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Express yourself: Talking tips for toddlers

Blog
The YPO Team
22 Jul 2025

During the toddler stage, which spans from 1 to 3 years old, providing a language-rich environment is crucial. Participating in activities that encourage communication is key in this early stage of life when brain development is occurring at a high rate. These early interventions not only build communication abilities but also support cognitive and social development.

As toddlers often struggle with expressing themselves, helping them to develop and learn vocabulary and communication skills is paramount. Here are five practical ways to support our toddlers as they become confident communicators:

1. Time for rhyme

Rhythmic, repetitive nursery rhymes help familiarise toddlers with verbal patterns and vocabulary while allowing for vocal exploration. They help young children sing along and build their word banks without even realising it! Enhance your singing sessions with the following...

1. Incorporate props – to bring excitement to rhymes such as ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ or ‘Five Speckled Frogs’
2. Keep set-ups simple – to avoid information overload
3. Point to objects – e.g. star, sky, frog, log as you sing to link words to their meaning
4. Pause at the end of sentences – to let toddlers fill in the missing word
5. Encourage reenactments – and watch the little ones bring the rhymes to life!

Support sing-songs with:

307294 – Let’s Roll Nursery Rhymes
308601 – Ten in the Bed
543458 – Nursery Rhymes Story Set

2. Tell me a story

Before toddlers can learn to speak, they must listen to process language and tune into speech nuances. The repetitive nature of stories like We’re Going on a Bear Hunt lets toddlers hear and practise words, reinforcing vocabulary in an engaging way.

To embed these skills, try bringing stories to life with play props and sensory-rich materials like leaves, pebbles or crinkly textures to stimulate learning through the senses, strengthening neural connections and vocabulary retention.

After acting out the story, try the Three Period Lesson method from the Montessori approach:

1. Introduce new words: ‘This is the bear’ (point to it); ‘This is the dog’ (point to it).
2. Ask the child to point: ‘Show me the bear’; ‘Show me the dog’. Move them and ask again.
3. Ask the child to say their names: ‘Who is this?’ (point to the bear); ‘Who is this?’ (point to the dog). Move them and ask again.
4. Reinforce and repeat the words: ‘Yes! This is the bear’ (point to it); ‘This is the dog’ (point to the dog).

Support storytelling with:

532324 – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Wooden Characters
532320 – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Story Talk Cards
520720 – We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Story Set
820897 – Large Play Cave
842176 – Traditional Tales – Wooden Characters

3. Special interests to the rescue

Following special interests is a great way to expand language as toddlers will be engaged and eager to interact. Talking about favourite topics triggers feel-good hormones that strengthen neural connections associated with language development. Try the following with your little ones.

1. Create inviting play scenes – with props and natural materials.
2. Have back-and-forth conversations – point out details and ask open-ended questions.
3. Give them time to respond – showing enthusiasm for their answers. Feeling heard boosts confidence in using new words.
4. Repeat and extend – what they say. ‘He’s a T-Rex? Wow! Look at his huge, spiky teeth and enormous legs!’

Support special interests with:

307240 – Dinosaur Wooden Characters
842141 – Superhero Wooden Characters

4. Imagine that!

Imaginative play with small-world props in enchanting set-ups is a fantastic way to support speech and language development. Speaking through props reduces self-consciousness, making talking more fluid. Help bring the characters to life by modelling sentence structures.

1. Use open-ended questions – ‘Who are these people?’, ‘Where do you think they’re going?’
2. Expand on ideas – ‘Fishing? What might they need to take?’
3. Narrate during play – ‘This man is called Steve, and he’s going on holiday to Spain!’
4. Introduce new vocabulary – ‘I hope he’s packed his swimming trunks and sun cream!’

Support imaginative play with:

309472 – Little People Like Me Families
427317 – Little Lands: Houses
308677 – Play Bridge
807495 – Rustic Pourers

5. Recipe for success

The sensory-rich environment of a mud kitchen is perfect for boosting toddlers’ language. The textures, smells and sounds create a calming space that encourages communication. Vestibular movements like stirring, pouring and mixing stimulate brain areas that drive the urge to talk. At the same time, messy play sparks curiosity and storytelling – the perfect mix to cook up new vocabulary!

1. Provide what they’ll need – aprons, chef hats, play food, herbs, pots, and menus
2. Introduce new words – using the Three Period Lesson
3. Role play – as a chef or customer to encourage back-and-forth talk
4. Use exciting words – like squelch, plop, and splash to support speech

Support mud kitchen play with:

820890 – Sensory Play Stones: Fruit
820891 – Sensory Play Stones: Vegetables
802006 – Outdoor Muddy Play Kit

Looking for more early years inspiration?

Check out our latest issue of Little Learners magazine. Don't forget to subscribe for free to receive all future issues and be entered into our exclusive subscriber competitions.

You can also browse our vocabulary and communication resources, as well as our full range of early years products here.

Author

The YPO Team

YPO supplies products and services to a wide range of customers including schools, local authorities, charities, emergency services, public sector and other businesses such as nurseries and care homes. YPO are 100% publicly owned, by 13 local authorities, which means the profits made are returned to public sector customers, delivering even better value for money.