Learning joint attention helps your child learn that they can call your attention to an object. This will come in handy later when they need to ask you for help.

Today’s activity: Practice eye tracking by playing with a moving toy. Roll a ball or car in different directions. Make sure to do this in the context of a fun activity and share turns with your child.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you.

You can shape your child’s use of joint attention. Start when you are already engaged with your child in an interaction. Add one object and make it very noticeable and appealing.

Today’s activity: Encourage your child to follow your lead by introducing it with excitement. Name it or say something like, “Here it comes” or “Look!” Provide time for them to notice it and make a response.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

When your child is not using joint attention, they need lots of practice with you showing joint attention to their object of interest.

Today’s activity: Model joint attention by noticing what your child is noticing and adding to the topic: touch, point, name, exclaim, play.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Joint attention skills emerge by the end of Level Three. You’ll see your child look back and forth between your face and something they are touching that you are looking at.

Tracking a moving object helps your child learn to move their eyes to follow and find objects.

Your child needs you to model frequently. Notice what your child is paying attention to, then you pay attention to that as well. Comment and use actions that show you are noticing their focus.

Today’s activity: While your child is seated, interaction between an object placed between you on the table. Be animated and interesting so you are as interesting as the object.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Use a child-safe mirror for this activity.

Children enjoy watching themselves in the mirror. It’s another way to encourage attention to faces.

Today’s activity: Let your child watch their face in the mirror. Play together in the mirror with peek-a-boo or or other social games.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Do parents cause their child’s speech-language delay? Can we speed up a child’s development of skills? Joyce shares her opinions.

Music can stimulate your child to move, which gives you another activity to do together with your child. As you imitate your child, you are modeling how imitation works.

Today’s activity: Notice your child’s reactions to music. Mirror their actions.

Here’s the link to information about speech-language public services in the U.S.    

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Encourage mutual attention by be face-to-face and animated.

Today’s activity promotes motor develop when your child wants to move closer to engage with you.

Today’s activity: Be just out of reach from your child when they are on their tummy. Encourage them to try to reach you while you make sounds and faces.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Download the list of Level Three Skills and Activities to use as a checklist and guide.

Clapping is a great gesture to begin using with your child. It helps you be enthusiastic, and it becomes a way to reinforce whatever your child is doing.

At first you will do the action while your child watches. Use an action then wait; give your child a chance to imitate before you give any assistance. Accept any response to encourage your child to be engaged with you.

Patting is a basic movement that you can use in a back-and-forth game. Pat the back of your child’s hand and then wait for your child to pat yours.

Today’s activity: Add more social games with gestures like tapping, patting and clapping. Examples: clapping, pat-a-cake, pat-pat-pat.

Download the Level Three list of skills and activities to use as a checklist and reminder.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Remember that each of these levels takes at least three months for your child to develop. We’re going for quality—not for speed.

Social games with gestures are a great way to introduce imitation skills. Use motions you know your child can already do, and make it a fun back-and-forth exchange.

Today’s activity: Use familiar social games (like so big, peek-a-boo) in new situations to add variety.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!

Download the Level Three list of skills and activities to use as a checklist and reminder.

Download the Level Three list of skills and activities to use as a checklist and reminder.

Social interaction is the foundation for human communication. Your child is learning to enjoy interaction and all the different reasons we have for communicating. We must always teach speech and language skills in the context of social interaction.

Mutual attention means that two people are noticing what the other person is doing and is responding to that. It may or may not include direct eye contact.

At Level Three your child learns to actively indicate to you that they want to continue with a social interaction. They watch your face closely when you are engaged face-to-face.

Today’s activity: Put your face in your child’s line of sight before you talk or smile. Be animated with your voice, facial expressions and hand gestures.

Visit www.TheInteractionCoach.com to see the directory of speech-language pathologists licensed in your area. If you can’t find one in the directory, contact me at [email protected] and I’ll track down someone for you!