitioner or activities and programmes that your child’s school or setting might use. You may find more specific activities that can be advised or delivered by a speech and language therapist.

I know what to do to help my baby or child’s communication development.

I know what particular activities help my baby or child’s early communication development

I know what specialist activities help my baby or child’s early communication

The most fundamental life skill is the ability to communicate. Speech, language and communication needs is the term used to describe difficulties with:

• producing speech sounds accurately
• stammering
• voice problems, such as hoarseness and loss of voice
• understanding language (making sense of what people say)
• using language (words and sentences)
• interacting with others, for example, difficulties understanding and using the non-verbal rules of good communication, using language in different ways to question, clarify or describe things or taking into account other people’s perspectives.

Some difficulties are short-term but others will be more permanent and remain throughout childhood and adult life. 

Everyone with SLCN is different and may have difficulty with one, some or all of the different aspects of speech, language or communication at different times of their lives.

Learn more about the signs and symptoms children struggling with talking and understanding words may experience from Speech and language UK.

Sharing Big Little Moments every day. How do the Big Little Moments work?

Children’s brains are made of many different strands. Three of these strands are how they learn to talk, how they feel, and how they make friends. Every time you talk to a child, or respond to them, you’re helping these strands grow strong. And the stronger each strand is, the stronger their brain will be.

All these little moments you share add up to something much bigger. Giving children the skills they need to develop into healthy, bright adults.

Here’s one of the Big Little Moments videos about sharing a story. Find out about Big Little Moments and find more videos here.

The more we chat, play and read with our kids, the more we help build their brains.
Any time, anywhere, whether at home or out and about, it all adds up.

There’s no need to buy lots of toys or have big days out. Wherever you are, simply
chatting back and forth, answering your child’s questions and sharing special
moments together all help their brain to grow and develop secure and strong
connections. Just what they need to get off to the right start at school.

The Start for Life website is packed with simple ideas from other parents on how
to build these little moments into each day. It includes lots of examples of tips and
activities for you to do together with your child at different ages, as well as links
to find further support in your local area.

A new film has also been released to explain how children’s brains develop during
the early years, and the crucial role parents play through all the little moments they
spend together with their child.

Visit the Start for Life online hub for other simple tips and activities, or visit your
local Family Hub at The Barn, Brixham, The Beehive, Paignton or St.Edmunds, Torquay where you can find support, information, advice, groups and new friends.

Information on what to expect, activities to try and some videos of parents talking about their experiences and demonstrating strategies and games:

Children’s language development and parenting advice

• Start for Life, learning to talk 0 to 6 months
• Start for Life, learning to talk 6-to-12-months
• Learning to talk – 1 to 2 years from Start for life
• Tips for talking to your baby and young child | National Literacy Trust
• Five top tips for supporting communication in under twos | National Literacy Trust
• Better Health, Start for Life – Ten videos providing ideas for interaction with your baby or child anytime, anywhere, at home or out and about.

Learning to Talk from Speech and Language UK

Chatter Matters from Speech and Language UK

Tiny Happy People is here to help you develop your child’s language skills. Explore our simple activities and play ideas and find out about babies and toddlers’ amazing early development.

Here you’ll find hints and tips on how you can have fun sharing stories with your child, more information about BookTrust’s Early Years offers, and further activities and book recommendations to continue your reading adventure.

Films narrated through the voice of the child by comedian Kathy Burke, These films are full of useful advice on how parents can encourage their child to talk and interact with them:

Babies and young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they’re too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school. Find some great top tips here to support you baby, toddler and child. Video’s, activities and information for 1 to 2 years, 2 to 3 years and 3 to 5 years.

Information on what to expect, activities to try and some videos of parents talking about their experiences and demonstrating strategies and games:

Children’s language development and parenting advice

• learning to talk 2 to 3 years Start for Life
• Tips for talking to your baby and young child | National Literacy Trust
• Better Health Start for Life – Ten videos providing ideas for interaction with your child anytime, anywhere, at home or out and about.

Watch a number of videos on Learning to Talk from Speech and Language UK

Introducing a range of Chatter Matters from Speech and Language UK

Information and resources to support parents

• Resources for parents (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
• early_voices_parent_leaflet.pdf (speechandlanguage.org.uk)

Information about the development of speech, language and communication – what to expect:

• Ages and stages (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
• Universally Speaking birth-5yrs
• Child’s progress checker (speechandlanguage.org.uk)

Health visitors are registered nurses/midwives who have additional training in community public health nursing who work in partnership with community public health staff nurses who are trained nurses and community nursery nurses.

