14/06/2026
Oops! Did you sing along to that first slide? đ¤
Â
If youâre living with a toddler who relies entirely on the âgrunt, point, and pull your armâ method to get what they want, itâs completely normal to feel a bit of panic.
But here is the good news: Gestures are a brilliant sign.Â
Â
It means your little one already understands the core concept of communicationâthey just havenât figured out how to use spoken words to get the job done yet.
To bridge that gap, we have to shake up how we respond to those gestures. Because humans are naturally efficient, if your toddler can get their milk just by pointing, they wonât see a reason to speak!
Â
Try these 3 âNinja Speechieâ shifts during snack time or playtime today:
Â
1ď¸âŁ Narrate the Gesture: Be their voice. Instead of silently handing over the snack, label it clearly with a single word. âCrackers! You want crackers.âÂ
Â
2ď¸âŁ Communication Temptations: Put their favorite toys or snacks in clear, hard-to-open containers. It creates a natural, frustration-free reason for them to bring the item to you and initiate a baseline request for âhelp.âÂ
Â
3ď¸âŁ The Power of the Pause: This is the hardest one for parents! When they point at something, look at them expectantly and count to 5 silently in your head. Give their brain the processing space it needs to attempt a vocalization before you fill the silence.
Â
Every child develops at their own pace, but you donât have to navigate it alone. If youâre feeling overwhelmed or worried they are falling behind their peers, letâs look at the bigger picture together.
Â
đ Click the link in our bio to book a 15 minute speech assessment with one of our Speech Pathologists today!
