Between the ages of 1 and 3, your toddler’s brain is working overtime. Those babbles are turning into real words. They’re pointing, making sounds, and starting to understand what you say—even if they can’t say much back yet. These are the building blocks of language and literacy.

And the best part? You don’t need special toys or flashcards. Just talking, reading and playing with your toddler helps their language skills grow.

How Your Toddler Learns to Talk

Language development starts with connection. Long before your child can say “ball” or “bye-bye,” they’re learning the rhythm of language through back-and-forth interactions with you.

• Talk to them all day long: “You’re picking the red cup! Let’s fill it with water.”
• Read books together: Point to pictures, ask simple questions, and follow their lead.
• Sing songs and rhymes: The repetition helps toddlers recognize patterns and sounds.
• Pause and listen: Give them a chance to babble, gesture or respond in their own way—even if it’s not with words yet.

Why Reading Every Day Matters

Reading isn’t just about learning letters—it’s about language, bonding and imagination. Reading out loud helps toddlers:

• Build vocabulary
• Understand how stories work
• Hear the sounds and rhythm of language
• Learn to focus and listen
  

Even if your toddler simply flips through pages or requests the same book every night, keep going. Every moment you read together matters.

What About Screens

Here’s the deal—toddlers learn best from real-life play and real-life people. Screens, like tablets, phones, and TVs, don’t offer the same kind of brain-boosting interaction.

What’s OK?

• Short video chats with family or friends (with you sitting next to them).
• Talking about what they’re seeing, if you do watch something together.

What to avoid:

• Passive screen time with no interaction.
• Background TV during meals or playtime.
• Using screens to calm your child down every time they’re upset.
  

Pro Tip: Try to limit your own screen time during play and bedtime. Looking at your child’s face—making eye contact, smiling, listening—that’s where the magic happens.

Big Emotions

Your toddler’s language is still catching up to their emotions, so it’s no surprise when a tantrum takes over. They’re learning to say what they feel—but that takes practice and your support.

You can help them by:

• Naming feelings: “You’re mad because it’s time to leave the park.”
• Staying calm when they’re not.
• Offering choices they can manage: “Do you want to hold the book or turn the page?”

The “terrible twos” aren’t terrible at all—they’re just toddlers doing the hard work of growing.

Setting Simple Rules

Your toddler doesn’t need a long lecture—they need consistency, patience and lots of praise for doing the right thing.

Here’s what works:

• Show them what to do instead of just saying “no.”
• Keep rules age-appropriate and simple: “Shoes stay on in the store.”
• Let them choose when you can: “Do you want to clean up blocks or crayons first?”
• Praise often: “You used your words—that was great!”