They provide a professional public health service based on best evidence of what works for individuals, families, groups and communities; enhancing health and reducing inequalities for children 0 to 5 years and beyond. They can help with many areas of child development including sleep, behaviour, healthy eating, bladder and bowel issues.

Watch this health visiting in the community video to find out more about the role of a health visitor.

Contact 0 to 19 Torbay

• Call: 0300 333 5352
• Email: Publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net
• Online: www.torbayfamilyhub.org.uk
• Social Media: search 0 to 19 Torbay on Facebook and Instagram
• Download our Torbay Family Hub app on Apple and Android and chat to us

For Local Infant Feeding support

• Call: 07500 952216
• Email: nhsinfantfeedingtorbay
• Social Media: NHS Infant Feeding Torbay

Useful websites

• Parent Talk – Free down to earth parenting advice and 1:1 chat from Action For Children
• FREE online Antenatal and Parenting Courses , with online code TAMAR inourplace.co.uk

Download our leaflet with information on the support and services you can expect in Torbay whether it’s from your health visiting team, family hub or early years setting.

We want to help every parent or carer in Torbay to find the right support at the right time. Support isn’t just for the tough times. It’s there to help make your whole parenting experience easier and more enjoyable.

Where you can get support

Download our leaflet for information on the services and support available in Torbay for infant feeding, your mental health and wellbeing and early communication.

If you have just moved to Torbay, view or download our transfer in booklet full of information and advice to support your child or children’s health.

Libraries Unlimited runs libraries in Torbay on behalf of Torbay Council. The four public libraries in Torbay are: Paignton Library, Torquay Library, Brixham Library and Churston Library. All libraries offer a range of events and activities, free access to books and information, free WiFi and a range of digital resources including eBooks and digital magazines.

Find a library and opening hours, join the library, renew and reserve items and see what’s on. Libraries in Torbay

Bookstart aims to encourage a love of books, stories and rhymes in children from as young an age as possible. Whether you’re a family wanting to find out what Bookstart can offer you, or an early years partner involved in delivering Bookstart, you’ll find all the information you need right here.

Talk to your Early Years Setting or Health Visitor at the

• 2 – 3 year Early Years Progress check
• 2 – 2.3 year Health Visiting developmental review. call the 0 to 19 Torbay advice line on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or Email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

Or you can talk to one of the early years team at any of our family hubs. Click here to find out about the support available in Torbay

Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQs) help you and our staff understand how your child is developing, they are just one of the tools we may use during our contact with you – but of course most important of all is what you tell us about your child.

The ASQs are not a measure of how well your child is or isn’t doing, as we know all children develop differently. They are something that we use together to talk about the things your child does easily, to think about any concerns you might have and how we can support you and your child with those. They are split into 5 different areas;

Communication: Your child’s language skills, both what your child understands and what he or she can say – this can be sounds, babbling or talking.

Gross Motor: How your child uses their arms and legs for sitting, crawling, walking, running, and other activities.

Fine Motor: How your child uses their hands and fingers – for example scribbling or picking up food.

Problem Solving: How your child plays with toys and solves problems.

Personal-Social: Your child’s self-help skills and how they play and interact with others.

The ASQ that is used is based on the age of your child, but we may decide together that this is not right for your child and decide to use a different age or an alternative assessment tool – this is nothing to worry about – we are just making sure we use the right tool for your child.

Health visiting and school nursing are part of our 0 to 19 Torbay team who focus on the health and development of your child. We will get in touch to review your child’s development at the following key stages:

• At 6-8 weeks
• 9-12 months
• 2.3 years

You can contact the 0 to 19 Torbay team by calling our advice line on 0300 333 5352 or emailing publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net. Our opening hours are 9am-5pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Watch this great TED Talk from Molly Wright: How every child can thrive by five

The ELIM is a short form that helps to identify where children are in their language journey at around 2 years of age.

Watching and hearing your child start to communicate is an exciting time for parents and carers and we are very aware that every child’s language journey looks different. We are here to support our families in any way we can, from advice and support, to running courses and workshops, and making sure your child has all the ‘tools to keep talking’.

We may use an Early Language Identification Measure (ELIM) tool as part of your child’s two to two-and-a-half-year review.

The ELIM tool focuses on speech, language and communication development to help identify if your child would benefit from extra support at an earlier stage.

Use the ELIM word list before your appointment to think about the words your child uses in everyday life. You may find it helpful to write a list of the words or print the list if you’re able to and tick the words your child uses and bring along to discuss during your child’s review.

• Children are not expected to use all the words on the ELIM list and you may also find your child uses words that are not on this list.
• It does not matter what language/s your child uses for the different words.

