The Secret Language Of Toddlers

What if you knew that your toddler would be using gestures to communicate their wants and needs until well into their second year of life? It would only make sense to meet them halfway.

It is widely accepted that the vast majority (two thirds by some estimates) of our communication is in the form of non-verbal ‘cues’ such as facial expressions, tonality, gestures and body language. We can say we’re pleased to meet someone, but our stiff smile and distant handshake can reveal our unease, and a teenager can swear blind that they don’t like their classmate of the opposite gender, but the flushed cheeks, rapid speech and lack of eye contact is evidence to the contrary. When it comes to toddlers who are still in the process of growing their spoken vocabulary, the role of nonverbal communication is all the more important. Not only does it help them to express themselves, but the context in which language occurs – including all the non-verbal cues – assists babies and toddlers to learn verbal language.

GESTURES AS PART OF COMMUNICATION