You can discuss with the practitioner during your review and, if needed, plan together how to support your child’s speech, language and communication development as well as their other areas of development.

Take a look at Speech and language UK’s guide to typical stages of speech and language development in babies, children and young people.

Download this helpful booklet ‘Universally Speaking’ For children aged birth to 5 years 

Information on what to typically expect, top tips and things you can do to encourage your baby, toddler of child’s communication.

Conception to birth

Talking to your bump

Bonding can begin before birth. Babies’ brains develop very quickly during pregnancy – they can hear and feel things too. Did you know that babies’ hearing starts developing from about sixteen weeks into pregnancy? By 6 months of pregnancy, your baby can hear music and voices, recognise familiar voices, learn and remember

Babies recognise voices and can start to respond even while they’re still in the womb. Feeling your baby move and kick in response to your voice and your touch makes those early conversations really rewarding and making a connection with your baby helps you feel very close to them even before they are born.

• Bump chats TOP TIPS
• • Find regular quiet times when you can talk and sing to your baby
• • Try ‘turn taking’: when you feel them kick, rub that spot. Wait for another kick and respond again
• • Babies hear their mother’s heartbeat all the time, day and night. Try gently tapping or making a sound along with it
• • Encourage partners, grandparents and any older siblings to get involved too
• • You may notice your baby relaxes at the sound of familiar voices, and becomes calmer and quieter when you are talking to them. Notice how your baby responds
• • If you’re not sure what to say, try reading a baby book aloud or sing nursery rhymes or talk about everyday things, your baby will just enjoy the sound of your voice
• • Gently rocking and moving to music is a good way for your baby to develop good physical, movement skills and balance even before birth.

From birth to 6 months

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• make sounds, like cooing, gurgling and babbling, to myself and with other people
• make noises to get your attention
• watch your face when you talk to them
• get excited when I hear voices coming, showing excitement by kicking or waving my arms or making noises
• smile and laugh when other people smile and laugh
• make sounds back when talked to.

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• I struggle to keep my milk down.
• I’m not startled by loud noises.
• I don’t use my eyes to watch you when you talk to me.
• I don’t ever smile back when someone is communicating and smiling at me.
• I don’t show interest in my parent’s face when talking to them.

See it in action, just click on this link.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/speech-lab-peekaboo/zqntxbk

By 12 months

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• make talking noises – babble strings of sounds, like ‘ma-ma-ma’, ‘ba-ba-ba’
• make noises, point to things and look at you to get your attention
• start to say sounds that will become my first words and use gestures
• start to understand words like ‘bye-bye’ and ‘up’ especially when a gesture is used at the same time
• recognise the names of familiar objects, things like ‘cup’ and ‘bowl’, ‘teddy’ and ‘mummy’
• look at you when you speak or when I hear my name called
• take turns in ‘conversations’, babbling back to an adult

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• I have not made any babbling or other sounds by 6 months
• I don’t point by 12 months I don’t try to get your attention (this might be by making noises, eye contact, facial expressions, reaching, throwing toys from my buggy or highchair)

BBC Tiny Happy people have some great advice and tools for talking here.

By 18 months

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• begin talking! I will be able to say around 20 words. These are usually things I hear a lot at home or in my early years setting – such as ‘milk’, ‘doggy’, ‘hurrah’, ‘bye-bye’, ‘more’, ‘no’
• say words in a baby way, but the words usually sound the same each time I say them
• understand some simple words and short phrases. These are usually things I hear a lot during the day, such as ‘coat on’, ‘drink’, ‘shoes’, ‘bus’, ‘in your buggy’, ‘dinner time’, ‘all gone’
• recognise and point to familiar objects when you ask me
• enjoy games like ‘peek-a-boo’ and ‘patacake’ and toys that make a noise – I still like the comfort of a familiar adult nearby
• be exploring my world and starting to enjoy simple pretend play, like pretending to talk on the phone

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• • I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• • I don’t show enjoyment of being with a familiar adult
• • I don’t look towards familiar people or objects when their names are said
• • I don’t bring objects to an adult to show or to share.
• • I don’t follow simple instructions.
• • I don’t look for or go to a familiar adult for comfort when I am scared, upset or hurt.
• • I don’t try to show you things by pointing at them and looking back at you.
• • I don’t use gestures like nodding or shaking my head, waving, putting my hands out in a ‘where’s it gone?’ gesture.

To contact the 0 to 19 Torbay health visiting team, please call us on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

By 2 years

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• • use over 50 single words like ‘juice’, ‘car’, ‘biscuit’
• • be starting to put short sentences together with two to three words, such as “more juice” or “bye-bye daddy”
• • be asking simple questions such as “what that?”, “who that?”. They might do this quite a lot!
• • understand between 200 and 500 words
• • understand simple questions and instructions like “where’s baby”, “go and get your coat”, “mummy’s turn”
• • enjoy pretend play with their toys, such as feeding dolly or pretending to drive a car, usually making noises and talking while playing
• • become very frustrated when they cannot get their message across. This is one reason for toddler tantrums

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• • I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• • I don’t play with objects by pretending? – e.g. give teddy a drink; using a box as a doll’s bed; pretend talk on the phone

To contact the 0 to 19 Torbay health visiting team, please call us on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

By 3 years

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• • use up to 300 words and use different types of words to do different things; to describe what things look like (‘big’, ‘soft’) where they are (‘under’, ‘on’) what they are for (‘eating’, ‘playing’) and to describe how many (‘lots’)
• • refer to something that has happened in the past
• • put 4 or 5 words together to make short sentences, such as “me want more juice”, “him want his coat”
• • ask lots of questions
• • have clearer speech, although I will still have some things I don’t get quite right. I might say things like ‘pider’ instead of ‘spider’. However, people who know me can mostly understand me
• • listen to and remember simple stories with pictures
• • understand longer instructions, such as “put on your coat and get your bag” or “where’s mummy’s coat?”
• • understand simple ‘who’, ‘what’ and ‘where’ questions
• • play more with other children and join in with play
• • play more complex imaginative games
• • be able to have a proper conversation, though I may flit around the topic a bit and be difficult to follow at times
• • be able to recognise how other people feel and will try to do something about it (e.g. “Ah, Josie sad. She need a hug.”)

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• • I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• • I don’t regularly use words to express myself
• • I don’t follow simple, everyday instructions
• • I can’t settle and play with activity that I choose myself even for a very short time
• • I don’t show any response when somebody talks to me
• • I don’t show any interest in communicating
• • I am not using sentences with 2 words
• • I seem to have stopped making progress with my talking
• • I use gesture to get what I want rather than using the words
• • My parents can’t understand what I say
• • I rely on being shown what to do rather than on understanding the words people say.

To contact the 0 to 19 Torbay health visiting team, please call us on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

By 4 years

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• • ask lots of questions using words like ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘why’
• • be able to answer questions about ‘why’ something has happened
• • use longer sentences and link sentences together, E.g. “I had pizza for tea and then I played in the garden”
• • describe events that have already happened, E.g. “We got dressed up and we went to the hall and singed songs. All the mummies and daddies did watch”
• • have mostly clear speech, though will continue to have difficulties with a small number of sounds – for example ‘r’ – as in ‘rabbit’, ‘l’ – as in ‘letter’, ‘th’ as in ‘thumb’, ‘sh’ as in ‘show’, and ‘j’ as in ‘jam’
• • listen to longer stories and answer questions about a story they have just heard, for example, simple questions such as “Who did Cinderella dance with at the ball?”, “Were Cinderella’s sisters kind?”
• • understand and often use colour, number and time related words, for example, ‘red’ car, ‘three’ fingers
• • enjoy make-believe play
• • start to like simple jokes – though often their own jokes make little sense
• • start to be able to plan games with others

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• • I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• • I don’t use sentences with 3 words or more
• • I don’t understand simple commands
• • Close relatives can’t understand me most of the time
• • I struggle to turn ideas into sentences
• • My words are often jumbled, and my ideas are difficult to follow

To contact the 0 to 19 Torbay health visiting team, please call us on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email: publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

By 5 years

Remember, not all children develop at the same rate but during this time I will:

• • take turns in much longer conversations
• • use sentences that are well formed, for example, “I had spaghetti for tea at Jamilia’s house”
• • be learning more words all the time as well as thinking more about the meanings of words, such as describing the meaning of simple words or asking what a new word means
• • be able to re-tell short stories I have heard in roughly the right order and use language that makes it sound like a story
• • use most speech sounds. However, I may have some difficulties with more difficult words such as ‘scribble’ or ‘elephant’ and some speech sounds such as ‘r’ and ‘th’ may still be difficult
• • enjoy listening to stories, songs and rhymes and will start to make up my own
• • ask relevant questions or make relevant comments in relation to what I’ve have heard
• • understand spoken instructions without stopping what I’m doing to look at who is speaking to me
• • understand more complicated language such as ‘first’, ‘last’, ‘might’, ‘maybe’, ‘above’ and ‘in between’
• • understand words that describe sequences such as “first we are going to the shop, next we will play in the park”
• • choose my own friends
• • use talk to take on different roles in imaginative play, to interact and negotiate with people and to have longer conversations
• • use talk to help work out problems to organise my thinking and take part in activities

My parents might want to speak to a Health Visitor or GP if:

• • I’m not doing some of the things a younger child would (see previous age boxes)
• • I don’t use sentences with 3 words or more
• • I don’t understand simple commands
• • Close relatives can’t understand me most of the time
• • I struggle to turn ideas into sentences
• • My words are often jumbled, and my ideas are difficult to follow
• • I have poor understanding of spoken language.
• • Strangers cannot understand much of my speech.
• • I have difficulty with abstract ideas such as size or time.
• • I cannot identify the words to be able to say what I want.
• • I struggle to organise my words into an order when I talk, e.g. I might miss connecting and describing words – I might say ‘playing ball’ instead of ‘Jake is playing with the ball’.

Talk to your school nurse, GP, school/setting practitioner

CFHD All age Advice line 0333 321 9448 (Mon-Fri 2pm-4.30pm

Libraries Unlimited provide a comprehensive library services across Torbay which includes regular events for children. Bounce and Rhyme is aimed at babies and toddlers to help their literacy development through the repetition of rhymes and songs. The group is also a great way for parents to meet and chat.

Join us for this fun, free half-hour singing session for babies and toddlers. Sing and bounce along to well known nursery rhymes and songs. We provide instruments, scarves and cuddly toys so there is lots for your little one to enjoy. No need to book just come along to one of our weekly sessions. For dates and times, go to Libraries Unlimited website.

Please book in advance (no more than 6 days before the next session) either in person at the library, or call 01803 714452 or email us at torquay.library@librariesunlimited.org.uk

A weekly session with a rolling programme of development and behaviour support for parents.

Each week we focus on a different area of your toddlers development including – General development/Speech, language and communication, Sleep, Toilet training, Managing children’s emotions, Dummy use and/or dental info, Healthy Lifestyles.

Groups focused on child development.

This is a weekly group for parents with their babies to attend and is based on offering specific advice and guidance for new mothers.

Each week there will be a theme focused around your child’s development run by the family hub staff with breastfeeding peer supporters on hand to offer additional support. Click on our What’s on pages for dates, times and venues. Just search My Developing Baby.

You will be offered regular health and development reviews (health visitor checks) for your baby until they are around 2. These are to support you and your baby, and make sure their development is on track.

The reviews are usually done by a health visitor or a member of their team at one of our family hubs.

It’s helpful, where possible, for both parents to attend as this gives you both a chance to catch up with your health visiting team ask questions, talk about any concerns you have and think about your child’s next stage.

Aged 8 – 12 months

We offer developmental reviews for your baby at around 9 months old. These will usually take place either in your home or at one of our family hubs by a 0 to19 Family Health Worker.

We will talk to you about how your baby/child is growing and developing. We’ll share information about oral health, healthy eating, vision, hearing, language development and keeping your child safe.

Aged and 2 – 2½ years

You will be offer a developmental review when your child is around 2 years and 3 months olds. We will talk to you about how your baby/child is growing and developing. We’ll share information about oral health, healthy eating, vision, hearing, language development and keeping your child safe.

You will be sent a questionnaire about your child’s development to fill in before the review (the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, ASQ). Find out more about ASQ’s here. 

If you are worried about your baby or child’s development or would like to contact our health visiting team, please give us a call on 0300 333 5352 (Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm) or email publichealthnursing.torbay@nhs.net

We often hear the term home learning environment, but what do we mean by it?

This is learning environment your child experiences at home with their family. ALL parents are educators of their children, and anyone can do it. It does not require you to be ‘the teacher’ or buy lots of resources. It requires your time and imagination and having lots of fun!

Parents are a child’s first and most enduring educators. Parents and families are the most important people in children’s lives. They have the greatest influence over them, particularly in their early years.

What you do at home as parents has a major impact on social, emotional and intellectual development.

Parents who engage in meaningful activities that encourage thinking and talking to stretch a child’s mind as part of everyday life can enhance their child’s development significantly.

Evidence shows that the below activities have the biggest impact on your child’s learning:

• Reading with and to children, and going to the library
• Singing songs and rhymes
• Going out and about on visits
• Drawing and painting
• Playing with friends
• Playing with letters and numbers

The following activities are important too:

• Listening, talking and thinking – using a family’s strongest language(s) from birth
• Doing real things together, for example: cooking, gardening, helping with the shopping
• Letting the children have a go for themselves
• Imagining and pretending

Suggestions for how to make your home a place that helps with understanding, talking and communication. Click on the sections below for activities you can do at home.

Mark Marking

Sensory Play

Out and about

Chat, Play, Read

Nursery Rhymes

Out and about